New baby sulcata lethargic

Yvonne G

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I will get to work this weekend on constructing a frame and covering it with some kind of plastic to make it as closed as possible. What about ventilation? Should I have some.kind of vent somewhere for fresh air?

I also wanted to add that his decline started before being placed in this enclosure. He was kept on a 40 gal breeder with half the top covered and humidity was constantly around 80 there. But I do agree that with this table design I have to constatly be adding water as the substrate dries really fast under the heat, so a making it closed will be in the works ASAP!

As long as you're going to be working on the habitat, maybe you can give some thought to this: I'm not a scientist, and I have no formal education on the subject, but I'm thinking of when one accidentally bites down on a piece of foil, how it sends a shock wave through your system. In my opinion, I would get rid of the metal liner and use plastic or something else. I don't know if the metal is conducting any sort of "shock" to the baby, but they do treat it with harsh chemicals. My husband was a welder and some of the smells that came off metal when he welded were pretty toxic. (I even used pond liner in my 600 gallon aluminum horse trough because I didn't want to poison my fish and turtle)
 

Yvonne G

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Until you can get the baby up and acting normal, place him in a smaller, hospital tank. If you have an old 10 gallon aquarium laying around someplace that would do nicely. Keep it about 85F overall day and night and keep it covered. Keep the substrate moist. When you soak the baby, add a half jar of Gerber strained carrots to the soaking water, and leave him in it for at least 30 minutes, longer is even better. If you do this daily you should see a marked improvement in three days.

During this hospital period, tune up the habitat where the baby is going to live. Get it the way it's supposed to be so that when he's better he can be put into an up and running, good-for-babies habitat.
 

Yoda0916

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Until you can get the baby up and acting normal, place him in a smaller, hospital tank. If you have an old 10 gallon aquarium laying around someplace that would do nicely. Keep it about 85F overall day and night and keep it covered. Keep the substrate moist. When you soak the baby, add a half jar of Gerber strained carrots to the soaking water, and leave him in it for at least 30 minutes, longer is even better. If you do this daily you should see a marked improvement in three days.

During this hospital period, tune up the habitat where the baby is going to live. Get it the way it's supposed to be so that when he's better he can be put into an up and running, good-for-babies habitat.
Will do this as I work on covering his new enclosure. If I don't see him improve by Saturday I will be making a vet apt.
 

Yoda0916

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Here is Yoda his first day home. I had to remove that rock cave because he would climb it so much and flipped once so I freaked out about it.

 

Yoda0916

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As long as you're going to be working on the habitat, maybe you can give some thought to this: I'm not a scientist, and I have no formal education on the subject, but I'm thinking of when one accidentally bites down on a piece of foil, how it sends a shock wave through your system. In my opinion, I would get rid of the metal liner and use plastic or something else. I don't know if the metal is conducting any sort of "shock" to the baby, but they do treat it with harsh chemicals. My husband was a welder and some of the smells that came off metal when he welded were pretty toxic. (I even used pond liner in my 600 gallon aluminum horse trough because I didn't want to poison my fish and turtle)
I was actually going to line all the sides including the metal part with acuarium background. I never thought galvanized steel gave off any kind of toxicity, I remember my grandpa bringim milk home straight from a galvanized steel can. But a backdrop aquarium liner should give it a barrier so the tort is not making direct contact. I do imagine any metal when being molten together such as welding will give off lots of fumes but I won't be welding in Yodas cage ;)
 
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Yoda0916

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I just finished setting up the "hospital enclosure" the part that is covered is the cool side and it reads 83f 99% humidity, warm side is 90f and 99 at the basking spot, humidity reads 77%.
Only the spot lamp is on, the CHE will be to hopefully maintain night temps above 80
 

cmacusa3

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wrap the screen with foil and then cut out holes for the CHE and light. Then cut out a small hole in the screen under the light, so it doesn't filter any of the lights UVB
 

Yoda0916

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Quick update on Yoda and also wanted to share how I have managed my little guy to get some food in him. As you all know Yoda had not been opening his eyes and stopped eating. Yesterday I filled a salad bowl with MizurI tortoise diet, zoomed, and chopped greens and grasses all mixed. After his carrot/water bath I placed him in the salad bowl and he began to munch. So I am stoked that he at least is eating some. He is also starting to open his eyes slightly. I think part of the reason he would not eat is because he could no see. So pass this info along if anyone has a shut eye baby no eating.

 

Kasia

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Quick update on Yoda and also wanted to share how I have managed my little guy to get some food in him. As you all know Yoda had not been opening his eyes and stopped eating. Yesterday I filled a salad bowl with MizurI tortoise diet, zoomed, and chopped greens and grasses all mixed. After his carrot/water bath I placed him in the salad bowl and he began to munch. So I am stoked that he at least is eating some. He is also starting to open his eyes slightly. I think part of the reason he would not eat is because he could no see. So pass this info along if anyone has a shut eye baby no eating.

Does he poop? Is it diarhea or more solid like? Get his stool to the Vets, parasites can give all above mentioned things - lack of appetite, swollen eyes and overall lethargy.
 

Yoda0916

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This is his first poop in over a week, kinda hard to tell as it was in his bath.
 

Kasia

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This is his first poop in over a week, kinda hard to tell as it was in his bath.
Looks ok, it's small cause he doesn't eat much probably. Still if he is not getting better I would take him to a reptile Vet specialists. I see that you are very committed to this shell baby and even if it is hatchling failure syndrome you would like to be a 100% sure that you did everything it's out there to save him. Hugs and kisses for Yoda:*
 

Fredkas

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Fight that damn whatever diseases that make your tort lethargic. I know you can do it. That poop looks ok for me, i am newbie though. But i think he will be good starting from now on. I am praying for you and the little one.
 

Yoda0916

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Quick update, Yoda seems to be improving! He is eating and pooping daily now. He still squints his eyes a bit but definitely looks like he is improving. Also I made an addition to his table to make it as closed as possible. My only concern now is that his shell seems to have white flaky areas as if it was too dry but I bathe him daily. Every other day in carrot baby food/water. Here are some pics below. I am starting to think ot may be just water stains?







 

Fredkas

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Wow nice enclosure. You make me jealous. I am happy for you. Stick around. And update yoda frequently for us.
 

Yoda0916

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Hey guys don't want to start a new thread to ask a quick question. Is there such a thing as over misting? I mist Yoda about every 2 to 3 hours, never after lights out. I also bathe daily and that has seemed to be working well.
 

GingerLove

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If they are wet all the time (mostly on their bottom shell) then it can cause shell rot, I've heard. If you are soaking your tort, I always figured you never had to mist. Might be wrong.
 

cmacusa3

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If they are wet all the time (mostly on their bottom shell) then it can cause shell rot, I've heard. If you are soaking your tort, I always figured you never had to mist. Might be wrong.

It won't cause shell rot with a Sulcata and you can spray him all you want.
 

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