sick baby

[max strate]

I live in indiana. I just acquired a couple young sulcatas. One I am told is 5 years old. Measures 6". Has some slight pyramiding. stools are a little hard. Seams to be healthy otherwise. The baby on the other hand has me worried. It is about 2 1\2". Dose not want to open "her" eyes. Is lethargic. They were fed some sort of tortoise food that looks like pelleted fish food with 19% protein!! Fruit, vegetables, and iceburg lettuce.I was told the the littlest one was given baths but. Looks to me like she is suffering from malnutrition. The were also housed on wood chips.they did have a heat lamp but no uvb bulb. First thing I did was soaked the baby. After about 15 min she started to open her eyes. I replaced the chips with hay. I want to make sure the will eat. So I got some collard greens and some pumpkin. Going to also get some quality tortoise good to add to the mix. Any help you can give will be appreciated. I am truly worried about the baby.

 

[ascott]

I live in indiana. I just acquired a couple young sulcatas. One I am told is 5 years old. Measures 6". Has some slight pyramiding. stools are a little hard. Seams to be healthy otherwise. The baby on the other hand has me worried. It is about 2 1\2". Dose not want to open "her" eyes. Is lethargic. They were fed some sort of tortoise food that looks like pelleted fish food with 19% protein!! Fruit, vegetables, and iceburg lettuce.I was told the the littlest one was given baths but. Looks to me like she is suffering from malnutrition. The were also housed on wood chips.they did have a heat lamp but no uvb bulb. First thing I did was soaked the baby. After about 15 min she started to open her eyes. I replaced the chips with hay. I want to make sure the will eat. So I got some collard greens and some pumpkin. Going to also get some quality tortoise good to add to the mix. Any help you can give will be appreciated. I am truly worried about the baby.

They are not housed together within the same enclosure are they?

 

[max strate]

Yes they are. When I got them they came with a zoo med tortoise house. Its about 3 x 2. I don't have a measuring tape at the moment so I'm just guessing. but they have plenty of room to move

 

[phebe121]

pellet food isnt good grass,dandelion, clover, wandering jew,spider plant,pansy,spring mix,kale,carrots ,bok choy, and are any of the bulbs coil

 

[phebe121]

Coconut coir would be better for the baby he need humidity.get carrot baby food and put in there soak id say they need a bigger house the better i have to leopards at 4 and half inches are in a 6x6. Enclosure

 

[max strate]

Yes I know that pelleted stuff is bad. Thanks for the tips on the other greens. Had heard about canned pumpkin but not carrot baby food. Where can I get coconut coir? I'm assuming I will have to get it on the internet

 

[phebe121]

Yes the internet comes in a brick and you soak it in water then its like dirt your welcom and i hope your little guy feels better soon

 

[max strate]

I was told peat moss works like like coconut coir

 

[Robertchrisroph]

Does the baby have heat lamp with uv, and calcium . He will need to be at least 80 degrees if sick some say 90 but @Tom And @yvonne can help with ?

 

[max strate]

yes to the heat lamp know to UVB. They never did have UVB bulbs on them. The city I live in does not have a pet store that I can get them. So I have them ordered online. and thanks for the heads up on the leads for helpers.

 

[keepergale]

People suggest not keeping two together. With the size difference you have the little one is going to be trampled and certainly intimidated.
You really need a second cage.

 

[max strate]

that is what I thought too. I just got them yesterday

 

[Yvonne G]

3'x2' isn't big enough for the larger tortoise, let alone for two tortoises. And because you're seeing lethargy and stuck closed eyes on the smaller tortoise, he needs to be set up in a smaller hospital tank until you can get him up and running.

When you see 'hard poop' this is telling you the tortoises haven't been kept hydrated. Please read the sulcata care sheets pinned at the top of our Sulcata section. Your baby won't get better unless you drastically change the way he's being cared for. The care sheet will explain it for you.

 

[max strate]

what can I do to get them to eat. They have been given so much crap that they don't want to eat what is good for them. From what I have read I am supposed to give them their good food and they will eventually eat it when they get hungry enough. He acts more healthy. But I'm concerned that the lil one is too weak and need some nourishment and her now. I gave them Hey pollen grains and a little bit of canned pumpkin. I was told the pumpkin is something that they really like and is lower on the scale of bad things to give them as far as treats. I did this hoping to get her to eat something.I have contemplated ordering some mazuri

 

[max strate]

As you can see from the pics she does not look like she's feeling very good. I want to thank everyone for all their help and input. Some of the things I'm being told to do to help bring them out of this I already am aware of. But I'm learning some new stuff as well. Thanks again so much please keep the thoughts and comments coming and if you find it I say that I'm doing something wrong don't hesitate to point me in the right direction.

 

[Tom]

Hi Max. Please read the care sheets at the end of this post. The best thing you can do is get them set up correctly in a good enclosure with the right temps and humidity. Daily soaks for a while and short trips outside for sunshine on warm days would be good too, when that time of year arrives for you.

Proper temperatures day and night are critical for these guys. They definitely need to be separated right now and they both need a strong, but safe UV source. Its difficult to make the best recommendation about a UV source until we know more about the two set ups. There are basically three choices. Mercury vapor bulbs give you heat, light and UV all in one. They work great, but they are too hot for closed chambers and smaller enclosures. Regular 10.0 florescent tubes (not coil type cfl bubls) can work, but they must be close (10-12") to the tortoise to be effective. If the bulb must be farther away due to your enclosure set up then you can't beat the Arcadia 12% HO tubes. You can do an internet search for any of these to get more info, or just ask for more explanation.

These should help:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[max strate]

thought I would give everyone an update. The little one seems to be doing better. Actually they both do. Because they were on the wood chips with a heat like I believe that is why the smallest would not keep her eyes open.I think her eyes irritated from the toxins that were being released from the wood chips. Got her off that and been soaking them on a regular basis and they are doing much much better. Unfortunately still not eating very well but having to starve them a little into eating good food. I will keep you posted. Thanks again to everyone for your help

 

[phebe121]

Glade to here there purking up hope they eat soon

 

[max strate]

I am reaching out for help again my littlest one he's not eating hardly at all. I have not noticed a bowel movement with her since I have gotten her Saturday. She is soaked twice and a day. as stated before I'm giving her a mixture of hay, collard greens, mix spring greens and can pumpkin. I didn't notice her this morning eating one bite of canned pumpkin. I don't know what to do to get her to eat. I was told today to try baby food To at least get something in her belly.I am very worried about her yesterday she looked better but last night and this morning very lethargic and does not want to open her eyes. If she does open them they are only open about 1/4 the way.as you can see from the picture she does not look very healthy today

 

[phebe121]

I think this poor baby needs a vet i think he might have.an bacteria infection someone else had this issue recently and there baby passed away