Help! soft shells

Sydney G

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Dec 7, 2014
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I have 2 baby leopard and I've noticed their shells seem soft on the bottom and sides. And one had some kinda peeling going on on the bottom of his shell near the top and bottom. I provided cuddle bones but they won't touch them. I haven't had them more than maybe 3 weeks. I've sprinkled their food with calcium powder maybe twice since I've had them. How can i make their shells hard again


Screenshot_2014-12-30-22-49-19.png
 
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Tom

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This depends on how YOU define soft. The plastron should have some "give" to it. Kind of like a plastic butter tub lid. It should not feel spongy.

I can't see the peeling, but there should not be any.

Where did you get these tortoises? How were they started in their first few days and weeks before you got them? Wet or dry routine?

Read this one first:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
Any of this sound familiar?

Then check out these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

Sydney G

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I got than from tortoise supply. He said they were kept mostly dry with a humid hide box. Soaked 3 times a week.
 

Sydney G

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They seemed fine when they arrived. They have had a little trouble opening their eyes. And their apatite has dropped. I'm pretty sure one if not both has a respiratory infection though. I upped the temperature and did some other stuff someone on here told me to do for that but it hasn't really helped. That might be why they are showing those signs though. I noticed the discharge from the one a few days ago.
 

Sydney G

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I was just looking around on this site and saw some one with the soft shell problem and so i started looking at mine. Neither of the babies are very active.
 

Sydney G

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Do i need to get these babies to a vet? The only one on the list near me i went to before and was not impressed with. I live in Shreveport, Louisiana. Do u know any good ones remotely near me?
 

Yvonne G

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The baby in the picture looks a little swollen, and his eyes look swollen. It might just be a one time thing that happened when you took the picture. It's hard for us to know what's going on without being able to see the tortoise.

You need to re-read the care sheet with an open mind and make any adjustments to your care and habitat that become necessary. My GUESS is this baby isn't being kept warm enough.
 

Tom

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What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?

Were they ever kept under a coil type UV bulb?
 

sulcata tortoise #1

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This how my leopard died. Make sure he/she has enough UVB. Whenever you can put him in a little container and put that container under the sun. Don't overdo it because there still young and they can get overheated.
 

Sydney G

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I have one of those temperature gun things but it's hard to find the exact temperature and I'm not sure exactly where to position my lights.
 

Sydney G

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I don't know if they were under a coil style bulb. This is what I'm using now
 

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Sydney G

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Screenshot_2014-12-31-13-21-00.png Screenshot_2014-12-31-13-21-00.png Screenshot_2014-12-31-13-21-09.png I'm using a tortoise palace. They weren't using the hide so i took the top off, blocked it and put the sicker one in there.
 
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