hibernating, slow down or dying? - spurred thigh sulcata

Chantelle McIver

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Aug 10, 2016
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Hello all. I live in Niger, Africa. I have a 7.5 year old spurred this sulcata. He had a shell crack accident that i posted here about in Aug, but seemed to have recovered nicely and would even climb stairs, move fast, etc and was fine for months after. However, in December he went down into the burrow he dug and we have not seen him emerge since. Thats over 2 months now with no food or water. We have poked his shell several times with a shovel (we can just reach him barely in the burrow bottom) and seen him move in response so he is still alive, but I am concerned. There are no vets here to take him to. The lowest it gets at night is 70 degrees F and it is close to 100F in the day, so i dont think its a cold weather issue. This is the first year he has done this for more than a week or so. Should we dig him out? I dont even know how to tell if he is sick or got an infection after the accident?
 

Yvonne G

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It might be an infection, as this is very slow to grow in a tortoise. It also might just be the weather. Sometimes they aestivate during the hot months, disappearing into their burrows until it cools down a bit.

Because you're worried, it might be a good idea to dig him out and give him a good soak in warm water. Use a receptacle that he can't climb out of and leave him in the water for about 15 or 20 minutes. Take this time to give him a thorough inspection - eyes bright and alert, tongue nice and pink, legs all moving correctly, good weight.

Shine a flashlight down into the burrow after you've removed him to try to see if there's any poop down there.
 

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