Problem with baby sulcata

[Lisette Haddad]

Hello,
My kids and I just brought a baby sulcata to our home.
We bought it at a reptile expo. I have been reading a lot about sulcatas, and I can't make this little cutie eat.
I was hoping someone here could help me. She ( just by a guess) only sleeps. I took her out of her home yesterday afternoon to take some sun. I gave her a bath and she pooped a white thing. And that is all I have seen from the turtle.
She opens her eyes, stretches, rubs her eyes. Takes a step and falls back asleep. Is this normal for a baby?
I have been cutting small pieces if every green leaf I can find at the store.
She has a pool with water. A red light 24/7 and I live in CA.
Thanks for your help!

 

[Jodie]

What are your 4 temps, warm side, cool side, basking and night?

 

[crimson_lotus]

You need a UVB bulb for your little guy to help absorb calcium and prevent metabolic bone disease. I would also replace the red light with a lightless CHE (ceramic heat emitter) as the light can bother their sleep and they get confused between night and day when its on 24/7

 

[Tom]

Red lights are no good. They need regular white daylight bulbs for daytime and ceramic heating elements for night.

I know this will be frustrating for you, but most of the info out there in the world is wrong and based in incorrect assumptions about african weather and tortoise habits. I'm sorry about that, but the good news is that we have the correct info right here for you. The problem is not the baby. THe problem is the conditions the baby is being kept in.

So take a deep breath. Erase what you've already "learned" and start fresh with this info.

And hurry. Babies cannot take the wrong conditions for very long.


http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Lisette Haddad]

What are your 4 temps, warm side, cool side, basking and night?

Hello!
Thermometer on one side of the tank, says 78F and there is only white light there.
Red light and white is on the other side.
So I guess it is warmer there. That is also where her pool is. I have been moving her food from one place to another thingink that is the problem, but so far no luck.

At night temperature does not go lower than 70F
And humidity is always around 50 and 70.

I took her out to explore yesterday afternoon and it was close to 80F.
She walked a little, did not eat and fell back asleep.

thanks!

 

[Lisette Haddad]

Hello!
Thermometer on one side of the tank, says 78F and there is only white light there.
Red light and white is on the other side.
So I guess it is warmer there. That is also where her pool is. I have been moving her food from one place to another thingink that is the problem, but so far no luck.

At night temperature does not go lower than 70F
And humidity is always around 50 and 70.

I took her out to explore yesterday afternoon and it was close to 80F.
She walked a little, did not eat and fell back asleep.

thanks!

 

[Lisette Haddad]

You need a UVB bulb for your little guy to help absorb calcium and prevent metabolic bone disease. I would also replace the red light with a lightless CHE (ceramic heat emitter) as the light can bother their sleep and they get confused between night and day when its on 24/7

I have this long white light ( sorry don't know the name )

But I will look in to that Ceramic heat enitter in a second!

 

[Lisette Haddad]

Red lights are no good. They need regular white daylight bulbs for daytime and ceramic heating elements for night.

I know this will be frustrating for you, but most of the info out there in the world is wrong and based in incorrect assumptions about african weather and tortoise habits. I'm sorry about that, but the good news is that we have the correct info right here for you. The problem is not the baby. THe problem is the conditions the baby is being kept in.

So take a deep breath. Erase what you've already "learned" and start fresh with this info.

And hurry. Babies cannot take the wrong conditions for very long.


http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Ok... So do I turn the red light off? And just leave the long white light on?
And at night... I use the ceramic one?

Thanks everyone... Finally I feel like I am getting real good help.

 

[Lisette Haddad]

Ok... So do I turn the red light off? And just leave the long white light on?
And at night... I use the ceramic one?

Thanks everyone... Finally I feel like I am getting real good help.

!!!!!!
Huge question!!!
Do you think that the wood things are the ones making the turtle not eat?!?!?
Like the "ground"?!?
I carried her on top of the lodge thing and placed some lettuce there and she opened her mouth for the first time and tried to eat!

 

[Dizisdalife]

Seems like these tortoises don't relocate very well. It takes a few days, sometimes longer, to acclimate to new surroundings. It helps to have the temperatures that they require and a hiding place for them to get away. I am glad it is taking a few bites for you. That white poop. Was it firm or not so firm? That could indicate that it has been kept too dry. Babies need to be soaked in warm water to prevent them from dehydrating.

 

[Lisette Haddad]

Seems like these tortoises don't relocate very well. It takes a few days, sometimes longer, to acclimate to new surroundings. It helps to have the temperatures that they require and a hiding place for them to get away. I am glad it is taking a few bites for you. That white poop. Was it firm or not so firm? That could indicate that it has been kept too dry. Babies need to be soaked in warm water to prevent them from dehydrating.

Hello!
I was soaking the turtle in warm water when she pooped. It was kind of not very firm.
Do I need to soak her every day? Every other day?

 

[Dizisdalife]

Yes. I believe soaking every day is best.

 

[Yvonne G]

The long tube light probably is your UVB light. He needs the UVB to make the calcium work inside his body. And the tube-type fluorescent bulbs don't put out any heat, so you still need some sort of heat light to keep the day time temperatures up.

Your "floor" is called substrate. It looks like you're using cypress mulch for the substrate. That is a good substrate and does not cause them to not want to eat. The most common cause of not eating in babies is that they aren't warm enough. Try covering the whole habitat to keep the warm, moist air inside.

 

[Momof4]

Welcome and congrats!! I just wanted to encourage you read Toms threads. Your temps seem to low for such a young sulcata. What are you using to measure the temps? FYI-The round dial thermometers the pet stores sell are not reliable. You can buy a digital probe therm. at any hardware store.

 

[Tom]

Good advice above and Momo is right. Your temperature is too cool. It should never drop below 80, day or night.

All of this info is in the links above.

 

[Lisette Haddad]

The long tube light probably is your UVB light. He needs the UVB to make the calcium work inside his body. And the tube-type fluorescent bulbs don't put out any heat, so you still need some sort of heat light to keep the day time temperatures up.

Your "floor" is called substrate. It looks like you're using cypress mulch for the substrate. That is a good substrate and does not cause them to not want to eat. The most common cause of not eating in babies is that they aren't warm enough. Try covering the whole habitat to keep the warm, moist air inside.

Thank you!
Ok I changed the substrate just in case. Went to the reptile store and bought coconut bark or something like that.
Most of it is damp. So humidity is up.
I covered the tank completely and temperature seems to be going up.

This is so overwhelming, I just want this little one to be happy and eat.

Thank you!

 

[Lisette Haddad]

Welcome and congrats!! I just wanted to encourage you read Toms threads. Your temps seem to low for such a young sulcata. What are you using to measure the temps? FYI-The round dial thermometers the pet stores sell are not reliable. You can buy a digital probe therm. at any hardware store.

Oooh great.. I do have that round thermometer ...
I'll be getting a new one tomorrow and also the ceramic heat.

I'll be reading all threads tonight.
If temperatures are not supposed to drop below 80F, then that is a huge problem. But I won't know that until I get the right thermometer. And better heat.

Thanks again!!!

 

[Tom]

[QUOTE="Lisette Haddad, post: 1023588, member: 53305"
If temperatures are not supposed to drop below 80F, then that is a huge problem.[/QUOTE]

Easy problem to solve. Just get a ceramic heating element and a thermostat.

You'll see it in the care sheets later...

 

[cmacusa3]

These guys definitely will help you, I started out like you and now my little one has been growing like a weed this last month. Do what you can to make that a closed chamber and you won't believe what a difference it makes.

 

[Lisette Haddad]

These guys definitely will help you, I started out like you and now my little one has been growing like a weed this last month. Do what you can to make that a closed chamber and you won't believe what a difference it makes.

Thank you!
I will do whatever it takes.