I wouldn't. They could do more harm than good even though they say exotic vet, doesn't mean they know tortoises
Soak her daily for a couple weeks. Have camera ready to snap a pic next time it happens.
Sex of Sulcata
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Soak her daily for a couple weeks. Have camera ready to snap a pic next time it happens.
I hope I did this right (tagging everyone) .....Just wanted to say thank you all for helping me with this. I greatly appreciate it!
You did just fine.
Ok, will do! Thank you!
When I was a kid I didn't want to eat my vegetables. Guess what my mom did. She made me eat them anyway.
Soak your tortoise. Its good for her, whether she likes it or not. When they get dehydrated, they can get constipated. When the get constipated and strain to poop, things can pop out that shouldn't. Keep the soak water warm and let the tortoise march around in that tub for 40-60 minutes. We call that the "tortoise treadmill". Its good exercise. Keeps the GI tract moving. I'd soak every day for two weeks to get her rehydrated since you've seen this issue, and then back off to three times a week or so.
When they are undersized and malformed like this, it can also cause internal problems. There is nothing a vet can do for any of this. These are husbandry issues.
Generally speaking, the longer they can be kept indoors, the less of an issue the pyramiding will be. They just do better indoors, up to a point. A sulcata nearing 10 inches is very restless and they knock around their enclosures like no other species. In a warm humid climate like Louisiana, I'd be inclined to get the tortoise outside sooner, for longer and more often than I would in a dry climate like Southern CA. There is also less effect on them when moving them outside full time in a humid climate when compared to dry climates.
Another factor for this tortoise is the apparent MBD. It needs to be outside getting UV. The size is close enough. And at 5 years old, even though it is undersized, its time to get it outside. All things considered, I think this particular tortoise will fare better outside compared to what it had inside.
Thank you. Makes perfect sense.
I keep sulcatas in the Northern Neck of Virginia. They live outside and have heated houses. During the colder months the humidity in each house is very low. Right now the humidity in
each house is reading from 20 to 23%. What I do to counter act the low humidity is feed a varied diet of wet food items. Here is what I fixed for the 3 younger ones a couple days ago.
It consist of rehydrated grass and weeds from last spring and summer, wet mazuri, opuntia, cucumber, and cactus fruit. They all get something similar to this early everyday. They are growing fine with this diet. No pyramiding and nice stools without soaking and high humid conditions. This is their first daily feeding not the last.
each house is reading from 20 to 23%. What I do to counter act the low humidity is feed a varied diet of wet food items. Here is what I fixed for the 3 younger ones a couple days ago.
It consist of rehydrated grass and weeds from last spring and summer, wet mazuri, opuntia, cucumber, and cactus fruit. They all get something similar to this early everyday. They are growing fine with this diet. No pyramiding and nice stools without soaking and high humid conditions. This is their first daily feeding not the last.
Well said! Yeah she may like it better in a bigger tub (tortoise treadmill) 😆 . Ok I will start tomorrow morning. My goodness and again thank you sooooo much!!! Will update any changes!
I was wondering about the weeds, flowers and grasses...saving them and rehydrating. That's a great idea! Yeah that food looks yummy 😋
I've never heard of opuntia. Will have to look that one up. All of this is great information thank you so much!
Pinky will have her first spa day tomorrow with extra extra tlc. 💕
I knew this nasty humidity here would serve it's purpose one day
It's a type of cactus, there are many different varieties. Here's the 2 pads I cut for them that day
Oh nice! Ok I was wanting to grow as much as we can for her. Hers are prickly pear cactus I think but we have to get them at the grocery store.
Have you tried getting a pad you buy to root outside?
No, I didn't know I could root them like that! I'm about to go shopping for her. Was going to get some ornamental grass, shrubs.....whatever I can find that will go in her area outside. I will look for the pads like you have. If I can't find them I will just order them online. We are tilling up the old grass, removing it and going to plant grass that she will eat. It's beautiful outside today. She's been out for about 3 hours today after her exercise (Tortoise Treadmill)! lol
A
As you travel around look for someone growing cactus. That's how I got so many different kinds. The pads in the picture came from a Bank in LaPlata Maryland. I just went inside and asked if I could have a few pads. I've never been told no when asking. I planted the pads and now I have plenty of that kind.
Oh wow that's crazy! Ha I'm going to go forage for my baby girl! So they grow pretty good?
Not sure about the store bought pads. But pads off a plant growing in your area should do fine.
Perfect! Thank you so much, I will report back!!
Easily. If I can anyone can 😊
