sick baby sulcata, please help

[RsRoss]

I have an 8 month old baby sulcata, he stays mostly outide, eats fresh grass and clovers in the yard all day, gets plenty of sunshine, and I soak him for 30 min a day in warm water. He seems active and happy, he eats good, but his belly has gotten extremely soft and a little bruised color. Also he seems to just pass out while eating. I'm afraid he's dying and there are no local reptile vets around. I've been giving the calcium spray on stuff I catch him eating, also started today giving a liquid multi vitamin. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[RsRoss]

One more thing. His eyes were starting to crust over and would get stuck shut. I used some turtle eye drops on him about a week and they got better but they still water alot.

 

[RsRoss]

 

[RsRoss]

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

How hot is it out there where he is? Are there places for him to take shelter? Does he always have access to water?

 

[RsRoss]

It's in the 90s during the day and 70s at night. We keep him inside at night in a cage with a heating pad under the dirt. We soak him daily and he usually drinks while he soaks.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Is the air temperature in the 90s or on the ground? A 90+ day can have surface temperatures well into the 100s in the direct sun. You should measure ground temps with an IR temp gun midday to see how hot your enclosure really is. How much shade is in the enclosure? Baby tortoises can easily overheat and dehydrate kept outdoors. Many here recommend letting them out for no more than an hour or so a day.

 

[RsRoss]

Yes that's the air temperature. He has plenty of shade all over though. Would over heating cause the softness of the shell?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Hatchlings have a somewhat soft shell, but it should be getting firmer. Since she is getting unfiltered sunlight, lack of dietary calcium or some inability to uptake the calcium is the next likely cause. Be careful not to overdo with the vitamin supplements though.