Got a softie today :(

[ascott]

Puree sounds delish His color will likely darken as his shell hardens....

I can give you some things to add to the list for your co worker

Ca Desert Tortoise + sun + oh yeah sun ++ oh yeah sun....jeez
I hope she will take all that you have on your list to heart, especially since she still has three other little victims at her mercy.....and if she takes what you say to heart and not defensive then they may have a chance....

I hope a positive conversation will transpire for you and her and a better outcome for the others as well.....

hey, did I say that sun is good for a Ca Desert Tortoise...just incase I forgot.....LOL

 

[Skyler Nell]

The sunlight and uv lighting should definitely help make the shell harder. As far as him being "flat", I don't think he looks flat but more that he lacks muscle mass and his shell is a bit big for him? If he is eating, that's very good! He's adorable And I would definitely do the soaks if it were me, yvonnes baby food soaks saved my CDT! good luck!! and let me know if you have any questions

 

[RV's mom]

what a sweet persona..... glad you have him ~ chances are much better for survival when one knows and cares and expends some energy to help the babies, not just have them as "little pretties"

good luck

teri

 

[Laura]

vitamin A deficiancy for his blindness? i dont know if that gets better..
i really hope you can get him turned around and its not too late..
obviously he wont be hibernating this year... be ready for that..
you said she had two? where is the other one?
how did she get this one?

 

[Torty Mom]

The sunlight and uv lighting should definitely help make the shell harder. As far as him being "flat", I don't think he looks flat but more that he lacks muscle mass and his shell is a bit big for him? If he is eating, that's very good! He's adorable And I would definitely do the soaks if it were me, yvonnes baby food soaks saved my CDT! good luck!! and let me know if you have any questions

Thanks Syler Nell, I appreciate it! Yes, his shell looks a bit big and I thinks it's heavy for him. He is pretty flat and his rear slopes just a bit. But I am comparing him to my others. It was the first thing my 11 year old son noticed. I may be bugging you for help!!

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what a sweet persona..... glad you have him ~ chances are much better for survival when one knows and cares and expends some energy to help the babies, not just have them as "little pretties"

good luck

teri

Thanks Teri! I am glad he is here too, I hope I can part with him when he makes it! I am growing quite attached to his little bug eyed self!! I must have walked 6 miles checking on him! LOL!!!

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Puree sounds delish His color will likely darken as his shell hardens....

I can give you some things to add to the list for your co worker

Ca Desert Tortoise + sun + oh yeah sun ++ oh yeah sun....jeez
I hope she will take all that you have on your list to heart, especially since she still has three other little victims at her mercy.....and if she takes what you say to heart and not defensive then they may have a chance....

I hope a positive conversation will transpire for you and her and a better outcome for the others as well.....

hey, did I say that sun is good for a Ca Desert Tortoise...just incase I forgot.....LOL

My plan is to take him back to her house so I can see where she keeps him. She is a very sweet lady, I don't think she will mind my list. I will also show her pictures of my set up which is very easy to do. She said the 3 others are growing big and doing good. I gave her a few things on Friday. She even offered me money, which I declined. This is a labor of love. Wish me luck, day two!!!

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vitamin A deficiancy for his blindness? i dont know if that gets better..
i really hope you can get him turned around and its not too late..
obviously he wont be hibernating this year... be ready for that..
you said she had two? where is the other one?
how did she get this one?

Thanks Laura, I'm wondering if his eyes look like that because he was kept in a dark environment? What do you think?
She has 3 others. I am not sure where she lives, but I live on the edge of town, she said she found them in her yard. She also found a RES in her pool last month. We have farmers bringing hatchlings into the club all the time. That's how I got my other 3.

 

[Torty Mom]

not eating today at all, I have tried 3 times since his soak. He has not taken a drink in the 3 times I have soaked him. I added pureed cactus, so I will try again in a little while with just plain mazuri again. Maybe he doesn't like cactus! <sigh> he is back outside before it gets blazing hot again.

 

[ascott]

Mary Anne, I have one of my guys that it took FOREVER for him to acquire the taste for cactus....I was like, "really dude, hello-you are a CDT...eat it" and he was like "no" then as time passed he will munch some but still not the biggest fan of it....

Have you tried some flowers? bright colored stuff? crap, wait, he may not be turned on by that as their site is what helps to lure them to the colors....I would try it anyways...maybe wait till he does the air head thing then give a slip in or two of some yummy stuff?

You are doing good....go girl go!!!!!

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lol....I meant "sight" not "site"....

 

[Torty Mom]

He has sow thistle, red hibiscus, grass, mulberry, grape leaf all cut up teeny tiny on his little dish, still nothing. I am going to try the plain mazuri in a little while. Darn this little dude! I am working on posting the video. I am such a dork.......

 

[ascott]

I too belong to the Klan off the Dorks......

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LOL...see the proof, I again can not spell....LOL

"of" not "off"....hahahahahahaha

 

[wrmitchell22]

He is adorable, definatley a little flat, poor thing! So happy he has you to give him what he needs. Keep us updated

 

[Torty Mom]

Ok here goes, I think I did it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dx9KgFHTgM

Let me know what you guys think.

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Attempt #5 was successful with 3/4 of a mazuri nugget consumed!!!

Still doing the air eating, I still have to hold his head down to get him to find the food. Is it possible that he is just uncoordinated?

 

[ascott]

Okay so I watched the video like 10 times.....what first strikes me is that he seems as though he has focus to aim at the food, maybe not by sight but he knows where it is at....then he goes to grab it and it seems like to me he does not have the muscle control to keep his head where it needs to be to complete his attempt??? does that make sense? Also, I believe you said that if you put your finger above his head and aid his head from heading north he can complete his bite.....

May I make a suggestion? Maybe since he is so young, make sure that he always has a successful feeding.....like boost his drive and expectations....make him reach for the food like he does in the video and be at the ready to make sure he gets a chomp and mouth full....I think that he will be fine with this type of system....I am tending to think that once you get him through this oh so critical stage he will absolutely adjust and will figure a way to eat what you place in front of him...also, you will be able to see as time goes on if his eyesight is indeed the issue or if he just is still so weak honey that he just really really needs a nurturing soul like you to will him on..... the little ones are so new that while I know a wild animal has a drive to survive but if they are so young and so fragile they may not realize that when they slow down it is a bad thing....they kinda lose their will ....this is where yours will come into play

Keep trying.....put positive out there and have faith...

 

[Torty Mom]

Yes, Angela that exactly right. I have to gently hold his head down or it goes straight up in the air. It's crazy. When he opens his mouth I put my finger coated mazuri into his mouth with my left hand while the right hand is keeping his head level with the food.

Now another worry, no poopies he has eaten 4 mazuri nuggets in 2 days and nothing. Hopefully the soaks will help that too.

Thanks for your advice, I will try it!!!

 

[ascott]

Well, I would not yet freak about the no poo, because if this is his way of attempting to eat and failing, I bet he has not eaten for some time before you starting feeding him....so let him get all charged up and I bet he will produce a little poo....and with the soaking I bet he will.....

 

[Torty Mom]

You know your life is crazy when you are all excited for poo! I feel Lindsey's pain, I want poo too!!!

 

[dmmj]

I watched the video, and it looks like he does not have any strength to me.

 

[Skyler Nell]

Wouldn't worry about the flatness right now, I'm thinking that's just the shape of his shell. My larger CDT was much flatter then my younger one is at that age.
If the mazuri is the only thing he will eat right now i would just keep giving him that, offering other things doesn't hurt, but at least he's eating something! yay sounds like you're doing everything right. the sun and some added calcium should help his shell harden up. is he moving around at all??

 

[l0velesly]

Aww. It makes me feel sad to see him chomp at the air

 

[Torty Mom]

Yes he is moving around not a whole lot, but a little! Did you see the video of him eating? Very strange. Thanks for your input, I appreciate it!

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Aww. It makes me feel sad to see him chomp at the air

It's very sad!! Poor guy, I have been helping him eat.

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I watched the video, and it looks like he does not have any strength to me.

I agree David, that's why I have been trying to make all his chomps worth while. So it's not wasted effort on his part.

Do you think he can't see the food?

 

[lynnedit]

To me, it is hard to tell. He is either sniffing or looking at the food, so he knows where it is. But his bites are so far off makes one think it could be more neurologic: coordination. Of course, blindness could be neurologic too. Either way,some of it is likely to be nutritional, so you are correcting any part of that you can.
I am so glad you are helping him!!!