Hi everyone! Would like some idea on how to help my 5 month old Sulcata. We left to go on a vacation for 4 days and came back to my tortoise Bowser not eating and being lethargic. The only energy we get is when we soak him and he’s pooped. Thinking he might constipated. Humidity never hit below 80 while temperature was around 96. I have three lamps. A 100W basking Spot lamp, 10.0 UVB lamp, and 100W ceramic infared lamp for night time. I soaked his coco coir bedding and pack it down right before we left and planted wheat grass and clovers so he can free range eat while we left. This is right before we soaked him extensively and fed him grass so be sure he wasn't hungry while we left. Any advice is appreciated.
Lethargic and not eating
- Thread starter NadiaIsMe
- Start date
Spot lamp should be changed to a flood bulb.
96 all over is too warm in my opinion for a hatchling and to never be able to get out of it. Temp should range from 80-85 to the basking area of 95-100.
Keep soaking daily for 30 minutes keeping him warm. Add piedialyte to the water. If he isn't eating, add baby food carrots or squash also to the water.
96 all over is too warm in my opinion for a hatchling and to never be able to get out of it. Temp should range from 80-85 to the basking area of 95-100.
Keep soaking daily for 30 minutes keeping him warm. Add piedialyte to the water. If he isn't eating, add baby food carrots or squash also to the water.
Thank you for your reply! I will change the bulb. I should have been more in depth with the temperature. The temp gun says 96 in the basking spot currently while his cooler area is 81. I will get some piedialyte. We have been doing carrot soaks too!
Okay, temps are good then. But yes, change the spot bulb for an incandescent flood bulb.
Where did you get the tort from and how long have you had him?
Does he feel soft or squishy at all, specially bottom shell?
Thanks! I got him from ReptiCon in Concord NC. I have had him since the end of February. His shell on the bottom is pliable and moves if pushed in but not soft. He’s about 41 G and should be around 5 months old.
Actually you should bump up the cooler side to 85
Also that has to be his night temps too, never below 80, for a sulcata baby 85 is better day and night.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Had he pooped while you were gone? Were there signs that he had eaten the planted food?
Your baby was not started correctly, most of them aren't, and you are now seeing the effects of that. At five months old they should be nearing 300 grams. When they stay under 50 grams for weeks or months, it indicates big problems. I'm sorry to bear bad news, but it is better that you know what is going on and don't have to wonder. Keep trying and doing all the right things. Some of them eventually pull through, and yours could be one of those.
"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"
I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...
tortoiseforum.org
What type of 10.0 bulb are you using. Not the brand name, but the type of bulb?
If this one doesn't make it, rest assured that it is not your fault. When they are started too dry in their first few weeks or months because people still mistakenly believe this is a desert species tat needs dry conditions and can survive without soaks and water, it does damage. No one can undo that damage. Buy from someone who starts them correctly.
@Tom I was worried that was the case from my reading. I am hoping he will push through. The 10.0 UVB is a 13 watt mini compact fluorescent.
@The_Four_Toed_Edward he has pooped very small amounts compared to what we usually see. Just soaked him and found some mucus on his butt.
@TammyJ Sorry for the miscommunication. I was typing so fast. We have a timer to turn the lights off at night and to turn on the ceramic infared lamp to keep the temperature warm without the light.
@wellington Makes sense. Do you think we should add another infared bulb or a heating pad? It’s such a long enclosure.
@The_Four_Toed_Edward he has pooped very small amounts compared to what we usually see. Just soaked him and found some mucus on his butt.
@TammyJ Sorry for the miscommunication. I was typing so fast. We have a timer to turn the lights off at night and to turn on the ceramic infared lamp to keep the temperature warm without the light.
@wellington Makes sense. Do you think we should add another infared bulb or a heating pad? It’s such a long enclosure.
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Those bulbs should never be used. They can burn their eyes and make them not want to eat. I would suggest turning it off ASAP. They can go weeks with no UV at all with no ill effect. Their bodies store D3 in times of plenty, and they can also get it from their supplements and diet.
Because you didn't know about the coil bulbs, I went back and looked at your intro thread. I see we told you about the dangerous water bowls and you swapped those out. Did you also cover the enclosure? Open topped enclosure don't and can't work. There is no way to maintain the correct temperatures all over unless the whole room is kept 80 or above 24/7/365. There is also no way to keep humidity up. This would be like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof on it. It can't work. Its just physics.
I also see from your intro thread, which I missed, that no one explained that almost all of the tortoise care info out in the world is all wrong. I would have left you these two links that explain what we are talking about here and much more. Please read through them at least a couple of times to get the right info:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
tortoiseforum.org
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...
tortoiseforum.org
Please feel free to ask questions about any of this. We want to help.
Yes, ne Dr compact/coil bulbs, no mercury vapor bulbs and no halogen bulbs.
@Tom I turned it off. Thank you for letting me know. Water bowls were swapped I think two days after with some shallow ones and the enclosure has like 80% of it covered with a clear plastic lid. To raise the humidity we use one of those repti foggers since the enclosure is taller (it is a metal planter box). What are your thoughts about the mucus coming out of his rectum?
Foggers should not be blowing directly into a tortoise enclosure. They can be used to humidify the room, but not blowing directly in. Maintain humidity by closing in the top. 80% closed with the heat lamps outside creates a chimney effect that draws all your heat and humidity up and out. It needs to be all closed in and the heating and lighting need to be inside the chamber. Using my previous example, how warm would your house be with the heater running all night, but 20% of the roof missing? All your heat would just exit through the giant gaping hole.
Its best to use a purpose built closed camber for this, but the green house tents as a retrofit is better than nothing. Those don't hold in heat as well as a real closed chamber, but they do well enough from what we've seen here over the years.
Mucus out of the rectum could be from many causes, but its not a good sign.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
What is the color of the mucus? Are there still some? This is not a healthy sign, could be many things, including infection. I would try soaking at least once a day but preferably multiple times.
I would say the mucus is clear with a hint of yellow. Kinda looks like when you blow your nose to be honest.
I started noticing these red spots on his shell last night and took him to the ER. They think he is septic and gave an antibiotic and vitamin A shot. Hoping to get him in with a specialist tomorrow morning.
I started noticing these red spots on his shell last night and took him to the ER. They think he is septic and gave an antibiotic and vitamin A shot. Hoping to get him in with a specialist tomorrow morning.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
What do you think of the update? @Tom @YvonneG @wellington ?
Wow so sorry. This isn't good news. Sure hope he makes it.
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