Hi all,
I'm very concerned that something might be very wrong with my baby tortoise. I got him in December (4 months ago) and he's still quite tiny (pic attached). I noticed last week when I picked him up that his underbelly shell has gotten quite soft. I brought him to an exotic vet and he said he did seem pretty soft and that MBD was a concern. He did also note that with him being so little still that it's normal for the shell to be a little soft (I don't remember it being this soft when I first got him though). I'm not sure if it can be from too much moisture so I've been nervous to spray my tank a lot but I can't just not spray it because I live in Alberta so humidity is a struggle for me as it is. As well, I have a basking heat lamp, an infrared night time lamp, and a uv light. However they're all on top of the tank so I don't think the uv is close enough to him? I'm not sure what other type of lamp/fixture to use if I want to move it to the floor?
As well, he's become very lethargic and stopped eating. He hasn't eaten for four days now. I feed him dark greens such as spinach and romaine lettuce and about once a week ill add some carrot and a little apple as well as dusting calcium powder on the food all the time. I also have a calcium supplement for his water dish which he used to climb right into. Now all he does is sleep. Not even move from spot to spot and sleep. If I don't pick him up when I try to feed him I think he would literally just lay in that exact spot until he dies. I put him right on to his little good rock when I feed him and he just kind of looks at the food like he's gonna eat it and then walks away and buries himself and sleeps. I know he needs more calcium but if he won't eat the food with it I don't know how else to get it to him. I've read some things about soaking him in water with calcium supplements but I'm nervous to get him too wet just because of how soft his shell is. Please help!!! If he dies ill be so distraught
I'm very concerned that something might be very wrong with my baby tortoise. I got him in December (4 months ago) and he's still quite tiny (pic attached). I noticed last week when I picked him up that his underbelly shell has gotten quite soft. I brought him to an exotic vet and he said he did seem pretty soft and that MBD was a concern. He did also note that with him being so little still that it's normal for the shell to be a little soft (I don't remember it being this soft when I first got him though). I'm not sure if it can be from too much moisture so I've been nervous to spray my tank a lot but I can't just not spray it because I live in Alberta so humidity is a struggle for me as it is. As well, I have a basking heat lamp, an infrared night time lamp, and a uv light. However they're all on top of the tank so I don't think the uv is close enough to him? I'm not sure what other type of lamp/fixture to use if I want to move it to the floor?
As well, he's become very lethargic and stopped eating. He hasn't eaten for four days now. I feed him dark greens such as spinach and romaine lettuce and about once a week ill add some carrot and a little apple as well as dusting calcium powder on the food all the time. I also have a calcium supplement for his water dish which he used to climb right into. Now all he does is sleep. Not even move from spot to spot and sleep. If I don't pick him up when I try to feed him I think he would literally just lay in that exact spot until he dies. I put him right on to his little good rock when I feed him and he just kind of looks at the food like he's gonna eat it and then walks away and buries himself and sleeps. I know he needs more calcium but if he won't eat the food with it I don't know how else to get it to him. I've read some things about soaking him in water with calcium supplements but I'm nervous to get him too wet just because of how soft his shell is. Please help!!! If he dies ill be so distraught