Group Captive Causes Death of Tortoises??

Andrew Wu

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I first got 8 leopard tortoises about 6 months ago, and I had them all in a flat-bottom shallow tub. Starting 3 months ago, their shell became soft and within 1~2 weeks, 5 of them died. My friends said I shouldn't raise them together. So I had them separated into smaller enclosures. However, I know some of you have tortoises raised together without any problems. What did I do wrong? I would like to have them all grow up together as mates. Please help.
 

mitchellr

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Your torts got an MBD. It is caused by lack of calcium and UVB. Give them calcium and sunshine.
 

tinkerbell1189

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You would need to give more info about their setup for a better insight. What were the temps, UVB source, and natural daylight, how big was their enclosure, what was their diet, did you use any calcium supplements, etc. those are just a few I can think off the top of my head.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Andrew:

What a heart-breaking situation. I'm so sorry for your loss.

When a baby tortoise develops a soft shell, it is because he wasn't being given enough calcium-rich foods. And along with the calcium, they need UVB from the sun. The tortoise's body converts the UVB into vitamin d3 and calcium doesn't work without the sun's vitamin d3.

This is why we're always stressing for our members to give the tortoises a wide variety of different foods. In the wild they don't just eat one item...they wander around and eat many different foods. It should be the same in captivity...a wide variety of different calcium-rich foods, UVB, plenty of water and exercise.

Your group death had nothing to do with having baby tortoises living together in a group.

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Andrew Wu

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kathyth

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Andrew,
I'm bery sorry for the death of your babies.
I will say; welcome to the forum.
Here you will get exact info on raising and owning tortoises, regardless of species.
You should stay connected.
 

wellington

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Since Taiwan is considered tropical island weather type, someone told me the ambiance moisture (65%~80%) is too high for leopard tortoises. Is it true?
Leopards need high humidity to grow healthy and smooth. They need 80% along with temps no lower then 80 degrees. Wet and cold equals sick or dead tort, hot and humid equals a healthy smooth tortoise.
So to answer your question, yes they were wrong. Read Toms threads below in my post for proper raising smooth healthy leopard and the sulcatas are raised the same way, along with many other species, but not all.
 

Andrew Wu

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Leopards need high humidity to grow healthy and smooth. They need 80% along with temps no lower then 80 degrees. Wet and cold equals sick or dead tort, hot and humid equals a healthy smooth tortoise.
So to answer your question, yes they were wrong. Read Toms threads below in my post for proper raising smooth healthy leopard and the sulcatas are raised the same way, along with many other species, but not all.

Reading Tom's threads helps. I am watching and maintaining the ambiance moisture. Thank you.
 

Tom

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Reading Tom's threads helps. I am watching and maintaining the ambiance moisture. Thank you.

But you need warm temperatures too, and this is where people in tropical countries tend to fail. Do you have all the proper heating and lighting equipment to maintain the right temperatures and basking spots?

Also, how these babies were started in the first few weeks after hatching has a profound effect on their lives later on. Most people think they need to be kept dry and many babies dehydrate because of this.
 

Camryn

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I like to use calcium dust on my tortoises food ONCE a day.
Sunshine is always great :) Good luck! So sorry for your loss.
 

Andrew Wu

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But you need warm temperatures too, and this is where people in tropical countries tend to fail. Do you have all the proper heating and lighting equipment to maintain the right temperatures and basking spots?

Also, how these babies were started in the first few weeks after hatching has a profound effect on their lives later on. Most people think they need to be kept dry and many babies dehydrate because of this.

Thank you for reminding. The temperature now in Central Taiwan raging from 26℃ at night to 35℃ during the day, which are around 79℉~95℉. I don't use the heating light now;however, I take them out for sun bathing for a couple of hours a day with shade of course.
 

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Tom

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I like to use calcium dust on my tortoises food ONCE a day.
Sunshine is always great :) Good luck! So sorry for your loss.

This is not a good thing to do. Too much calcium (everyday is too much) interferes with the absorption of other important trace elements and minerals. I would go as high as three times a week for egg laying females or giant species during growth spurts, but none for adult males, and only once or twice a week for everything else.
 

Tom

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Thank you for reminding. The temperature now in Central Taiwan raging from 26℃ at night to 35℃ during the day, which are around 79℉~95℉. I don't use the heating light now;however, I take them out for sun bathing for a couple of hours a day with shade of course.


See, I think THAT is the problem. All one temperature, room temperature, is not so good for tortoises, even if its warm. They need a thermal gradient where the warm end is warmer than the cool end and the basking spot is warmer than the warm end. This way they can adjust their body temperature to where they need it. See in the wild they could bask to get hot, or move to a shady puddle or damp grotto to cool down. But in an indoor enclosure that is all one temperature somewhere in between 26 and 35, there is no way to thermoregulate.
 

Camryn

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This is not a good thing to do. Too much calcium (everyday is too much) interferes with the absorption of other important trace elements and minerals. I would go as high as three times a week for egg laying females or giant species during growth spurts, but none for adult males, and only once or twice a week for everything else.
So my sulcata is about a year old. Should I just do once a day three times a week?
 

Tom

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So my sulcata is about a year old. Should I just do once a day three times a week?

I do twice a week for young growing sulcatas. If you feel like he's going through one of those crazy growth spurts that they sometimes hit, you could go to three times a week or just drop in a cuttle bone and let him self regulate.
 

Camryn

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I don't feel like he is in the middle of a growth spurt currently, so i'll sprinkle the powder on his food twice a week.
Thank you Tom for your advice :)
I do twice a week for young growing sulcatas. If you feel like he's going through one of those crazy growth spurts that they sometimes hit, you could go to three times a week or just drop in a cuttle bone and let him self regulate.
 

sillyfurby

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I first got 8 leopard tortoises about 6 months ago, and I had them all in a flat-bottom shallow tub. Starting 3 months ago, their shell became soft and within 1~2 weeks, 5 of them died. My friends said I shouldn't raise them together. So I had them separated into smaller enclosures. However, I know some of you have tortoises raised together without any problems. What did I do wrong? I would like to have them all grow up together as mates. Please help.
I'm sorry that your torts didn't all survive. Read your first sentence and you'll see one of the problems. Keeping them in a tub or other container isn't a good idea. They aren't fish, they need room to roam. Then do well on soil, in the sunshine. The amount of torts kept together shouldn't be a problem if they have adequate space. My belief is that torts deserve to have an outdoor enclosure big enough for a children's play yard. Anyone who wants a tort they can look at whenever the mood hits, should consider a parakeet instead. Torts love to dig around and hide. That is their right. Wow, I seem to have tossed out all sorts of opinions. Sorry, but posting anyway.
 
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