RE: Rescued Sulcata
is he warm enough? good light? hide and hydrated? soak him in a warm vitamin enriched water...
is he warm enough? good light? hide and hydrated? soak him in a warm vitamin enriched water...
Rescued Sulcata WARNING!! GRAPHIC PIX
- Thread starter South FL Katie
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RE: Rescued Sulcata
Try collard greens all of mine love them. Good luck
Try collard greens all of mine love them. Good luck
RE: Rescued Sulcata
you know, he kinda looks like a tortoise who is already developing MBD. I dont wanna scare you, but hump in the front concave in the back... anyway, i really hope you get this guy going. I know that my picky eater I have (who is an adult, so its a little different but...) will go without food for a long time because she is just being difficult. But i dont think its in a torts nature to starve itself. whenever you get a new baby, you leave it alone for days. Offer a water dish so you dont have to soak and offer food everyday. Maybe the less you touch it the safer he feels at the moment.
you know, he kinda looks like a tortoise who is already developing MBD. I dont wanna scare you, but hump in the front concave in the back... anyway, i really hope you get this guy going. I know that my picky eater I have (who is an adult, so its a little different but...) will go without food for a long time because she is just being difficult. But i dont think its in a torts nature to starve itself. whenever you get a new baby, you leave it alone for days. Offer a water dish so you dont have to soak and offer food everyday. Maybe the less you touch it the safer he feels at the moment.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
That's good advice, as he probably was not handled much in his previous home.
reptylefreek said:
That's good advice, as he probably was not handled much in his previous home.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
I think he was just born with a shell like that. He hasn't grown hardly at all, so there is really no way he's been deformed by diet. I think proper care will straighten him out.
My advice is to put food in front of him, whenever he is awake. I got a new rescued baby last week, and I can tell you, handfeeding helped me. He was much more interested in greens after I offered him some. Now he'll march right over to his food dish when I put spring mix down. They were feeding my baby wet cat food and pellets, so greens were new to him.
I also talk to Conan all the time. Whenever I pass his enclosure, I talk to him. Avoiding interaction is just going to prolong the tort's disdain for it. I'm not suggesting that you carry him around the house, or anything, but don't be afraid to move him in front of food, or into his shallow water dish for a soak. And talk to him, in a low soothing tone. All of mine have always responded well to that.
Conan I put in his water at least once a day, and he will drink every time. Its like he forgets where it is. Same thing with food. When I see him awake, I either lead him to the dish with a leaf, or pick his little buns up and put him in front of it.
He's the third baby I will have raised in the last year and a half, but the first one that came from a less than savory place.
Even after a week, I have noticed the change in him. He thermoregulates much better, he gets up on his own in the morning. He eats better. You just have to teach him to be a tortoise again. Once's he's got the basics down, you should be OK. Do you have him under UVB? Its amazing what a change being under a good quality bulb will do. Conan is under a Trex 100W.
I would try radicchio, or curly endive to get him eating. Conan loved both (and my entire crew loves radicchio)
I think he was just born with a shell like that. He hasn't grown hardly at all, so there is really no way he's been deformed by diet. I think proper care will straighten him out.
My advice is to put food in front of him, whenever he is awake. I got a new rescued baby last week, and I can tell you, handfeeding helped me. He was much more interested in greens after I offered him some. Now he'll march right over to his food dish when I put spring mix down. They were feeding my baby wet cat food and pellets, so greens were new to him.
I also talk to Conan all the time. Whenever I pass his enclosure, I talk to him. Avoiding interaction is just going to prolong the tort's disdain for it. I'm not suggesting that you carry him around the house, or anything, but don't be afraid to move him in front of food, or into his shallow water dish for a soak. And talk to him, in a low soothing tone. All of mine have always responded well to that.
Conan I put in his water at least once a day, and he will drink every time. Its like he forgets where it is. Same thing with food. When I see him awake, I either lead him to the dish with a leaf, or pick his little buns up and put him in front of it.
He's the third baby I will have raised in the last year and a half, but the first one that came from a less than savory place.
Even after a week, I have noticed the change in him. He thermoregulates much better, he gets up on his own in the morning. He eats better. You just have to teach him to be a tortoise again. Once's he's got the basics down, you should be OK. Do you have him under UVB? Its amazing what a change being under a good quality bulb will do. Conan is under a Trex 100W.
I would try radicchio, or curly endive to get him eating. Conan loved both (and my entire crew loves radicchio)
RE: Rescued Sulcata
Thank you for all the tips guys! I'll keep you updated and let you all know how today goes. I'm about to go offer some more food and move him out to get some sun.
We were worried about MBD too but I hope that's not the case.
Thank you for all the tips guys! I'll keep you updated and let you all know how today goes. I'm about to go offer some more food and move him out to get some sun.
We were worried about MBD too but I hope that's not the case.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
Good news!! He ate for me! Not enough but SOME so that is a start. He picked the endive, a big piece of it and not the tiny cut up stuff.
I put his food in, put him near it and went back inside and I think that helped, he does seem terrified of humans
I'm going to follow Jessica's advice and give him plenty of space until he's more comfortable. The most important thing is to get him eating healthy foods so we'll focus on that for now. I need to put a water dish in there I guess, I've been soaking him twice a day but didn't leave a bowl in with him because he is so oddly shaped he doesn't sit flat I was worried he'd get stuck in the bowl or flip over in it or something.
I just realized that I haven't seen him stretch his neck out...even getting over the edge of the paper plate in that picture, most tortoises would have stretched their neck out and he never has. I think the small pieces of food are hard for him to see or get to and the bigger pieces at eye/mouth level are better for him. Even when I watched him eat, though not at a great view, his neck wasn't stretched out at all. Has anyone heard of a problem like this?
Good news!! He ate for me! Not enough but SOME so that is a start. He picked the endive, a big piece of it and not the tiny cut up stuff.
I put his food in, put him near it and went back inside and I think that helped, he does seem terrified of humans
I'm going to follow Jessica's advice and give him plenty of space until he's more comfortable. The most important thing is to get him eating healthy foods so we'll focus on that for now. I need to put a water dish in there I guess, I've been soaking him twice a day but didn't leave a bowl in with him because he is so oddly shaped he doesn't sit flat I was worried he'd get stuck in the bowl or flip over in it or something.I just realized that I haven't seen him stretch his neck out...even getting over the edge of the paper plate in that picture, most tortoises would have stretched their neck out and he never has. I think the small pieces of food are hard for him to see or get to and the bigger pieces at eye/mouth level are better for him. Even when I watched him eat, though not at a great view, his neck wasn't stretched out at all. Has anyone heard of a problem like this?
RE: Rescued Sulcata
I would also stop cutting up his food---when it looks like that, its hard for him to recognize what it is. All babies, no matter how young, have the capacity to bite through whole leaves. I feed all of my tortoises un-cut lettuces.
Conan is so small, I have the lid of a tupperware container in there. Its wide and shallow. I just make sure it has water in it at all times.
I think his neck is fine, and he is just timid. Give him another week and see if the problem persists.
I would also stop cutting up his food---when it looks like that, its hard for him to recognize what it is. All babies, no matter how young, have the capacity to bite through whole leaves. I feed all of my tortoises un-cut lettuces.
Conan is so small, I have the lid of a tupperware container in there. Its wide and shallow. I just make sure it has water in it at all times.
I think his neck is fine, and he is just timid. Give him another week and see if the problem persists.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
Glad to hear he’s starting to eat! He is so cute, so glad you have him now. I would try some squash. I boil it till its soft they love it. Canned pumpkin might be a good one to try to.
Glad to hear he’s starting to eat! He is so cute, so glad you have him now. I would try some squash. I boil it till its soft they love it. Canned pumpkin might be a good one to try to.
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RE: Rescued Sulcata
Chopping is fine. They know food by the smell. I bet some mazuri soaked in warm water until it is mushy will help. Dandilion leaves and flowers may also work will. And maybe adding some fake or real plants around the eating area. That big plate must make her feel very exposed. I'd go with a small flat piece of rock or slate or tile to feed from and give her some fake plants so she feels safe and not so exposed. I'd probably stuff the hide with moist spag moss, then put the food near the hide and add some fake plants for cover. Make it easy and safe to get to the food. Maybe stick with a CHE over the hide and eating area as well so the light is not too intense, yet you will be sure the body temps are high enough to stimulate feeding and digesting.
Chopping is fine. They know food by the smell. I bet some mazuri soaked in warm water until it is mushy will help. Dandilion leaves and flowers may also work will. And maybe adding some fake or real plants around the eating area. That big plate must make her feel very exposed. I'd go with a small flat piece of rock or slate or tile to feed from and give her some fake plants so she feels safe and not so exposed. I'd probably stuff the hide with moist spag moss, then put the food near the hide and add some fake plants for cover. Make it easy and safe to get to the food. Maybe stick with a CHE over the hide and eating area as well so the light is not too intense, yet you will be sure the body temps are high enough to stimulate feeding and digesting.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
I'm so glad he ate a bit! That's odd about the neck though. From the looks of his shell, I think his spine could be abnormal. I wish we could get an x-ray to see if his internal organs are as screwy as his outside.
But, Mona and Ed's breeder had a rescue Russian with a deformity a lot like this guy- the back end of her shell dropped off really steeply. And she was otherwise very healthy, and a full grown adult.
I don't think he'll ever look perfectly normal, but I'd say he could definitely be a healthy tortoise.
I'm so glad he ate a bit! That's odd about the neck though. From the looks of his shell, I think his spine could be abnormal. I wish we could get an x-ray to see if his internal organs are as screwy as his outside.
But, Mona and Ed's breeder had a rescue Russian with a deformity a lot like this guy- the back end of her shell dropped off really steeply. And she was otherwise very healthy, and a full grown adult.
I don't think he'll ever look perfectly normal, but I'd say he could definitely be a healthy tortoise.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
Thats very exciting! Chad had a good peice of advice about the food near the hiding place. Babies hide all day when they are wild and it would probably make him feel really secure and comfortable that way. Now who's ready to adopt this little guy?
Thats very exciting! Chad had a good peice of advice about the food near the hiding place. Babies hide all day when they are wild and it would probably make him feel really secure and comfortable that way. Now who's ready to adopt this little guy?
S
Scooter
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RE: Rescued Sulcata
Thats great news! A couple bites today, a whole leaf tomorrow, next the whole garden!
Thats great news! A couple bites today, a whole leaf tomorrow, next the whole garden!
RE: Rescued Sulcata
He's precious. As always, the torts with the hard knock stories always tug at my heart strings. I hope he starts really eating soon. Keep us posted.
He's precious. As always, the torts with the hard knock stories always tug at my heart strings. I hope he starts really eating soon. Keep us posted.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
Thank you!
I tried the mazuri again this evening with no luck but he did try some collard greens. Yay!
Thank you!
I tried the mazuri again this evening with no luck but he did try some collard greens. Yay!
RE: Rescued Sulcata
How is the little guy feeling today? Still progressing food wise?
How is the little guy feeling today? Still progressing food wise?
RE: Rescued Sulcata
He wouldn't eat for me this morning Going to try again in a bit.
He wouldn't eat for me this morning
Going to try again in a bit.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
He's still trying to eat but his neck just doesn't seem right. He has a hard time maneuvering and eating and he never stretches out his neck... I hope it's just that he's a very shy and nervous little guy. Since I can only peek in on him from far away it's hard to tell how much he's actually ingesting but I see him biting at the veggies for a minute or 2 and then he walks off. I keep trying to put him back but he never stays for more than a couple of minutes. He's still getting soaked twice a day and I got him a water dish to stay in his enclosure too. He hasn't really shown much improvement yet though. I don't know if he's going to make it
Sorry for the lack of pictures, I'm trying to let him settle in and get comfortable before I try and get video and pictures, if I walk up to him he goes in his shell so there's not much to see. I'll try and get some on Sunday or Monday.
He's still trying to eat but his neck just doesn't seem right. He has a hard time maneuvering and eating and he never stretches out his neck... I hope it's just that he's a very shy and nervous little guy. Since I can only peek in on him from far away it's hard to tell how much he's actually ingesting but I see him biting at the veggies for a minute or 2 and then he walks off. I keep trying to put him back but he never stays for more than a couple of minutes. He's still getting soaked twice a day and I got him a water dish to stay in his enclosure too. He hasn't really shown much improvement yet though. I don't know if he's going to make it
Sorry for the lack of pictures, I'm trying to let him settle in and get comfortable before I try and get video and pictures, if I walk up to him he goes in his shell so there's not much to see. I'll try and get some on Sunday or Monday.
RE: Rescued Sulcata
I wonder if you could put his food dish on an angle, somehow??? Maybe that would make it easier for him to get at the food.
I wonder if you could put his food dish on an angle, somehow??? Maybe that would make it easier for him to get at the food.
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