How can I help this guy?

[Kipley]

Just received this guy last evening from a kid that could no longer care for him. He was purchased in October 2018 at a reptile expo so about a year old. He is active. Ate well last night after a 30 minute soak.
He came with an enclosed vibranium with dry substrate and no water dish.
He only weighs 86 grams at one year!
With proper care does he have a future?

 

[Yvonne G]

Oh heck yah he does. His future has a much better outlook now that you've got him. Just follow what you've learned here on the Forum about keeping sulcata and he's home free!

 

[waswondering]

Just received this guy last evening from a kid that could no longer care for him. He was purchased in October 2018 at a reptile expo so about a year old. He is active. Ate well last night after a 30 minute soak.
He came with an enclosed vibranium with dry substrate and no water dish.
He only weighs 86 grams at one year!
With proper care does he have a future?View attachment 280308View attachment 280309View attachment 280310

There isnt a reason he should die (even though he had a bad caretaker) if he eats and everything looks good he should live fine!

 

[Kipley]

Oh heck yah he does. His future has a much better outlook now that you've got him. Just follow what you've learned here on the Forum about keeping sulcata and he's home free!

Thank you! You are one of the voices of knowledge here so I am glad you replied. This is my first Sulcata and seeing a tiny one year old thing weighing only 86 grams really worries me! So you think he can make up for growth with proper care?
He was only getting salad greens/spring mix. Is he too small to add chopped grass to his diet? Mazuri pellets? I got him about 8 PM last night, and I'm working a 12 hour shift today. I have new lights on the way. He didn't even have a UVB light, just an aquarium's florescent tube and a 75 watt regular bulb. His basking area only gets to 88 with a temp gun pointed at the surface. I do have a linear UVB bulb on him, but no chance to increase his heat until tomorrow.
I'll also be switching out all of his substrate tomorrow (it stunk when I misted it last night).

Is it you Yvonne who uses aluminum foil over the lamps to increase temps and humidity? If so I will be trying your technique tomorrow!

Thanks for any more advice, or encouragement! I could use both...LOL

 

[Kipley]

There isnt a reason he should die (even though he had a bad caretaker) if he eats and everything looks good he should live fine!

I'm not worried about him dying, just wondered if his growth is stunted beyond recovery due to his poor start? It was encouraging to see him eat, so I know he will survive. It was just a shock to weigh him and see him so light and tiny at 11.5 months.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. I lived in Riyadh for some time so i know it’s hot, i also had a nice tortoise there that thrived and loved our courtyard. Shady trees, ivy and all kinds of low growing plants, nasturtium to nibble on. Sprinklers on a timer that cooled things off. Mr Torty was very active in the morning and evening - no need for basking lights or a night box. Access to weeds n greens.

Soooo, are your torts only kept inside with no access to real sunlight? Sunshine through glass doesn't work. Do you have access to an enclosed outside courtyard where you can have your torts outside at least in morning or evening to get direct sunlight?

Lastly, as others have already stated - a Sully is a bully. Don’t keep your torts together.

Good luck!

 

[waswondering]

Thank you! You are one of the voices of knowledge here so I am glad you replied. This is my first Sulcata and seeing a tiny one year old thing weighing only 86 grams really worries me! So you think he can make up for growth with proper care?
He was only getting salad greens/spring mix. Is he too small to add chopped grass to his diet? Mazuri pellets? I got him about 8 PM last night, and I'm working a 12 hour shift today. I have new lights on the way. He didn't even have a UVB light, just an aquarium's florescent tube and a 75 watt regular bulb. His basking area only gets to 88 with a temp gun pointed at the surface. I do have a linear UVB bulb on him, but no chance to increase his heat until tomorrow.
I'll also be switching out all of his substrate tomorrow (it stunk when I misted it last night).

Is it you Yvonne who uses aluminum foil over the lamps to increase temps and humidity? If so I will be trying your technique tomorrow!

Thanks for any more advice, or encouragement! I could use both...LOL

He will grow as the same amount as a tortoise that's supposed to be that size( little over 1 and a half month old) so he will have the same final size as if he was brought up perfectly but it will take a little longer. As for food cut up the food small enough that he only has to tare it once or twice. At that size they dont like there food to be "hard" to eat. They also like it when there food isn't hard to bite, which means they dont like dry food.
And like @Maro2Bear said try to get unfillterd sunlight for him/her, I try to get them at least 3 hours outside (not in the In direct sunlight) and have hides for them to go under if they want. Early morning and afternoon is best because there is shade.

Hope this helped
Good luck!

 

[Kipley]

Greetings. I lived in Riyadh for some time so i know it’s hot, i also had a nice tortoise there that thrived and loved our courtyard. Shady trees, ivy and all kinds of low growing plants, nasturtium to nibble on. Sprinklers on a timer that cooled things off. Mr Torty was very active in the morning and evening - no need for basking lights or a night box. Access to weeds n greens.

Soooo, are your torts only kept inside with no access to real sunlight? Sunshine through glass doesn't work. Do you have access to an enclosed outside courtyard where you can have your torts outside at least in morning or evening to get direct sunlight?

Lastly, as others have already stated - a Sully is a bully. Don’t keep your torts together.

Good luck!

Thanks!
I have no idea if this tortoise has EVER been outside! The young couple who rehomed him said that they'd had him outside a few times but I am have no evidence of that. He did not have a UVB light, just a simple florescent grow light and a regular incandescent bulb for heat.
I'm in Seattle and for the past several days and at least through the coming weekend our high temps will be in the mid 60's - this is not the ideal climate for a young African Tortoise! But I don't anticipate it being warm enough to be outside perhaps until next June. Eventually when he is of the appropriate size he will be housed outside with a heated enclosure, but that is a few years away.

This guy now has 5% UVB light on him until tomorrow when a 36 inch long fixture will arrive with a 12% UVB light from Arcadia.
And yes, he will be housed alone.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Thanks!
I have no idea if this tortoise has EVER been outside! The young couple who rehomed him said that they'd had him outside a few times but I am have no evidence of that. He did not have a UVB light, just a simple florescent grow light and a regular incandescent bulb for heat.
I'm in Seattle and for the past several days and at least through the coming weekend our high temps will be in the mid 60's - this is not the ideal climate for a young African Tortoise! But I don't anticipate it being warm enough to be outside perhaps until next June. Eventually when he is of the appropriate size he will be housed outside with a heated enclosure, but that is a few years away.

This guy now has 5% UVB light on him until tomorrow when a 36 inch long fixture will arrive with a 12% UVB light from Arcadia.
And yes, he will be housed alone.

Not sure why I thought you were located in the Kingdom, sooo, forget all the info regarding Riyadh!

 

[Lyn W]

He'll do much better now with you giving him the right care
Have you seen Tom's caresheet?
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Kipley]

He'll do much better now with you giving him the right care
Have you seen Tom's caresheet?
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Yes, I've read Tom's care sheets several times over! LOL
I've also seen the post on what happens when a tortoise isn't started correctly, which is why I am concerned with this little guy's future. Thought he might be stunted for life.

 

[Lyn W]

Not sure why I thought you were located in the Kingdom, sooo, forget all the info regarding Riyadh!

You're thinking of Ihsan and his thread in tort health 'Urgent'

 

[Lyn W]

Greetings. I lived in Riyadh for some time so i know it’s hot, i also had a nice tortoise there that thrived and loved our courtyard. Shady trees, ivy and all kinds of low growing plants, nasturtium to nibble on. Sprinklers on a timer that cooled things off. Mr Torty was very active in the morning and evening - no need for basking lights or a night box. Access to weeds n greens.

Soooo, are your torts only kept inside with no access to real sunlight? Sunshine through glass doesn't work. Do you have access to an enclosed outside courtyard where you can have your torts outside at least in morning or evening to get direct sunlight?

Lastly, as others have already stated - a Sully is a bully. Don’t keep your torts together.

Good luck!

Ivy? I thought that was toxic.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Ivy? I thought that was toxic.

I think a lot depends! Lots of ivy types...and only toxic if they are eating the bad types! Our tort seemed happy just hiding in the shade.

 

[Kipley]

Funny story, how I almost died of a heart attack: Yesterday I decided to remove all the old substrate from Chestnut's enclosure and replace it with fresh. The soil was so compacted it was almost solid. As I was removing the soil, out of the corner of my eye I saw this rapid movement of something large headed towards my hand holding the spade, before I could focus it was on my hand! I yelled and threw the spade but it held on! It was a damned full grown male Dubia Roach! LOL. I have a Bearded Dragon and Chameleons, so just added him to my roach colony. But man, that scared the crap out of me! Didn't know what sort of creature I'd unearthed that was headed right for me!

 

[Yvonne G]

Funny story, how I almost died of a heart attack: Yesterday I decided to remove all the old substrate from Chestnut's enclosure and replace it with fresh. The soil was so compacted it was almost solid. As I was removing the soil, out of the corner of my eye I saw this rapid movement of something large headed towards my hand holding the spade, before I could focus it was on my hand! I yelled and threw the spade but it held on! It was a damned full grown male Dubia Roach! LOL. I have a Bearded Dragon and Chameleons, so just added him to my roach colony. But man, that scared the crap out of me! Didn't know what sort of creature I'd unearthed that was headed right for me!

Your braveness overwhelms me!

 

[Kipley]

Chestnut saw the Vet yesterday and it was good news all around. His poop was clear of parasites and other than being smaller, she said he is in good health. The vet said that he will probably have a growth spurt now that he is in a large enclosure with good UVB and a stable consistant diet. So that was great to hear.

Some of you might be aware I have a sick Hatchling Hermann's as well. She arrived at 21 grams, had an RI and dropped to 12 grams. I'm giving her injections of Fortaz every 3 days. She has done remarkable as well. Back to eating well and she has gone from 12 grams to 16 grams. She is all over her enclosure now - very active and healthy appearing. Ten more injections to go into her tiny front legs before we are through the course of antibiotics. But we've turned the corner and this little girl(?) is going to survive!

 

[Tom]

There is no way to predict the growth rate of any sulcata, much less one with a rough start.

What I can tell you is that if they've made it past 50 grams, the typical "Breeder Failure" stuff is probably not going to kill it.

My best guess is that the tortoise will begin to grow at a more normal rate after a few months of better care, good hydration, and good food. Time will tell.

 

[Sue Ann]

Funny story, how I almost died of a heart attack: Yesterday I decided to remove all the old substrate from Chestnut's enclosure and replace it with fresh. The soil was so compacted it was almost solid. As I was removing the soil, out of the corner of my eye I saw this rapid movement of something large headed towards my hand holding the spade, before I could focus it was on my hand! I yelled and threw the spade but it held on! It was a damned full grown male Dubia Roach! LOL. I have a Bearded Dragon and Chameleons, so just added him to my roach colony. But man, that scared the crap out of me! Didn't know what sort of creature I'd unearthed that was headed right for me!

Id want to watch him get eaten! yuck

 

[Ray--Opo]

Thanks!
I have no idea if this tortoise has EVER been outside! The young couple who rehomed him said that they'd had him outside a few times but I am have no evidence of that. He did not have a UVB light, just a simple florescent grow light and a regular incandescent bulb for heat.
I'm in Seattle and for the past several days and at least through the coming weekend our high temps will be in the mid 60's - this is not the ideal climate for a young African Tortoise! But I don't anticipate it being warm enough to be outside perhaps until next June. Eventually when he is of the appropriate size he will be housed outside with a heated enclosure, but that is a few years away.

This guy now has 5% UVB light on him until tomorrow when a 36 inch long fixture will arrive with a 12% UVB light from Arcadia.
And yes, he will be housed alone.

Thanks for rescuing him. To me a small sulcata would be great! But I am sure you won't have any problems with size.

 

[Kyle gempler]

Best wishes to you and he is very adorable