Potential death of another Sulcata

Big Charlie

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I'm so sorry. I don't have any advice. You're doing everything you can. I hope she pulls through.
 

kennrocks

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I'm so sorry. I don't have any advice. You're doing everything you can. I hope she pulls through.
It's okay, I'm thankful for every forumer who contributed to suggestions. I too hope she pulls through. Will keep everyone updated. Hope for the best.
 

kennrocks

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So sorry for your loss! What a sad day :(
Would like to analyze the death, vet commented that:
1. Cypress Mulch might have entered food when she walks all over it and impaction may have caused it. Because she is only 2.5inch, small debris of it may be lethal *paraphrasing vet*
2. Growth on neck might have infected from external to internal, leading to infection in mouth, another theory was that the cypress mulch debris might have injured her mouth, causing the infection.

but my main question is how did she grow so damn weak out of the blue? she was fine until recently she just became weak from eating, it was like her jaw was struggling to hold open and munch on food. Video available in first page. I've had many star tortoises before, they did fine as i simply left them in the garden, grew gorgeously from 2.5 inches to 4-5 inches in 3 years *i am from Malaysia* Which is why I was confident I could raise them, I admit it was my mistake assuming they can live in similar environments. Hope any experienced folks can help me identify the issue so I can understand about them more thoroughly. Won't be purchasing any anytime soon till I'm confident again. Then again my friend who is experienced in exotic animals mentioned that the clutch whom I purchased from may have not been the best clutch as both died the same way. One died in July and the recent, just now. Lasted only from March 2016.
 

wellington

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I am so very sorry. I do believe it's nothing you did or used. I think they were started/cared for wrong from hatching until you finally got them. I bet the breeder started them hot and dry.
When your ready to try again, buy from someone that starts them, from hatching with high humidity, the hot and humid way. Not the hot and dry way.
Again, I am so very sorry.
 

kennrocks

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I am so very sorry. I do believe it's nothing you did or used. I think they were started/cared for wrong from hatching until you finally got them. I bet the breeder started them hot and dry.
When your ready to try again, buy from someone that starts them, from hatching with high humidity, the hot and humid way. Not the hot and dry way.
Again, I am so very sorry.

34d55fc2-b942-4df5-822c-3ecd83309709.jpg
Photo of the breeder's enclosure. Just dry hay and uv bulb. I started off with hay too cause that's what he suggested till Tom corrected me when I posted my enclosure. I've learned through the hard way.
 

cmacusa3

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Unfortunately several of us on this site have learned the hard way. I did and had my first sully die on me. Thanks to a lot of great people on this site, I took what I learned and decided to get another and now 4 torts later I'm still around and always learning more. Don't blame yourself for what the breeder told you, just take what you can from this site near move forward.
 

wellington

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View attachment 186643
Photo of the breeder's enclosure. Just dry hay and uv bulb. I started off with hay too cause that's what he suggested till Tom corrected me when I posted my enclosure. I've learned through the hard way.
Share what happened and what you have now learned from this forum with the breeder. Hopefully he will take the advice. If he doesn't, at least you tried and will do better for your own.
 

wellington

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Unfortunately several of us on this site have learned the hard way. I did and had my first sully die on me. Thanks to a lot of great people on this site, I took what I learned and decided to get another and now 4 torts later I'm still around and always learning more. Don't blame yourself for what the breeder told you, just take what you can from this site near move forward.
Glad it's working out for you. I did it wrong too, but was a lucky one. Didn't lose anyone.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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I'm so sorry for your loss.
You did everything you could, there was something critically wrong with the poor tortoise when you got her, in my opinion.
Condolences.
 

algoroth1

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I've never raised a Sulcata, just my m.e.e. but I know the feeling of guilt when something goes wrong. You're a caring keeper and I'm sure will have success and satisfaction down the road.
 

jim taylor

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Sorry for ur loss. I been watching this thread everyday hoping the guy pulled thru. I no you tried ur hardest to but sometime things just happen. I have been using cypress mulch from day 1 and have had no issues at all. If I where you I would start over get rid of the substrate anything that can't be cleaned and sanitized just in case it was something contagious. I personally got my sulcata from a breeder and he was 3 months old. I went to meet the lady to see her in person and what kind of person she was. At 3 months he was still little and cute but past that critical stag. He was healthy and eating like a pig from day one. So maybe try to find someone that has already started them on there way to eating and growing. You now know the things to look out for. Just from reading ur post I can tell you r the type of person that deserves a life time friend and a healthy tortoise to care for. So please don't get discouraged I'm not sure how things work in Malaysia but there has to be someone out there that has your new tort happy and healthy waiting for u to pick him up. I no the tiny babies r cute and cool looking but there is so much that has to go rite from day one. Odds r if they r alert and eating and full of energy at 3 months then they should continue to be that way when u take them home. I read all these people with these new babies that don't eat sleep all day and r constantly sick and I can say my guy has had not one issue since I got him but he was past that stage on being new to the world. You been crushed twice now and it sucks just take ur time and find that one tort that you deserve. Good luck and remember the people on this forum r always ready to help.
 

kennrocks

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2 night ago I left the corpse inside cocopeat in a container, getting ready for burial. Woke up the day after and shell was missing, bloody rat took it. Today I found it next to the microwave. Looks like there's a large piece of calcium stone in there, presumably the cause of death which made her weak and stop eating. I have closure now. Thing is I only sprinkle pinches of cuttlebone twice a weak in small amounts. Or it must be the high calcium diet of bok choy and kale I alternate weekly?

*I give soaks twice a day for 15 mins in the morning and evening, direct sunshine around 9-11am with sufficient shade for atleast 20 mins PER DAY. It could still happen? :(
d30fa6ef-f317-498f-90f3-787f4edea9b6.jpg
 
Last edited:

leigti

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This is just a guess here, but I would say that the problem was probably more dehydration then diet. And just from what I've read with people with this experience, the damage was done before you ever got the little tortoises. You changed your practices as quickly as you learned about it. That's all anybody can ask. Keeping tortoises is a constant learning experience.
 

Nicole edwards

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2 night ago I left the corpse inside cocopeat in a container, getting ready for burial. Woke up the day after and shell was missing, bloody rat took it. Today I found it next to the microwave. Looks like there's a large piece of calcium stone in there, presumably the cause of death which made her weak and stop eating. I have closure now. Thing is I only sprinkle pinches of cuttlebone twice a weak in small amounts. Or it must be the high calcium diet of bok choy and kale I alternate weekly?

*I give soaks twice a day for 15 mins in the morning and evening, direct sunshine around 9-11am with sufficient shade for atleast 20 mins PER DAY. It could still happen? :(
View attachment 186765

Did you feed any grocery store foods high in oxalates? Like endive, collard greens, luttice? That can cause bladder stones and that looks like the problem you had here.
 

Holly'sMom

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Im knew also w tortoises so I'm not sure how much help this will be but I've noticed our little one gets finicky w eating too. I'll either get some fresh food set up (sometimes adding baby food like squash pumpkin&apple or carrots, clovers and dandelion leaves from outside, moistened small tortoise mazuri, or thin slices of pumpkin to the normal greens she's eating) then I'll take her outside for even 5mins. Bring her in and set her on the food and she may only takes few bites and walk away but 75% of the time she'll go to town. Also I noticed the lower my temps were the less she eats. My thermometers were saying it was 105F when the infrared thermometer says its 90F also I try to give a variety of different store bought and fresh bought/grown foods it seems like she would get bored w the same greens and grassland food like we wouldn't want to eat the same dinner everyday, so I feed them all on different days w different greens and grasses ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1473732153.321475.jpg
 
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