Help please-scale came off front leg

[Brittany6]

Hi,

I need some help. My Sulcata Tortoise "Genevieve" scale came off her leg. Is this normal!

Thanks so much,
Brittany

 

[ascott]

RE: Help please

Welcome to the Forum What a cute tortoise.....while it is not normal for scales to just randomly fall off....lol perhaps she got it caught on something....does her skin under the missing scale look fine? If so I would just keep an eye on her to make sure that she is not biting them off and it truly was a damage site,....you know?

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Help please

Hi Brittany6:


Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like for us to call you?

Also, when we know approximately where you are, it helps us design our answers to better fit your problem.


Can't really see it in the picture, but it looks like the other leg might have the same problem.

No, this is not normal, but its not life threatening. He probably was injured in some way. You see this a lot when tortoises are kept together...one tortoise (usually a bigger one) bites the legs of the other and bites the scales off. It may grow back and it may not. But no harm done. It doesn't look raw, but if it is raw, just dab some Neo Sporin on it.

I'd like to suggest that you read Tom's thread on raising healthy hatchlings:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1ipDQBAMA

It will help you raise your baby. Your substrate isn't ideal for baby tortoises, and Tom will tell you what you need to do to fix that.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

RE: Help please

Hi there !!!! What a cute tortoise !!!!
At first when I read this thread i thought you meant that his skin was peeling and then I saw the picture and no the actual scale on the legs isn't suppose to fall off. I have never seen that before . I don't think its to big of a deal as long as you keep it clean

Also I am going to hit you with a bunch of threads on your to raise your baby that will keep him super healthy and from pyramiding because (as someone else said ) hay and rabbit pellets are they "dry" way of raising them which can lead to some bad things if they become too dehydrated . Not saying your little guy is , just a thought.


this is about the best enclosures for sulcata tortoises
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Closed-Chambers#axzz1hkZxITMK

These are care sheets , one is for leopard tortoises but it works really well for sulcatas . Tom's how to raise hathcling sulcatas is the most important though
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1i4Ds8pC6
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Leopard-Tortoise-Care-Sheet#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

This one is about hatchling failure syndrome and how to prevent it 
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hatchling-Failure-Syndrome#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

These threads are about pyramiding
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding#axzz1i4Ds8pC6
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding-II-The-Leopards#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

I'm sorry I can't help more with the scale falling off problem :/

 

[l0velesly]

RE: Help please

Cute sully.. but the scale is not suppose to fall off.. could she have been in any harm?

 

[Brittany6]

RE: Help please

Thanks for the info everyone, I greatly appreciate it!!!!! So here is a little more info about us I am in upstate NY and a Mom to 6 kids! My husband bought "her" for me for Christmas, although I did some research about sulcata's in the past, a lot has changed. I plan on changing over Genevieve's home soon and useing un-treated soil and making sure it is humid in her home. I did have a plastic shoe box converted into a hide area but she is super smart and tried to climb up and flips over. She has also done that with the hollowed tree hide away. Perhaps that's how she lost her scale. It looks like a dark brown color where the scale should be. I have been soaking her a few times a day as well as spraying her shell. There is no pyramiding at all so far and I will try to ensure this by changing over her home this week anyone have a idea where I can get better bedding for her this time of year? It hard to find soil in the winter. Also can I turn her heat lamp off at night? Our home is 70 at all times with all our little ones and no worries they do not go near my "Genevieve Francesca Tortalini" haha! Thanks for all the info! I look forward reading through it all!!
Brittany

 

[Brittany6]

RE: Help please

Also is it too wet inside of the glass tank if it starts to fog up a little? I made some adjustments until I can get out to the store and get soil and moss. It included a plastic hiding area (as Tom outlined) basking rock, food tray and I took a lot of timothy hay out, it seemed like way to much and I piled some in a corner to feed on as well as her treats on her food tray with her calcium and eye drop! I spritzed the alfalfa pellets (I know the pellets are not ideal but its a quick fix for today. Sence I spritzed the pellets the back of the tank in foggy as shown. Oh I also coverd the lid with foil to keep moister in. Is this all okay?

Thanks again!
Brittany

Ps a quick response would be very much appreciated. I don't want her in there if it's going to hurt her...

 

[chrishelby]

RE: Help please

Hello, we live in upstate ny also, near auburn. We are new also but I have read a ton of stuff on here. We use coco coir about 4" with a false bottom in a glass 100gal tank. Under the tank I put 2 100w bulbs. They heat the underside. In the top there is a PVC pipe system that makes it rain in the tank when you pour water in it. So, it rains, soaks into the coco, the extra water goes into the bottom and the lights evaporate it building humidity. The night temp with just the under lights is 80-85 and humidity is 80%. we had some Timothy hay when it was dryer in there and it got mold on it. We got the coco at petco. As for the fog, ours has water drops all over the glass, I think it's ok. Here's a pic if it helps any and as I said, I'm new to this also so see what everyone else has to say.

 

[Brittany6]

Thanks very much! I was reading some of your posts and how your ideas maybe a new break through (so says Tom) that's awesome! I'm not sure if I can get lights under this tank. It is a 50 gallon tank but I do also have a 150 gallon tank ontop a chest and perhaps I could add lights under there. Thanks for helpful tips. I hope to get the digi thermometer and humidity calculate tomarrow as well as the coco coir and see where we stand. Thanks again!

 

[Brittany6]

Oh also Chrishelby, what do you feed your baby if Not Timothy hay? I know about all the treats but is there a standard brand you use and if so where do you buy it? Right now my girl has the timothy hay as well as tiny (what I think is pumpkin) and cactus. (was recommended at the exotic pet store for them) and to everyone else, would it hurt To turn the light off at night? Do you reccomend another heating source. Currently I am useing a 160 whatt bulb that gives out UVA as well, in a 50 gallon tank. Thanks again!

 

[wellington]

The coir I like best, I even grow weeds and grass in mine. I tried soil before and got little flying bugs. Temps should not drop below 80 with the wet/ humidity. I have a leopard, but similar conditions as a sully.

 

[Yvonne G]

YES!! Definitely turn off the light at night. Tortoises need a day/night cycle just as humans do. If your house is too cold at night, you can buy a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) at the pet store. They screw into a light socket and put out heat without light.

You can start with a base of Spring Mix (purchased in the package lettuce section of the store) and to that, add weeds, grasses and edible leaves from outside. Or if you have nothing growing outside, you can add turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, escarole, endive, etc. You don't have to buy all that at once. Buy one head/bunch and something different when that runs out.

 

[Brittany6]

Oh what kind of weeds and grass do you grow in the coir, I would like to try that. The Che light. Will it screw into the UVA light or only a home outlet? I will pick all this up tomarrow, in sooo excited! Thanks for the great info! Yay!!! I LOVE THIS FORUM!

---

Ps
I'm near Albany

 

[wellington]

You may want to buy a separate light fixture for the Che. It has to have a ceramic socket like the ones in the pics.. I got my seeds from Caroline pet supply I think is the name of it. They have all kinds of seeds, but I believe there is one that is put together just for sullys.

 

[Brittany6]

I wonder if Percocet would have the seeds, I don't think we have a Caroline's here. Where is the best place to plant the seeds? In the cooler more shaded parts or hot area? Thanks so much and I will get the other Che lamp tomarrow

---

Darn auto correct, that was supposed to be petco ooopsie

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

RE: Help please

Thanks for the info everyone, I greatly appreciate it!!!!! So here is a little more info about us I am in upstate NY and a Mom to 6 kids! My husband bought "her" for me for Christmas, although I did some research about sulcata's in the past, a lot has changed. I plan on changing over Genevieve's home soon and useing un-treated soil and making sure it is humid in her home. I did have a plastic shoe box converted into a hide area but she is super smart and tried to climb up and flips over. She has also done that with the hollowed tree hide away. Perhaps that's how she lost her scale. It looks like a dark brown color where the scale should be. I have been soaking her a few times a day as well as spraying her shell. There is no pyramiding at all so far and I will try to ensure this by changing over her home this week anyone have a idea where I can get better bedding for her this time of year? It hard to find soil in the winter. Also can I turn her heat lamp off at night? Our home is 70 at all times with all our little ones and no worries they do not go near my "Genevieve Francesca Tortalini" haha! Thanks for all the info! I look forward reading through it all!!
Brittany

Lowes has tons of bedding... Any large home improvement place. Your enclosure needs to be at lease 80 degrees all the time every where in the enclosure. I would get a temp gun to help u with that

---

Also is it too wet inside of the glass tank if it starts to fog up a little? I made some adjustments until I can get out to the store and get soil and moss. It included a plastic hiding area (as Tom outlined) basking rock, food tray and I took a lot of timothy hay out, it seemed like way to much and I piled some in a corner to feed on as well as her treats on her food tray with her calcium and eye drop! I spritzed the alfalfa pellets (I know the pellets are not ideal but its a quick fix for today. Sence I spritzed the pellets the back of the tank in foggy as shown. Oh I also coverd the lid with foil to keep moister in. Is this all okay?

Thanks again!
Brittany

Ps a quick response would be very much appreciated. I don't want her in there if it's going to hurt her...

No foggy up the sides and top is what u want , it's good for him as long as it's HOT too , 80 degrees . Hot and hydrated and humid
The more humid the better in my opinion. Covering the lid is a must for humidity , did u read the closed chamber enclosure link

---

I wonder if Percocet would have the seeds, I don't think we have a Caroline's here. Where is the best place to plant the seeds? In the cooler more shaded parts or hot area? Thanks so much and I will get the other Che lamp tomarrow

---

Darn auto correct, that was supposed to be petco ooopsie

---

I get my seed mix from sulcatafood.com and it works great . Grows really fast and it's cheap. Fast Free shipping
I normally just feed mine grass that I pull up from the yard too and some greens occasionally like mustard, collard, kale , turnip mainly to give them supplements

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I'm not sure whether or not I read that u give him UVB.. I read UVA but u should know , just in case u don't already , that UVA doesnt provide essential D3 , only UVB does that. Unless he goes outside to get lots of natural sunlight than U need to have a UVB source for him in his enclosure ...like a LONG fluorescent tube UVB(reptisun 100) which some people find to be unreliable . Just don't use a compact fluorescent bulb , they can have been known to cause severe eye problems that are extremely painful and can lead to blindness .
The more safe option are zoo med power suns (mercury vapor bulbs) , lots of people use those . I just switched from the tubes to the power suns .

 

[chrishelby]

We go to Wegmans, they have dandelion greens, endive, kale, radiccio, and spring mix with NO spinach. We use reptical with d3 every 3 days. And yes the mvb is the best choice for heat/ UVB IMO. We are new to all this as I said before but that's the best variety of food we have found so far here in ny! I see a lot of other food that may not be so easily found here, many here seem to be located in the warmer states and parts when I got our sully for my wife for her birthday, we were told by the reptile guy we got her from all we needed was crushed walnut, a ten gallon tank and a heat light! This forum was a life saver for us!

 

[Kristina]

Carolina Pet supply is an online company. Petco and Petsmart don't carry things like seeds unfortunately.

http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/ca...ath=41&zenid=35b8e1ceb0fc4b9a4603678560f3662a

 

[Brittany6]

I do have the zoo med power sun 160 whatt and it is UVB. I just checked. That's the only light I have shining into the tank. I will have to check out the sites for seeds, thanks so much and I will check out lowes for bedding thanks for the great advice!