Sick sulcata

[Bee62]

Thank you for your answer. I am really interested how you baby is doing now.
Please forgive me to answer these questions again:

1. Is the humidity in your baby torts enclosure now constantly above 80 % ?
2. Is the temp under the basking lamp near 100 F and the rest of the enclosure at 80 F day and night ?
3. Do you soak your baby twice a day for 20 - 30 minutes in warm water that stays warm during the soak ?
4. Do you add birds liquid vitamins and baby carrot food to the water ?
5. Do you offer him his most popular food and add some calcium dust to the food ?
6. Do your baby get UVB rays from a new UVB producing bulb 12 h/day ?

That is all you can do for your baby right now, but please do it.
The breeder might tell you wrong informations. My informations of the things that might help your baby tort are right.
My fingers are crossed for your little one that he is able to recover and get the right way.

 

[Cloverhand]

Thank you for your answer. I am really interested how you baby is doing now.
Please forgive me to answer these questions again:

1. Is the humidity in your baby torts enclosure now constantly above 80 % ?
2. Is the temp under the basking lamp near 100 F and the rest of the enclosure at 80 F day and night ?
3. Do you soak your baby twice a day for 20 - 30 minutes in warm water that stays warm during the soak ?
4. Do you add birds liquid vitamins and baby carrot food to the water ?
5. Do you offer him his most popular food and add some calcium dust to the food ?
6. Do your baby get UVB rays from a new UVB producing bulb 12 h/day ?

That is all you can do for your baby right now, but please do it.
The breeder might tell you wrong informations. My informations of the things that might help your baby tort are right.
My fingers are crossed for your little one that he is able to recover and get the right way.

A lot of these I did answer, however I made a lot of changes after meeting with someone who does tortoise and turtle rescue in my area. He was able to give me a lot of information to use to try and get him healthy (if this is in fact reversible obviously). I was only attempting to speak with the breeder to get information from them regarding the beginning of life (see the list of questions Tom gave me in a prior post). They were, however, unwilling to even talk with me.

1. It is at about 70% consistantly. Humidity is a weak point for me but I am working on bettering this. However, this is better then it was.
2. Yes under the basking light is 100 the rest is about 80-90
3. Twice a day in warm water, it stays warm and currently has vitamins added to it.
4. Already answered this in 3.
5. I am offering him whatever he will eat and I dust with calcium twice a week. I have been adding calcium about three to four times a week since he isn't eating lately and is getting little to none.
6. Brand new UVB bulb on a timer for 12hrs a day

As I said before, I have no interest in the advice from the breeder (especially after my brief conversation with them). I simply needed answers about the care they provided before me. I appreciate the help. I was also very glad to find someone who has a rescue in my area willing to help me.

 

[JoesMum]

Photos of the enclosure and lighting may help us to spot any problems

Soaks need to be at least 20 minutes each time in warm water.

Adding carrot or pumpkin puree baby food to soaking water might help your tort while it is sick.

When using calcium powder, your tort only needs a very tiny pinch three times a week. You can overdo it. Any more than that and your tort will flatly refuse the food anyway.

 

[Cloverhand]

I can get a slightly better photo later on but I am at work, this is what I have on hand. I did change the bedding I said I was using coconut coir, this is cyprus mulch.

As I said in another post, soaks are twice a day in warm water that stays warm. (20-30 minutes each).

I will consider the baby food. I am already doing vitamin drops to the soaks so I don't want to add too much to it.

I am not over doing the calcium, because I know you can end up with hypercalcemia. Since some days he goes without eating entirely, the chance of that isn't very high at the moment. I am keeping a ridiculously close eye on him and his intake. Most days that he eats lately it is a couple nibbles here and there. I will keep your advise in mind though and stick to three times a week instead of four despite his minimal intake.

 

[JoesMum]

The lamps appear to be shining through a mesh?

The mesh will reduce the effectiveness of the basking spot and will also cut out much of the UVB. There must be nothing between the lamps and the tortoise. Cut holes if necessary.

If that is mesh, it will be very difficult to maintain the humidity and ambient temperatures. You may as well have no roof at all. Some people use foil or perspex to close the chamber making sure it doesn’t touch the lights.

 

[Cloverhand]

The lamps appear to be shining through a mesh?

The mesh will reduce the effectiveness of the basking spot and will also cut out much of the UVB. There must be nothing between the lamps and the tortoise. Cut holes if necessary.

If that is mesh, it will be very difficult to maintain the humidity and ambient temperatures. You may as well have no roof at all. Some people use foil or perspex to close the chamber making sure it doesn’t touch the lights.

Screen is gone. Was only there because A: it came with my tank and I didn't realize it cut uv like glass and plastic and B: it was helping support the lights. Either way, easiest fix yet.

 

[Tom]

They were, however, unwilling to even talk with me.

So the breeder refused to help? They refused to tell you how they started the baby that you bought from them? You gave them money for their product and now they are unwilling to share the details of how they raise their babies with their customer? That's just crazy!

What did they say when you asked them? Did they just so "no" they won't answer, or did they turn their back and go "La la la la la la la la…, I can't hear you, la la la la la la la…" Man, I wish I could have been there for that conversation...

 

[Cloverhand]

So the breeder refused to help? They refused to tell you how they started the baby that you bought from them? You gave them money for their product and now they are unwilling to share the details of how they raise their babies with their customer? That's just crazy!

What did they say when you asked them? Did they just so "no" they won't answer, or did they turn their back and go "La la la la la la la la…, I can't hear you, la la la la la la la…" Man, I wish I could have been there for that conversation...

Trust me I was less than amused. He did not flat refuse he offered "help", but then would not let me ask him a single question. When I told him I bought one of their babies and I wanted to talk to them about how they raise them he wanted to know why so I told him that the tortoise has been sick and I am looking into everything and I want to go back to how he was started out. He said that they breed them in Arizona and then moved onto blaming me. He insisted that if the tortoise is sick it is 100% my doing and no fault of their own. I kept trying to ask him the questions you gave me anyway, whenever he gave me a second to try, but with how he was acting I'm going with 1. He doesn't know 2. He doesnt want me to know.

So needless to say the conversation in short was him telling me I'm terrible and he will give me a discount when my tortoise dies (which is hideous to say to me and I will never even consider). At which point I walked around the rest of the expo and happened to find someone else who does turtle and tortoise rescue and lives a few hours from me and is willing to help me until whatever outcome. (I feel this needs said since I just bashed someone else). I honestly couldn't believe how arrogant the breeder was about all of it and unwilling to share any information about how they start their babies.

 

[Tom]

Trust me I was less than amused. He did not flat refuse he offered "help", but then would not let me ask him a single question. When I told him I bought one of their babies and I wanted to talk to them about how they raise them he wanted to know why so I told him that the tortoise has been sick and I am looking into everything and I want to go back to how he was started out. He said that they breed them in Arizona and then moved onto blaming me. He insisted that if the tortoise is sick it is 100% my doing and no fault of their own. I kept trying to ask him the questions you gave me anyway, whenever he gave me a second to try, but with how he was acting I'm going with 1. He doesn't know 2. He doesnt want me to know.

So needless to say the conversation in short was him telling me I'm terrible and he will give me a discount when my tortoise dies (which is hideous to say to me and I will never even consider). At which point I walked around the rest of the expo and happened to find someone else who does turtle and tortoise rescue and lives a few hours from me and is willing to help me until whatever outcome. (I feel this needs said since I just bashed someone else). I honestly couldn't believe how arrogant the breeder was about all of it and unwilling to share any information about how they start their babies.

Well for what it is worth, you are not alone. This happens to lots of people. AZ is very hot and dry, and most of the breeders there leave the babies outside in the sun all day. I'm sorry man. I'm still hoping for the best for you and your tortoise. Some of them pull through and are fine, so all you can do is keep trying.

 

[Cloverhand]

Well for what it is worth, you are not alone. This happens to lots of people. AZ is very hot and dry, and most of the breeders there leave the babies outside in the sun all day. I'm sorry man. I'm still hoping for the best for you and your tortoise. Some of them pull through and are fine, so all you can do is keep trying.

Thank you. I am trying the best I can, at a minimum I have gotten his temps and humidity up. I am hoping he makes it but I know he may not. Thank you for all your help and checking on him.

 

[Bee62]

Thank you. I am trying the best I can, at a minimum I have gotten his temps and humidity up. I am hoping he makes it but I know he may not. Thank you for all your help and checking on him.

Please keep us updatet when there are news about your baby.

 

[Cloverhand]

Latest update: he is doing worse despite doing literally everything I can. His plastron is worsening, he is still not eating, and remaining lethargic. His eyes are still open about 50% of the time and he does move around a little. I am taking him to the rescue tomorrow because I am leaving the country for two weeks and he is staying there until I get back or he dies. I am hoping the extra help might benefit him but at this point I am not thinking he is going to make it. His plastron resembles paper (a change over the past few days since his intake stopped) and I have very little hope of a turn around at this point, but I am still doing what I can.

 

[JoesMum]

Oh dear. I am so sorry to hear this.

I hope you can enjoy your travels despite your worries. Please accept a big electronic hug from me.

 

[Cloverhand]

Oh dear. I am so sorry to hear this.

I hope you can enjoy your travels despite your worries. Please accept a big electronic hug from me.

Thank you. Knowing he will be in very good hands helps a lot, but it is still pretty hard knowing how sick he is.

 

[Bee62]

Latest update: he is doing worse despite doing literally everything I can. His plastron is worsening, he is still not eating, and remaining lethargic. His eyes are still open about 50% of the time and he does move around a little. I am taking him to the rescue tomorrow because I am leaving the country for two weeks and he is staying there until I get back or he dies. I am hoping the extra help might benefit him but at this point I am not thinking he is going to make it. His plastron resembles paper (a change over the past few days since his intake stopped) and I have very little hope of a turn around at this point, but I am still doing what I can.

That are bad news about your baby. I am sorry to hear this. It sounds that he is at a point of no return to health.
A big eletronic hug from me too, if you don`t mind.

 

[Cloverhand]

That are bad news about your baby. I am sorry to hear this. It sounds that he is at a point of no return to health.
A big eletronic hug from me too, if you don`t mind.

I know, he is declining very rapidly at this point. Thank you.

 

[Bee62]

I know, he is declining very rapidly at this point. Thank you.

Please keep us updated when you are back again.

 

[Cloverhand]

I was just notified that he died overnight. I dropped him off at the rescue to stay while I am away and he didn't survive the night.

 

[JoesMum]

RIP little one. So sorry he didn’t make it

 

[Bee62]

I was just notified that he died overnight. I dropped him off at the rescue to stay while I am away and he didn't survive the night.

I am so sorry to hear this. Deep condolence from me and a big electronic hug.
It really makes me sad to hear when a tortoise ( baby ) died.
RIP little fellow.