HELP! My tortoise looks sick.

Dorely

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
12
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
I’ve had my baby sulcata tortoise for about a year now and I haven’t seen much growth, and a few weeks ago we had a scare in which he wasn’t responding after we took him out of soaking him as we always do. He was weak and he had no control over his little legs or neck, but luckily he survived. We’ve been feeding him normal but recently I noticed his little tail, from where he poops, is swollen and I haven’t seen him poop in days, which he always poops when he put him in water but he hasn’t recently. And his little face looks dry and tired. And his eyes look sunken in, I don’t know if I can find a vet in my area but I would like some advice if anyone has ever experienced this before?!? I’m scared and worried for my little baby. We have him in a proper enclosure and we keep up with their lights and substrates. I don’t know what to do.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
We are going to need to know your four temps: basking spot, hot side, cool side, and night.
What substrate do you use?
What do you feed?
What is your humidity?
What lights do you have?
Please supply us with pictures of your enclosure and tortoise.
Welcome to the forum!
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
While you give us the info asked for, add carrot baby food and baby piedialyte to his soaking water.
 

Dorely

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
12
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
We are going to need to know your four temps: basking spot, hot side, cool side, and night.
What substrate do you use?
What do you feed?
What is your humidity?
What lights do you have?
Please supply us with pictures of your enclosure and tortoise.
Welcome to the forum!
Basking spot is around 90 degrees, hot side ranges from 80-90 depending on how far away we have the light. Cool side about 70. We haven’t been able to keep it humid, but we spray and soak them daily. We have them with soil and coconut coir mix. We feed them a mix of kale, turnip greens, occasional romaine, and sometimes hibiscus leaves since we haven’t been able to find any other live plants that they can eat in our area. But he’s not eating and he’s very weak.
 

Bambam1989

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2017
Messages
3,112
Location (City and/or State)
East Texas
Hello,
I'm afraid your enclosure is not warm enough.
Basking spot needs to be 95-100F and the cool end should be raised up so that everywhere is above 80F.
A closed chamber enclosure would help keep heat and humidity up.
Do you know how much your tort weighs?
Here are some links to some great information.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-diet-sheet.64290/
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Basking spot is around 90 degrees, hot side ranges from 80-90 depending on how far away we have the light. Cool side about 70. We haven’t been able to keep it humid, but we spray and soak them daily. We have them with soil and coconut coir mix. We feed them a mix of kale, turnip greens, occasional romaine, and sometimes hibiscus leaves since we haven’t been able to find any other live plants that they can eat in our area. But he’s not eating and he’s very weak.

The temps are too low. The absolute minimum temperature you can have in the cool side is 80, and basking temp should be around 100.

If you get the temps up, it will almost definitely help your tort. It is very hard to hold humidity and heat without a closed chamber.
Have you noticed any snot bubbles or clicking noises coming from him?
Please give these a read-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/

Some pictures would help us immensely. It is a lot easier to post pictures on the app, if you don’t know how.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Has the pedialyte been proven to help? Thanks you!
Not sure it's really been proven. It doesn't hurt them and a few years back a long time member recommended it and said it works. I have recommended it on many occasions. A lot if not all of those occasions have worked out good. Have no idea if the piedialyte played a role in that or not.
 

New Posts

Top