TheLegendOfJose
New Member
This is a very sad and disappointing post for me but I’m hoping I can get some insight on this whole situation so I can know what I should potentially do differently in the future.
The numbers and facts:
My tortoise was about 2.5 inches large, and several months old (I’m not sure exactly how many).
I had him just over 3 weeks.
His enclosure was wooden, open air, with a platform on top, where his food stayed, and a ramp that led up to it, which he seemed to enjoy going up and down as well as napping on. There were 2 basking areas available for him. 1 on the lower level, in the corner by the bottom of his ramp. The temperature at that basking area was averaging 90°. The second area was at the top of the ramp, had a bit of a larger diameter (as it was a larger dome and higher wattage), and averaged 96-100° (made from a Fluker's Sun Dome Reptile Lamp, 8.5
Diameter and a Exo-Terra Night Heat Lamp, 150 Watt bulb).This gave him options in the mercurial weather we’re having in California right now, and he tended to migrate between the two lamps whenever he pleased. The overhead bar light was attached above the middle of the enclosure to reach the entire surface (a Zilla Slimline Desert 50 UVB T8 Fluorescent Fixture). Lastly, on the lower level he had a hiding hole half circle log he could rest in, although he never really did, which was framed by two organic pet grade grass plants, which he occasionally chewed on. His shallow water dish was pretty close to the area and he often would take a quick dip or take a drink.
His substrate contained a mixture of T-Rex Terra Mix Forest Bed Coconut Bark Reptile
Substrate, Zoo Med Forest Floor
Bedding, and Zoo Med Premium
Reptile Bark.
His feeding schedule:
Fed 2x a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. He was given a 10-15 minute soak in lukewarm water, (making sure to spoon a bit on his whole body) before both meals every day. This is often when he would defecate, which I could easily clean and then I’d weigh him once a week at this time.
Every day -a variety of spring mix without spinach. He also received 6 small mazurka pellets daily.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday - Calcium was sprinkled on his food at breakfast.
Mondays and Fridays - was given a bit of Timothy hay for fiber, as he seemed a bit constipated early on. He soon recovered after we introduced the hay.
Maybe once a week we’d treat him to a little bit of cucumber and 2 pieces of pre-shredded carrot.
Sorry for that long intro but I wanted to give you as much information as possible.
The story and behavior:
I received my first tortoise back in mid November and he was lethargic and hardly moved from Day 1. He only lasted two weeks before passing. When I talked to the store we bought him from they concluded that he was likely fragile as they can be that young (he was even smaller than the one this post is about) and that this can happen sometimes. They agreed for me to bring the tortoise in and exchange it for a new, and slightly older one, since it being older would lower the chances of an untimely passing.
Determined to keep this new little guy alive I threw myself into research and made his cage, feed and schedule the best I could, double checking with the reptile shop along the way.
I was really encouraged initially. He was very energetic. Traipsing around his enclosure, very curious and making the most of his space. Everything was perfect. That lasted for about two weeks. For the last week he slowed down a bit, which I know is normal given the temperature/season, as well as the fact that he’d now settled into his environment. But he was eating well and I wasn’t too concerned. That is, until 5 days ago. He began moving less and less as well as not eating very much and I grew concerned.
The shop told me to always call if I needed any help or advice ever so I gave them a call. I described the details of his state and they said that it sounded like I’d done everything right and had he been losing weight. I told them that he’d gone from 32g to 45g and they said that was a good sign and that this behavior was likely season/weather induced. They told me to keep an eye on him and if he hadn’t changed in a week I should bring him in so they could take a look. He unfortunately didn’t make it that long and died two days later.
We called the shop again, hoping for any explanation. We were very discouraged at this point and wondering if we should just stop while we’re not ahead with this whole tortoise thing. After all, some people greatly neglect their tortoises and they still thrive, while we went to great lengths to give our tortoise a healthy and full life and he still passed. After we fully flushed out the situation with the man, who actually seemed quite qualified, he was at a loss. Nothing we were doing should have caused him to pass - we were doing everything right - and even if we did, he should never have declined so quickly. He essentially only survived a week after first displaying symptoms. The man kindly told me that it sadly can happen, while uncommon, where they have some sort of preexisting condition we can’t know about and don’t make it and that it was just rotten luck and a coincidence it happened twice in a row. I even asked if environmental factors were possible but none of the questions I answered indicated to him they were. He suggested if we wanted to try again to get a bit of an older one, 4-5 inches, so it can be very established. But I always wanted to care for a baby and watch it grow up. And I’m not ready to jump back into turtle parenthood right now tbh.
The only thing worth noting which I remembered after talked to the reptile store is that my tortoise within hours of passing had some bubbles come from his mouth. I researched it at the time and it said it could be a sign of a respiratory infection but that it would take weeks to develop and over those weeks he’d have had other symptoms such as a cough which he didn’t. The reptile shop said the same and that he couldn’t have developed one and died within such a short window. Is it possible he could have choked on a piece of substrate? I saw him chewing a piece once or twice despite being right next to his food. He dropped it and went for the food and I assumed he was being curious in his new space.
I’m so sorry for the long post but wanted to give any relevant information in hopes that someone might be able to provide any kind of explanation or insight. I really want to own a tortoise but not if it’ll just die again.
Thank you so much for any and all help you can give.
tldr: my tortoise declined quickly and died suddenly after I went to great lengths to provide a healthy diet, feeding schedule, care and enclosure and I’m at a loss as to why. Should I still try to raise a tortoise?
The numbers and facts:
My tortoise was about 2.5 inches large, and several months old (I’m not sure exactly how many).
I had him just over 3 weeks.
His enclosure was wooden, open air, with a platform on top, where his food stayed, and a ramp that led up to it, which he seemed to enjoy going up and down as well as napping on. There were 2 basking areas available for him. 1 on the lower level, in the corner by the bottom of his ramp. The temperature at that basking area was averaging 90°. The second area was at the top of the ramp, had a bit of a larger diameter (as it was a larger dome and higher wattage), and averaged 96-100° (made from a Fluker's Sun Dome Reptile Lamp, 8.5
Diameter and a Exo-Terra Night Heat Lamp, 150 Watt bulb).This gave him options in the mercurial weather we’re having in California right now, and he tended to migrate between the two lamps whenever he pleased. The overhead bar light was attached above the middle of the enclosure to reach the entire surface (a Zilla Slimline Desert 50 UVB T8 Fluorescent Fixture). Lastly, on the lower level he had a hiding hole half circle log he could rest in, although he never really did, which was framed by two organic pet grade grass plants, which he occasionally chewed on. His shallow water dish was pretty close to the area and he often would take a quick dip or take a drink.
His substrate contained a mixture of T-Rex Terra Mix Forest Bed Coconut Bark Reptile
Substrate, Zoo Med Forest Floor
Bedding, and Zoo Med Premium
Reptile Bark.
His feeding schedule:
Fed 2x a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. He was given a 10-15 minute soak in lukewarm water, (making sure to spoon a bit on his whole body) before both meals every day. This is often when he would defecate, which I could easily clean and then I’d weigh him once a week at this time.
Every day -a variety of spring mix without spinach. He also received 6 small mazurka pellets daily.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday - Calcium was sprinkled on his food at breakfast.
Mondays and Fridays - was given a bit of Timothy hay for fiber, as he seemed a bit constipated early on. He soon recovered after we introduced the hay.
Maybe once a week we’d treat him to a little bit of cucumber and 2 pieces of pre-shredded carrot.
Sorry for that long intro but I wanted to give you as much information as possible.
The story and behavior:
I received my first tortoise back in mid November and he was lethargic and hardly moved from Day 1. He only lasted two weeks before passing. When I talked to the store we bought him from they concluded that he was likely fragile as they can be that young (he was even smaller than the one this post is about) and that this can happen sometimes. They agreed for me to bring the tortoise in and exchange it for a new, and slightly older one, since it being older would lower the chances of an untimely passing.
Determined to keep this new little guy alive I threw myself into research and made his cage, feed and schedule the best I could, double checking with the reptile shop along the way.
I was really encouraged initially. He was very energetic. Traipsing around his enclosure, very curious and making the most of his space. Everything was perfect. That lasted for about two weeks. For the last week he slowed down a bit, which I know is normal given the temperature/season, as well as the fact that he’d now settled into his environment. But he was eating well and I wasn’t too concerned. That is, until 5 days ago. He began moving less and less as well as not eating very much and I grew concerned.
The shop told me to always call if I needed any help or advice ever so I gave them a call. I described the details of his state and they said that it sounded like I’d done everything right and had he been losing weight. I told them that he’d gone from 32g to 45g and they said that was a good sign and that this behavior was likely season/weather induced. They told me to keep an eye on him and if he hadn’t changed in a week I should bring him in so they could take a look. He unfortunately didn’t make it that long and died two days later.
We called the shop again, hoping for any explanation. We were very discouraged at this point and wondering if we should just stop while we’re not ahead with this whole tortoise thing. After all, some people greatly neglect their tortoises and they still thrive, while we went to great lengths to give our tortoise a healthy and full life and he still passed. After we fully flushed out the situation with the man, who actually seemed quite qualified, he was at a loss. Nothing we were doing should have caused him to pass - we were doing everything right - and even if we did, he should never have declined so quickly. He essentially only survived a week after first displaying symptoms. The man kindly told me that it sadly can happen, while uncommon, where they have some sort of preexisting condition we can’t know about and don’t make it and that it was just rotten luck and a coincidence it happened twice in a row. I even asked if environmental factors were possible but none of the questions I answered indicated to him they were. He suggested if we wanted to try again to get a bit of an older one, 4-5 inches, so it can be very established. But I always wanted to care for a baby and watch it grow up. And I’m not ready to jump back into turtle parenthood right now tbh.
The only thing worth noting which I remembered after talked to the reptile store is that my tortoise within hours of passing had some bubbles come from his mouth. I researched it at the time and it said it could be a sign of a respiratory infection but that it would take weeks to develop and over those weeks he’d have had other symptoms such as a cough which he didn’t. The reptile shop said the same and that he couldn’t have developed one and died within such a short window. Is it possible he could have choked on a piece of substrate? I saw him chewing a piece once or twice despite being right next to his food. He dropped it and went for the food and I assumed he was being curious in his new space.
I’m so sorry for the long post but wanted to give any relevant information in hopes that someone might be able to provide any kind of explanation or insight. I really want to own a tortoise but not if it’ll just die again.
Thank you so much for any and all help you can give.
tldr: my tortoise declined quickly and died suddenly after I went to great lengths to provide a healthy diet, feeding schedule, care and enclosure and I’m at a loss as to why. Should I still try to raise a tortoise?
