Oh no (dehydration?)

[Jbandy]

my Tortoise is displaying signs of dehydration. We have 3 kids who come home from school hoping they get to the table first so they are the ones to get to soak him. The kids look forward to this everyday. But after following the advice of the pet store I put him on bark. We have a large plastic bowl cut into our table of dirt that we keep wet for him to dig. But he never wanted to go in it. He is now always tired falling asleep everywhere we put him. Today he was out in the sun on the moist grass and he didn't really move or try to eat any of the grass. I've now been soaking him 3x a day and have changed out the bark for coir and added a fogger. I hope it's not to late for our little guy. Any help on turning this around would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tom]

RE: Oh no'

Bark is fine. Keep it damp. The coir is fine too.

One soak a day is enough.

Does he have a water bowl? Humid hide?

What size is his table? Open top?

What are your four temps? Basking, warm side, cool side and night?

 

[Jbandy]

Oh no'

We just added the coir! He's not himself at all. He normally walks right up to us knowing he either going outside, eating or getting soaked. He also takes off running when he hits the lawn. He hadn't done anything like that in days and today he didn't eat anything at all.my daughter is going to be crushed if he doesn't turn around. He didn't want to wake up at all tonight.

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Normally he wants to bug the dog. Even my husband said something I'd up with him. Here is a pic of him last month. Looking at the dog walking right over like he was boss to bite her on the nose. it's a good think out lab loves any kind of attention.

 

[theelectraco]

Oh no'

Did you ever manage to boost your temps?

 

[pspryu101]

RE: Oh no'

Have you tried any therapeutic soaks?
Here's a great guide from Mark
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-41739.html

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Oh no'

That is a beautiful tort table and quite a nice size to it. But I think for the time being, your baby needs to be in a hospital tank. That would be a 10 gallon covered aquarium that you keep 85F degrees overall. Soak him every day in warm water. Do you ever notice him with his mouth wide open like he might be gasping? My first thought was that he may be suffering from a respiratory infection because the lights are up too high for the correct temperature down at floor level.

One thing that struck me when looking at the tort table picture was that the lights seem to be up pretty high. Have you measured the temperature all over the floor of the habitat?

 

[mainey34]

Your temps and humidity are off for the little guy. Temps need to be, 105, basking...95,warm...85-80 cool...your humidity should be in the 80% ..never, never let your temps fall below 80. Below my signature are some threads on raising sulcatas. This may help. I would do away withthe table for now.

 

[Jbandy]

Ok dang and I thought we were doing so good. I wish I would have found this site earlier. There isn't much about tortoise on the Internet. Pet stores suck. I hope he turns around.

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I'm changes out some of the floor to coir. I'm going to get a basking light today. We have uv on the right, hear in the middle and night light heat on the left. Ill get a covered tank today should I have a basking light over that one? Or a heat lamp? Help!!!!!!!! I feel horrible I know he gets plenty if water he is soaked every day more then once. I hope he doesn't have that tortoise syndrome

 

[tortadise]

RE: Oh no'

Have you tried any therapeutic soaks?
Here's a great guide from Mark
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-41739.html

These are good. But in moderation. The sugar levels elevate in the tortoise and can an unbalance in glucose, and decline kidney function. Good regime for sick or every couple months for a boost. But not a weekly regime.

 

[mainey34]

You will need a CHE ( ceramic heat emitter ) for night time heat. It does not give off light. Depending on the size of the enclosure will determine the watts. The cocoir should be fine. Sulcatas rarely get shell rot.

 

[theelectraco]

Ok dang and I thought we were doing so good. I wish I would have found this site earlier. There isn't much about tortoise on the Internet. Pet stores suck. I hope he turns around.

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I'm changes out some of the floor to coir. I'm going to get a basking light today. We have uv on the right, hear in the middle and night light heat on the left. Ill get a covered tank today should I have a basking light over that one? Or a heat lamp? Help!!!!!!!! I feel horrible I know he gets plenty if water he is soaked every day more then once. I hope he doesn't have that tortoise syndrome

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Yes you will need a basking lamp and you will want to put it next to your UVB so your tort can bask and get the UVB rays at the same time. I would get a CHE for night time heat, in the day you may need to run both to get the desired temps.

 

[Laura]

i think too much 'playing' with and moving around can be stressful for babies as well. also with the potential to accidently drop them.
So try the Hosp tank, and watch. Hope it does ok.

 

[Jbandy]

After getting the tank to 105 look who woke up to eat!! I think I was freezing the poor guy

 

[Tom]

Have you read the top link in my signature? It might help you. The other one has some good stuff too.