Odd tortoise movements

[XxDarkEuphoriaxX]

Ok I was at the "Pet Food Center" yesterday, which is a less than desirable place but anyways...

THEY had some baby sulcuta tortoises, I assume captive bred, not rly sure. Most were about 3" long but one was about 4" long and it looked like it was starting to pyramid but anyhow. they were $200 each.

They seemed to sit in the sand and move their legs forwards and backwards with their eyes closed quite often.... amost constantly.. It didn't look healthy anyhow. The tortoises looked pretty crusty overall actually.

Is this some sign of disease? Is it normal? I was just wondering what this kind of movements means... thx.

 

[Yvonne G]

Often-times you will see that "bellows" effect when baby tortoises breathe. It's usually nothing to worry about. But it sounds like the pet store babies are not being kept correctly, so in this case it MIGHT be worrisome. Could you print out a care sheet from http://africantortoise.com and take it in to them. If you're humble in your presentation, they might be willing to listen to you.

Yvonne

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

I wish pet stores could get some sort of tortoise seller certification in which they must learn and promise to take proper care of each species

 

[reptylefreek]

I think Yvonne has a good point. Take in a care sheet and tell them it's vital to there health that they are taken care of a certain way. Every once in awhile I see something like this and I always just chat some one up at the pet store. Once your on common ground and dont come off threatening you can start making suggestions. Alot of the info that they get is in books that were published in the 80's or 90's. Or they just dont care and just make the cage appealing. As we have heard over and over sand is bad so that's a start. That could make a huge difference in health. But if you feel up to it I would say something. It will save a babies life from bad diet and pyrimiding.

 

[XxDarkEuphoriaxX]

they were on sand..

so its bad to keep tortoises on 100% sand even if their natural environment is mostly sand?

 

[Yvonne G]

The sand you see at the beach and in the Sahara desert is different sand than what you will find in the Mojave and Sonora deserts. In these places the sand is compacted hard and not in individual grains.

Yvonne

 

[XxDarkEuphoriaxX]

well in florida the sand there is not compacted where the gopher tortoises live.... just saying