HELP!

[Italianlnm]

Okay.. I noticed that tank was eating yesterday, do I picked him up to go soak him, and one of his eyes.. Well he wouldn't open it.. So When I took him in there to soak him, he stretched his back legs out as far as he could, and pulled his head and front legs up tight.. So he was in his shell in the front and out in the back.. His legs were so stiff I couldn't even touch them and them move a little.. Then I put him in the water and he finally pulled them back and pulled his head back out... Well when I picked him up, his legs were limp.. They were just dangling.. and his head..This was late last night and so I didn't know what to do.. I put him under his heat lamp, thinking maybe he was cold.. Well I woke up this morning, and he wasn't moving, but I could see him breathing (not heavy or anything.. It was a normal breathing.). I called the vet and the vet is out of town until tomorrow, and there are no other reptile vets anywhere in my region..

I am so scared, and I am crying right now, because I don't want him to die.. Now I realize that I shouldn't have bought a hatchling, but went with an older one.. I am so scared now.. And please skip yelling at me, and telling me that I should have gotten and older one, because they are harder.. I made a mistake.. and up until yesterday Tank had been very active, eating GREAT, and just doing fine.

 

[dmmj]

There was an earlier post about legs not moving and If I remember correctly they usually are due to an infection of some type, don't qoute me on this. Right now they only thing I could suggest is kep him comfortable until the vet visit I honestly don't think anything can be done until a vet sees him. I will be sending good wishes your way though.

 

[Kymiie]

From my memory, no use of limbs in one case is due to lack of calcium supplements!
Yes hatchlings are hard to keep, but nobody should shout at you, My frist tort was a hatchling and he dies 4 months later due to someone giving me the wrong information, but hey you learn from your mistakes!

Fingers Crossed xxxx

 

[Italianlnm]

Has been getting some calcium, but he won't eat the supplement if I put it on anything, so I shaved cuttle bone on it a little.. He would barely touch it.. but if I shave the cuttle bone, he wouldn't see it.. Not sure if maybe it was the smell or something..

I hope everything is okay.. I am so worried.. I feel like I didn't give him a good shot at life, because I got him as a hatchling.

---

I went in there to check on him and he had passed away.. I feel so bad, and like it is my fault. We burried him. It almost looked like he had a broke limb.. Like the bone was sticking out.. But I'm not sure if it was the bone.. Has anyone ever had a tort die, and when rigamortis set in, the bone might have popped out?

I can't stop crying..

 

[mctlong]

I'm so sorry to hear that Tank passed away. Sadly, some hatchlings are born weak and just don't make it. Even the best breeders loose hatchlings. Don't beat yourself up too much. It sounds like you loved him very much and did everything you could to help him.

 

[TortieGal]

I am so sorry you lost your little guy. I'm sure you did your best. When you say Hatchling how big was he?

 

[katesgoey]

Oh, I'm so sorry. Big hugs to you.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Best wishes in this tough time.

 

[Shelly]

That sucks.

 

[Laura]

So sorry. GO over all your husbandry, diet etc. Could he have gotten something bad? Was he outside? Exposed to sprays or chemicals? TO be ok one day and not the next.. it was probably something he was exposed too. Toxic to him.
GO over everything.. Did he get too hot? Electrical? Choke? Bit by a spider?

 

[Italianlnm]

He hasn't been outside.. There is nothing electrical in his exposure.. But I did have a question..

Bullet is on coconut choir mixed with organic topsoil.. So was Tank.. and tank was eating the coco choir the other day.. I meant to ask about this then.. Is that okay? And should I change Bullet off of it? I haven't seen bullet eating it but I'm not sure.

 

[mctlong]

I've seen my Russian eat the coco coir and its never caused any problems.

Maybe you should consider taking Bullet to the vet for a checkup. If some sort of infection or virus killed Tank, then its best to make sure that Bullet is healthy and didn't catch anything. I'd also recommend disinfecting all of Tank's supplies (i.e. enclosure, food dishes, etc) before allowing Bullet to use any of them. If they shared an enclosure, replace the substrate and disinfect the enclosure. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Isa]

I am so sorry

 

[Italianlnm]

They don't share an enclosure.. and haven't been near each other in the last 3 monthes.

Thank you guys for saying sorry. It is pretty upsetting.. I feel like I did something wrong..

 

[Yvonne G]

Its human nature to blame ourselves when an animal gets sick or dies. I'm sure you did everything you were supposed to do. Don't beat yourself up over it. If you were to have a necropsy done, it might ease you mind, but I know they are rather expensive.

Yvonne

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I am so sorry for you I know how hard it is to lose a pet. You need to go over your husbandry with us so we can give you advice about Bullet. You don't want him to get sick. I am NOT saying that you did anything wrong, I am just trying to help and by us knowing how you are keeping Bullet we can advise you better. So when you feel up to it please share your husbandry with us.

 

[Italianlnm]

Bullet is in a tort table.. His is on coconut choir mized with potting soil. The temp on the cool end is probably 65-75 depending on the amount of sunlight coming into the house, and on the warmer end it stays from 75-85 But I try to get it at an even range. He is on a mostly weed diet, but right now he is mostly eating spring mix, as it is winter. Though I am growing some different things, and waiting for them to grow. He has calcium supplemeny daily on his greens, and calcium with d3 once a week, being winter and not being able to go outside.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Does he have a basking spot of 95 degrees?

 

[Yvonne G]

I want to stress this again:

Think about our own body temperatures - 98.6 degrees! That's just a little bit shy of 100 degrees.

So when you have a warm side of only 75 to 85 degrees, that's not very warm.

The spot directly under the light should be close to 100 degrees, with the temp gradually getting cooler as you move away from the light.

Yvonne

 

[Laura]

Cleaning supplies in the house? Bug spray? Air freshener? Cooking pots and pans?
I know Non stick pans if they get too hot and burn the fumes can kill a bird..