HELP MBD ORHYPERCALCEMIA

[Tom]

Also how to train the baby to eat cuttlebone? He/she did eat at the start but ever since we powderred it he woildnt bother biting it

You don't train them. They eat it when they want it, and ignore it when they don't want it. This is normal and fine.

 

[Justincl]

When controlled by a thermostat, the CHE will not over heat the enclosure. They all work the same. If there was a problem with some off brand cheaply made one, it would simply break or not heat up. They can't over heat extra. A thermostat will shut it off when the desired temperature is reached. As long as you have a warm daytime ambient and a 37C basking area, I think 25-26C at night will be okay. Watch the appetite, activity level and look for any signs of a respiratory infection, but I bet it will be fine.

The basking area is important. It causes problems whenever people skip this step with sulcatas. I've tried to do it several times, and it just doesn't work. A recent buyer of my babies tried this and had the same issues. When she put the basking bulb back, the baby immediately perked back up and all the troubles went away.

The tortoise should never be roaming loose on the terrace. Keep it in an enclosure. If the terrace is a good area with the correct temps and a good mixture of sun and shade, then make an enclosure on the terrace.

I only let the lil guy walk on the terrace in morning afternoon or evening just so he wont get bored and i do supervise the lil guy and it is vvvv hard to find good che's here and thermostats are sold here unfortunately and i even trued finding a uvb panel but theres only compact ones here sadly . I am ginving the lil guysome reptile snot mwdications as he has shown a bit of flu but any suggestions so that he heals faster? Also another official and well known seller told me to give pellets so that the plastron hardens faster i am feeding repcal at times but now he wont eat it at all for some reason also how to train the lil guy to eat cuttlebone?

 

[Justincl]

You don't train them. They eat it when they want it, and ignore it when they don't want it. This is normal and fine.

I did make some powdered ones but could u tell me the portion like tea spoon portion like 1/4 or how much also any advice on when to turn on uvb? Like from what time till when. I also recently boight substrate for the lil guy as he was showing signs of digging behaviour and now he happily digs now and then

 

[Tom]

I only let the lil guy walk on the terrace in morning afternoon or evening just so he wont get bored and i do supervise the lil guy and it is vvvv hard to find good che's here and thermostats are sold here unfortunately and i even trued finding a uvb panel but theres only compact ones here sadly . I am ginving the lil guysome reptile snot mwdications as he has shown a bit of flu but any suggestions so that he heals faster? Also another official and well known seller told me to give pellets so that the plastron hardens faster i am feeding repcal at times but now he wont eat it at all for some reason also how to train the lil guy to eat cuttlebone?

1. DON'T let him walk loose on the terrace. Make an enclosure out there. Many people make this mistake and they lose their tortoises.
2. You don't need a "good" CHE. Any will work. They are all made the same with a heating coil encased in ceramic. If they are low quality, buy two so you have a replacement on hand if one breaks or stops working.
3. Find a thermostat. Make one. Improvise one from something else. Get one from out of the country. Here again, buy two so you have a spare if one stops working.
4. You don't need UV bulbs. Outside time on the terrace will meet the baby's UV needs. And if its too cool and rainy for a few weeks, that is totally fine and won't hurt the baby to stay inside with no UV for a few weeks.
5. Higher heat should cure the RI. But you NEED a basking bulb. Heating the enclosure to 33 is not enough. The enclosure being 33 is great, but there also needs to be a basking area of 37 as well.
6. He's not eating the cuttlebone because he doesn't need extra calcium right now. When he needs more calcium again, he will munch on the cuttle bone.

 

[Justincl]

1. DON'T let him walk loose on the terrace. Make an enclosure out there. Many people make this mistake and they lose their tortoises.
2. You don't need a "good" CHE. Any will work. They are all made the same with a heating coil encased in ceramic. If they are low quality, buy two so you have a replacement on hand if one breaks or stops working.
3. Find a thermostat. Make one. Improvise one from something else. Get one from out of the country. Here again, buy two so you have a spare if one stops working.
4. You don't need UV bulbs. Outside time on the terrace will meet the baby's UV needs. And if its too cool and rainy for a few weeks, that is totally fine and won't hurt the baby to stay inside with no UV for a few weeks.
5. Higher heat should cure the RI. But you NEED a basking bulb. Heating the enclosure to 33 is not enough. The enclosure being 33 is great, but there also needs to be a basking area of 37 as well.
6. He's not eating the cuttlebone because he doesn't need extra calcium right now. When he needs more calcium again, he will munch on the cuttle bone.

Actually i am planning on getting a 50w one as at first the 50w was out of stockso i had to gwt the ecoterra intense spot basking light 25w and thw terrace is in fact lined with beicks and i always monitor the lil guy when he walks so that he doesnt eat dried loose bamboo leaves from the nearby trees in front of my house and i will try to get a che thx for replying tom i really appreciate it may god bless u ?

 

[Justincl]

1. DON'T let him walk loose on the terrace. Make an enclosure out there. Many people make this mistake and they lose their tortoises.
2. You don't need a "good" CHE. Any will work. They are all made the same with a heating coil encased in ceramic. If they are low quality, buy two so you have a replacement on hand if one breaks or stops working.
3. Find a thermostat. Make one. Improvise one from something else. Get one from out of the country. Here again, buy two so you have a spare if one stops working.
4. You don't need UV bulbs. Outside time on the terrace will meet the baby's UV needs. And if its too cool and rainy for a few weeks, that is totally fine and won't hurt the baby to stay inside with no UV for a few weeks.
5. Higher heat should cure the RI. But you NEED a basking bulb. Heating the enclosure to 33 is not enough. The enclosure being 33 is great, but there also needs to be a basking area of 37 as well.
6. He's not eating the cuttlebone because he doesn't need extra calcium right now. When he needs more calcium again, he will munch on the cuttle bone.

Ummm tom so i just tried shining the light again just in case and the part of the shell which the light is passing through is widening is this safe?

 

[Tom]

Ummm tom so i just tried shining the light again just in case and the part of the shell which the light is passing through is widening is this safe?

I said before, shining a light through your tortoise does not indicate anything.

 

[Justincl]

I said before, shining a light through your tortoise does not indicate anything.

I have recently noticed that when i pick the lil guy up for his soak the front legs seem to be sort of dangling as if he was weak is this normal? And when i askee another seller here they said to turn on uvb 24 hours for a while so that the plastron hardens

 

[Tom]

I have recently noticed that when i pick the lil guy up for his soak the front legs seem to be sort of dangling as if he was weak is this normal? And when i askee another seller here they said to turn on uvb 24 hours for a while so that the plastron hardens

That is non-sense. That is not how it works. More incorrect info from people who have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[Justincl]

That is non-sense. That is not how it works. More incorrect info from people who have no idea what they are talking about.

So i give 1/4 a teaspoon of cuttlebone powder on the food on monday wednesday and friday and i spray vitamins on sunday is this ok? Also in your opinion how long is enough to sunbathe baby sulcatas and is it ok if i do 3 soaks a day? Because recently he looks more hydrated than when i soaked twice

 

[Justincl]

That is non-sense. That is not how it works. More incorrect info from people who have no idea what they are talking about.

Also tom if my baby's front legs are dangling when i lift the lil guy up is this normal behaviour? Because he usually squirms if i lift the lil guy up and this time its not as often as usual like he rarely squirms now

 

[Tom]

So i give 1/4 a teaspoon of cuttlebone powder on the food on monday wednesday and friday and i spray vitamins on sunday is this ok? Also in your opinion how long is enough to sunbathe baby sulcatas and is it ok if i do 3 soaks a day? Because recently he looks more hydrated than when i soaked twice

That is a lot of calcium but it should be okay. Once a week is fine for the vitamins. Soaking once a day should be enough to keep the baby well hydrated in a humid environment. If you want to soak two or three times a day, it won't hurt anything.

To meet their UV needs, all they need is a half hour of access to sun a couple of times a week. If you want to sun them for 2 hours every day, that is fine too.

 

[Justincl]

That is a lot of calcium but it should be okay. Once a week is fine for the vitamins. Soaking once a day should be enough to keep the baby well hydrated in a humid environment. If you want to soak two or three times a day, it won't hurt anything.

To meet their UV needs, all they need is a half hour of access to sun a couple of times a week. If you want to sun them for 2 hours every day, that is fine too.

Any tips to harden the plastron faster?

 

[Tom]

Also tom if my baby's front legs are dangling when i lift the lil guy up is this normal behaviour? Because he usually squirms if i lift the lil guy up and this time its not as often as usual like he rarely squirms now

When you handle them a lot they tend to desensitize. The dangling legs are probably a demonstration of this. Your baby is used to being handled and is not scared any more. He just relaxes now when the giant hairless ape picks him up. He's become desensitized to your regular handling.

Do the legs work fine when he's on the ground walking around?

 

[Tom]

Any tips to harden the plastron faster?

No. Why would you want to? Its supposed to be pliable when they are babies. With proper diet, temperatures and hydration, the plastron will harden and thicken naturally over time. Why would you want to try to harden it prematurely early?

 

[Justincl]

When you handle them a lot they tend to desensitize. The dangling legs are probably a demonstration of this. Your baby is used to being handled and is not scared any more. He just relaxes now when the giant hairless ape picks him up. He's become desensitized to your regular handling.

Do the legs work fine when he's on the ground walking around?

Yes except at times he does tend to get lazy while feeding if the food is near he just leaves his legs dangling while his front legs do the job but its only rarely tho i have seen him before stretching his legs outside and his head outside before i put the bulb closer to the ground now i nvr see him do it anymore

 

[Justincl]

No. Why would you want to? Its supposed to be pliable when they are babies. With proper diet, temperatures and hydration, the plastron will harden and thicken naturally over time. Why would you want to try to harden it prematurely early?

True sorry i was kinda worried and actually any tips on how to see if a baby urinated on the substrate? Bc before i used substrate i could see where he peed or by the smell of his plastron but now the cocohusk just absorbs the smell so i cant tell

 

[Justincl]

I appreciate the responses a lot tom say do you have an instagram profile i could follow so i could also dm you if i had any questions?

 

[Tom]

True sorry i was kinda worried and actually any tips on how to see if a baby urinated on the substrate? Bc before i used substrate i could see where he peed or by the smell of his plastron but now the cocohusk just absorbs the smell so i cant tell

If you are soaking one or more times a day, the tortoise probably pees in the soak water. If the baby is peeing any other time, it is just releasing excess water. Its not concentrated like urine from a mammal. This being the case, it won't hurt anything and will keep your substrate damp.

I don't do any social media except here on tortoise forum.

 

[Justincl]

If you are soaking one or more times a day, the tortoise probably pees in the soak water. If the baby is peeing any other time, it is just releasing excess water. Its not concentrated like urine from a mammal. This being the case, it won't hurt anything and will keep your substrate damp.

I don't do any social media except here on tortoise forum.

Ah ok thx i really appreciate it