New Baby Sulcata(sick) won't eat anything :(

[Dav Johnson]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum.

5 days ago I received my first pair of baby Sulcatas who were shipped to me from online. I'm new to Sulcatas, but I've owned several desert tortoises since I was young. One of them is very active and eats a lot! It happens to be the smaller one too. However the bigger one hasn't ate anything at all. He has no interest in opening his mouth to eat he just turns away.

I've tried to read some of the suggestions on here for similar situations. For example his eyes are shut, doesn't want to move much, or eat.

And I've tried raising the tank temperature, soaking it in the baby food with hot water and all it does is want to sleep wherever it's placed and will not eat.

I took it to the vet a couple days ago and he said it was sick and gave him a vitamin and I believe calcium injection with it. He also got eye drops and it's been helping it's eyes open up a bit more.

What can I do to get it to eat? Or what else should I try to see it will eat. So far I've tried giving it different stuff to see if it will eat any of it! I've tried kale, cactus pad, spring mix, grass, tortoise pellets and it just turns its head.

Also should I seperate them since this one is sick and won't eat. Would that help it?

Sorry if this is a long list or a lot of questions I'm asking. Im just trying to provide as much info I can for you guys, because I just want to help this little guy get healthy and make it!

 

[Big Ol Tortoise]

I would definitely separate them. There's a thing I hear that you can do is put him in a little bit of baby food and he'll eat let me find it. Try putting him under the heat lamp(what's your temps btw)

 

[Big Ol Tortoise]

Oh never mind you tried it already

 

[jockma]

Congrats on your new baby sullys. I'm sorry one of them isn't doing well.

The general consensus is that vitamin shots are unnecessary and can be dangerous if too much is administered/they're injected in the hind legs, I would not accept any injections unless an infection is diagnosed then antibiotics are good and even then only if the injection is given in the front legs.

When was the last time he pooped? Keeping torts in pairs can lead to bullying and lack of appetite but the other symptoms are concerning. Keep them separated and keep a close eye on the healthy one to see if any symptoms develop too.

What kind of UVB bulb are you using?

 

[dmmj]

I would separate them immediately and forever pairs Do not work. also you have to watch the one that got the vitamin shot those are often toxic to tortoises because they overdosed just keep an eye on him

 

[Dav Johnson]

Congrats on your new baby sullys. I'm sorry one of them isn't doing well.

The general consensus is that vitamin shots are unnecessary and can be dangerous if too much is administered/they're injected in the hind legs, I would not accept any injections unless an infection is diagnosed then antibiotics are good and even then only if the injection is given in the front legs.

When was the last time he pooped? Keeping torts in pairs can lead to bullying and lack of appetite but the other symptoms are concerning. Keep them separated and keep a close eye on the healthy one to see if any symptoms develop too.

What kind of UVB bulb are you using?

They did front of the leg injection for it. I'm not using a uvb bulb as of now. I live in Vegas so it's still warm here during the day and I'm hoping I can get them outside for several hours every day instead of using the bulb. Today it's been in the high 70's. I have not seen it poop once and I've had it 5 days. The smaller one pooped on my hand the first day when I got if though! Haha I had a good laugh about that one!

 

[Dav Johnson]

I would definitely separate them. There's a thing I hear that you can do is put him in a little bit of baby food and he'll eat let me find it. Try putting him under the heat lamp(what's your temps btw)

I originally had a basking temperature set up at around 90 degrees, but after reading some posts I decided to make it hotter since he's sick and the basking area is 100 now. He LOVED getting under it once that was set up warmer. Then most of the tank is set up around 80 and a cool spot of about 75. Are these good temps for the tank? Or do I need to adjust?

 

[Dav Johnson]

So update for everyone:
He FINALLY ATE!
Today shortly after I posted this I went to take him outside in his outdoor enclosure I have set up and I put some rose petals and leaves on the ground, because I have a bunch of rose bushes right next to it. Much to my surprise, I was so stunned, he started moving around a lot and went right to them and started eating them! I picked more and sprinkled them all across the enclosure just so anywhere he went he could see food. Much to my hope it worked! He roamed around took a few bites and moved to the next spot. I tried putting some kale in there too, but he wasn't interested in it. He didn't eat too much, but at least he ate some today which makes me feel a lot better. I was really worried about the little guy. Now I just need to get him to continue to eat.

 

[Big Ol Tortoise]

I originally had a basking temperature set up at around 90 degrees, but after reading some posts I decided to make it hotter since he's sick and the basking area is 100 now. He LOVED getting under it once that was set up warmer. Then most of the tank is set up around 80 and a cool spot of about 75. Are these good temps for the tank? Or do I need to adjust?

100 is good some people only have high temps of 80-90 witch isn't great for these guys.

 

[Janelle Green]

So update for everyone:
He FINALLY ATE!
Today shortly after I posted this I went to take him outside in his outdoor enclosure I have set up and I put some rose petals and leaves on the ground, because I have a bunch of rose bushes right next to it. Much to my surprise, I was so stunned, he started moving around a lot and went right to them and started eating them! I picked more and sprinkled them all across the enclosure just so anywhere he went he could see food. Much to my hope it worked! He roamed around took a few bites and moved to the next spot. I tried putting some kale in there too, but he wasn't interested in it. He didn't eat too much, but at least he ate some today which makes me feel a lot better. I was really worried about the little guy. Now I just need to get him to continue to eat.

I had same problem with my yearling red foot I just got , she would barely eat for about 5 days her eyes were open very healthy looking sometimes just takes them time to adjust and get used to their new home and new diet. Everyone told me not to worry that it takes them along time to starve that she'll eat soon and she did and now she's a pig lol

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum.

5 days ago I received my first pair of baby Sulcatas who were shipped to me from online. I'm new to Sulcatas, but I've owned several desert tortoises since I was young. One of them is very active and eats a lot! It happens to be the smaller one too. However the bigger one hasn't ate anything at all. He has no interest in opening his mouth to eat he just turns away.

I've tried to read some of the suggestions on here for similar situations. For example his eyes are shut, doesn't want to move much, or eat.

And I've tried raising the tank temperature, soaking it in the baby food with hot water and all it does is want to sleep wherever it's placed and will not eat.

I took it to the vet a couple days ago and he said it was sick and gave him a vitamin and I believe calcium injection with it. He also got eye drops and it's been helping it's eyes open up a bit more.

What can I do to get it to eat? Or what else should I try to see it will eat. So far I've tried giving it different stuff to see if it will eat any of it! I've tried kale, cactus pad, spring mix, grass, tortoise pellets and it just turns its head.

Also should I seperate them since this one is sick and won't eat. Would that help it?

Sorry if this is a long list or a lot of questions I'm asking. Im just trying to provide as much info I can for you guys, because I just want to help this little guy get healthy and make it!

Hello and welcome to the forum David.

Before we go any further, I need to know, do you want the red pill or the blue? Blue pill = you continue on believing whatever you want. Red pill = I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. The choice is yours.

 

[Janelle Green]

Hello and welcome to the forum David.

Before we go any further, I need to know, do you want the red pill or the blue? Blue pill = you continue on believing whatever you want. Red pill = I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. The choice is yours.

Give him the blue pill cuz I would like to know I love to learn as much as I can hope your baby sulcatas doing better I don't know anything about caring for sulcatas but my red foot who wasn't eating much when I got her was just getting used to her habitat and we got her humidity set at 83-85 right away and now she's eating every day. I hear you can soak them in carrot juice I've heard putting baby food on their food helps . There's a lot you can try but getting their environment set up correctly is number one most important

 

[Big Charlie]

Whoever sold you a pair of tortoises wasn't being honest with you. They are solitary, territorial animals and shouldn't be kept together. When two are kept together, one thrives and the other one doesn't. That sounds like what is happening here. Your tort didn't need vitamin shots. It just needs its own space where it doesn't have to compete with another tort.

 

[TerrapinStation]

Hello and welcome to the forum David.

Before we go any further, I need to know, do you want the red pill or the blue? Blue pill = you continue on believing whatever you want. Red pill = I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. The choice is yours.

Oh man, the last time I took an offer like that I woke up 3 days later in an ice bath in Tijuana with a missing kidney!

 

[saginawhxc]

Whoever sold you a pair of tortoises wasn't being honest with you. They are solitary, territorial animals and shouldn't be kept together. When two are kept together, one thrives and the other one doesn't. That sounds like what is happening here. Your tort didn't need vitamin shots. It just needs its own space where it doesn't have to compete with another tort.

The more I wander into the sulcata community outside this forum the less I believe that these people are intentionally being dishonest. I think it simply comes down to they 100% believe this is okay with their whole hearts. That is another conversation for another day and another thread though.

 

[Tom]

Oh man, the last time I took an offer like that I woke up 3 days later in an ice bath in Tijuana with a missing kidney!

Well you only need one, so...

 

[Tom]

The more I wander into the sulcata community outside this forum the less I believe that these people are intentionally being dishonest. I think it simply comes down to they 100% believe this is okay with their whole hearts. That is another conversation for another day and another thread though.

I think this is true in many cases. I used to whole-heartedly tell people that sulcatas needed dry substrate and that any humidity would cause respiratory issues and shell rot. I was ignorant, inexperienced, and this is what all the books, vets, breeders and "experts" said. It was taught to me that way and I taught it to others that way. We were all wrong, and now I spend my days trying to un-teach the wrong stuff and show people the right way.

 

[Gillian M]

So update for everyone:
He FINALLY ATE!
Today shortly after I posted this I went to take him outside in his outdoor enclosure I have set up and I put some rose petals and leaves on the ground, because I have a bunch of rose bushes right next to it. Much to my surprise, I was so stunned, he started moving around a lot and went right to them and started eating them! I picked more and sprinkled them all across the enclosure just so anywhere he went he could see food. Much to my hope it worked! He roamed around took a few bites and moved to the next spot. I tried putting some kale in there too, but he wasn't interested in it. He didn't eat too much, but at least he ate some today which makes me feel a lot better. I was really worried about the little guy. Now I just need to get him to continue to eat.

Great news! And a very warm welcome to the forum to both of you.