Oh my gosh, please read.

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chandlerledray

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My sully Peanut has been sick for a couple of weeks now, and I took him to the vet about a week and a half ago now. He wasn't eating and they gave him some medicine to supplement food so he gets nutrients. I gave him it daily and slowly he started to get better. But as of 2 days ago the bottom of his shell started to get darker, and about five minutes ago I was looking at the bottom of his shell, and I turned him a little bit and all of the dark stuff moved, like it was a liquid...blood.
I'm really freaking out, whats happening to my little guy..:'(
 

Yvonne G

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I'm afraid your little baby is pretty sick. The plastron is thin and you are actually seeing the inside of the tortoise. I don't know if he can be saved, but if so, it will take a lot of hard work and motivation getting the calcium and D3 into him.
 

Yvonne G

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You need to get on a regimen that you get from your vet. This is not something to take lightly. It is very serious. Your vet would be the best person to get advice from on this matter. A good reptile vet, that is.
 

-ryan-

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I'm so sorry to hear that the baby is so sick! As everyone said, this is going to take work, and the chances are not all that good, but hope for the best. Make sure you get back to the vet asap.
 

chandlerledray

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Okay, well the vet that I went to wasn't the best...she was a reptile vet but didn't seem as experienced as I would like, should I find a new one?

Well honestly, what are the odds that he will get better?
 

chandlerledray

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Yeah I actually got the original vet from that page..

The only reason I'm saying that is because the last visit was over 150 $ and I mean I'd do anything to make him better he means a lot to me but if I spend another 200 dollars and he doesn't get better than it's bad on both parts. I want him to get better, what caused all of this?

http://home.earthlink.net/~fridjian/id13.html
The picture under
'SOFT SHELL: MBD AS
A FORM OF HATCHLING FAILURE SYNDROME'
is very much like Peanut..
 

Yvonne G

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I'm not sure, but my GUESS is that his system wasn't getting enough calcium, so it took it from the bones and shell. They must have the sun to make their supplement calcium be absorbed by the body (or a UV light).
 
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Maggie Cummings

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About 7 months ago I was given a clutch of 6 small tortoises to see if I could save them. All 6 had very soft shells and they had that liquid visibly moving under the plastron like what you describe. I don't mean to scare you, but every one of those babies died. So I wouldn't hold out too much hope for him. But you can't give up on him either. I would go back to the vet tomorrow and show her the liquid you are talking about. Also you should prepare yourself that he might not make it. I'm sorry to say that.

webskipper said:
I don't understand, is he bleeding from between the plates? I just want to be able to visualize this.

Do these help you?

Anatomy & Diseases of the Shell:
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/turtles/anatomy_02.html

List of Guides:
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/reptiles.html

It looks like liquid under the plastron with an air bubble moving back and forth. If she is describing the same thing I have seen in other sick tortoises.
 

-ryan-

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Unfortunately, you are going to have to just give peanut support and care, and see if there is anything that your vet can do. My concern is that it may just be a bit too late.

Do what you can, but use it as a learning experience. These things happen and it likely was not your fault. Clearly you had the capability to raise a sulcata to some degree, since you have another that has been growing and acting healthy. If Peanut doesn't make it, remember that you tried and that you will just have to put all of your energy into keeping Frank healthy and happy, but I'll be hoping for the best.
 
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