Help - Quick! :(

[rockc]

Hi everyone!!
Im sure this is something already answered on here but really need help quickly.

It all started about a month ago when I took my dads tortoise on. Since then looking at sites like this I know his care had been wrong for years.

He was my mums tortoise for about 4 years - only lived in the house, hibernated under a cd player!!!Not good. Sadly mum died last year when porkpie was in hibernation and understably with everything going on I fear he has pretty much got ignored this year by my dad. When I went to visit him the other month I asked about Pork Pie and thought I would take him .

I admitt knowing very little about tortoises I have continued to care in the same way - I naivly thought that if this was what he had for years - then it must be right He has recently however had a 5% uva bulb.

His problems are:
Weak - (but he is still quite active)
Not eating - (he has only eaten about twice in the month I have had him)
Always has his head out (doesnt retract head or feet regardless of what is happens)
I have not seen him wee or poo - but so they often wee in their water so I may not notice (he is always in his water, gulping down lots)


Took him to the vets yesterday she gave him and injection and critical care solution to give him over the weekend. He is taking it well and seams a lot perkier but he will not eat. I also give him a tepid bath everyday.
She reccomended to go to a reptile specialist as she could only do the basics -I totally agree - but have no money - I will find a way, but the earliest I could get over is a week on tuesday and I fear this will be too late! She thought he was depressed, jaundiss and anorexic

I know this is all down to ignorance and will get him set up properly as soon as I can and as well as I can.

I am here for any advice - there is so many conflicting ideas on the internet.

Also is there anything else I can be doing - I.e. should I liquidise greens to get him eating???

Sorry for ranting and raving but am obviously worried.

Thanks

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Forgot to mention - Looking at who has inherited him before in my family - I would guess he is about 28 and a Horsefield Tortoise

 

[John]

try yvonne's baby food soaks, what kind of tortoise is this?

 

[rockc]

Horsefield - thanks for that...

will try and look what is is now - is it like a baby food?

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Oh...sorry...like this....

"1 jar of strained carrots baby food mixed into a little bit of warm water. Put the baby in the mixture and leave him there for about a half hour. You can position a light over one edge of the soaking pan so that he doesn't get cold"??

 

[Kristina]

Yes, that is a babyfood soak.

Can you please give us details of his set up? I am getting the feeling that he is free-roaming the house, and that is NOT a good thing. I have a sneaking suspicion that he simply needs a dedicated enclosure and to warm up. The floor is a LOT colder than you think. He should have access to a basking area of around 90* Fahrenheit.

 

[rockc]

I agree and think you are right!

It's a terrible set up I know.....He was always been free roaming!

When I decided to take him, started researching into it.....but is still only in a large cardboard box........with an enclosed bit and and uva bulb during the day at the oppsite side about 18" away from him.......not ideal and temporary. Comes out for a bath once a day and has water always available - only been in this for a bout a week.

Hopefully will be able to sort him something more perm. tonight - all the pet stores around here seam to keep them in vivs and feed them on pellets which some people say are wrong.

Please help with reccomendations?
Even though husbandry will improved asap......will this maybe make him better, or do you think I am too late?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi rockc:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

It would be a good idea to set him up something temporarily outside so he can get some sun. The real sun does wonders for their mental well-being.

When you use the baby food soaks, only use the orange baby foods, like carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.

 

[Kristina]

No, it shouldn't be too late. If we can get him set up properly, he has a very good chance.

There is nothing wrong with using an aquarium, provided it is big enough. However, big enough means a 75 gallon or larger, which usually costs a pretty penny.

My suggestion to you is to get a kiddy pool. They are relatively cheap. I just saw some at Walmart that would be big enough for $7. Go to a Home Depot or Lowe's or similar and get 8 cinder blocks to hold the pool up off the ground. They are typically $1 each. You also need two or three bags of CYPRESS mulch, also from a home improvement store, for around $3 each.

What kind of UV bulb do you have? Is it UV only or does it provide heat? That is the next thing we need to address.

 

[rockc]

Thanks for the advise!

In the u.k. I'm afraid and its bucketing down! Will def. get him out as soon as I can.

Will also try baby soak tonight -

Thanks again, I feel terrible and really dont want to lose little Pork Pie. He has alot more personality at the moment - eyes open and when I am giving him his critcal care he is fighting me off -where as last night he barely moved.

 

[rockc]

It is just a uv bulb - and he is in a very well heated room.

But I have no way of measuring the temperature so suspect this is the prob.

What sort of temperatures would he like?

 

[Kristina]

I need to know what kind of UV bulb. Is it the long tube kind or a coil kind?

Basking spot should be 35*C. Since he is an adult, you don't really have to worry about ambient temp, he will be able to travel in and out of the warmth as needed. You can use just a regular incandescent bulb to provide heat. You want to use a hanging fixture, so that the bulb is pointing straight down at the substrate. You can adjust the height of the bulb to adjust the temp, but you HAVE to get a reliable digital thermometer. That should be the absolute first thing you purchase.

A well heated room to you and a well heated room to a tortoise are totally different things. You are warm blooded, and create your own heat. A human's body is 37*C and needs to be that hot to function properly and digest food. Your tortoise is cold blooded and does not make his own heat. If the room he is in is only 24*C, then he can't function properly or digest food. In the wild, they use the sun to warm up. Indoors, this has to be provided for or they simply will not survive.

 

[rockc]

cheers for the advice.

Im on it!

Will keep you posted!

Its a coil bulb - not a strip

 

[Yvonne G]

In my opinion, you should get rid of that coil bulb just as soon as you possibly can. They have been known to cause blindness in baby tortoises. Supposedly the bulbs have been fixed, but I still would not take the chance on it. You have no way of knowing if you've bought a new, improved bulb or one of the old, eye-damaging bulbs.

 

[rockc]

Ok thanks -

Just an update, but he is ALOT happier today - He loved the baby food soak and was very active with more heat (got a digital thermometer) and was trying to eat food on his own - Didn't quite manage but he is trying so fingers crossed his improvment will continue.

Thanks again and any more top tips would be ace!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Did you stop using the coil bulb? I am thinking he started to act better when you stopped using that coil bulb?

 

[RV's mom]

Sorry about your mum, hope your dad is doing better. I'm glad you've found the forum and all the help and encouragement folks here can provide. Good luck with Porkpie ~ it sounds like you are on the right track and have a good start at turning him 'round.

Keep us posted, pictures are always welcome..

teri

 

[rockc]

Hi,

No when I wrote that was still on hthe coil. Seams to be a bit worse today, but still ALOT better than he was.

Got another day of critical care from the vets to give him (He is musch stronger in fighting me off when I give him this now)

Is there any harm in continuing to give him the baby food - or should this only been done now and again - He seams to have a mad burst of actuvity after these.

Thanks so much again!
x

 

[68merc]

No harm in baby food soak and if he is not eating it would be a good thing.

 

[Kristina]

You can continue the soaks, they will not hurt. Once he is eating on his own they are no longer necessary, just 1-2 times a week with plain warm water.

 

[LadyV]

How is your baby doing today!? Been thinking about him