Skin Issues

[moriah2971]

Ok friends. This little guy has given me anxiety since the day we got him. He was supposed to be around 6 months but he was probably 1 month, if that. I’ve researched and researched and tried to everything to a T! He’s never been a big eater and he’s growing so slowly. We got him and in June of this year. Today I noticed his skin on his beak looks like it came off some and it’s flaky around his mouth. He gets a soak everyday and he is in Cyprus mulch. Humidity stays around 70-80 and temp around 90-95 on hot side. PLEASE PLEASE tell me this doesn’t look like yellow fungus. I am trying not to freak out. But... I am kinda freaking out. (His right eye has never opened as wide as his left ?)

 

[Hamiltondood]

@mastershake
@Pastel Tortie
is this a case of the yellow bumps?
where'd you get your tortoise?

 

[moriah2971]

@mastershake
@Pastel Tortie
is this a case of the yellow bumps?
where'd you get you tortoise?

I don’t see any yellow bumps. Just the skin looking like it’s peeling. I drove to an exotic pet store in Florence MS. They didn’t know any of the correct info either.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

It doesn't look like the typical yellow bumps or yellow spots we've been seeing on the Forum lately, that usually show up on the legs and neck. That being said, there may well be more than one thing going on lately.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

@moriah2971 Pet stores are resellers, so it's difficult to know where your little one actually came from. I don't know if you'd get anywhere, but it might be worth asking where they get their baby sulcatas from. They might confirm one way or the other of you asked if they got them from a local breeder or out of state.

How much does your little one weigh?

 

[moriah2971]

I don’t see any yellow bumps. Just the skin looking like it’s peeling. I drove to an exotic pet store in Florence MS. They didn’t know any of the correct info either.

It doesn't look like the typical yellow bumps or yellow spots we've been seeing on the Forum lately, that usually show up on the legs and neck. That being said, there may well be more than one thing going on lately.

There are no bumps. His legs and neck are fine.

 

[moriah2971]

@moriah2971 Pet stores are resellers, so it's difficult to know where your little one actually came from. I don't know if you'd get anywhere, but it might be worth asking where they get their baby sulcatas from. They might confirm one way or the other of you asked if they got them from a local breeder or out of state.

How much does your little one weigh?

Ok. I will call and ask them today. I actually have not weighed him. I’ll do that in a just a bit. Do this on his face look like he just maybe shedding? Any ideas what it could be?

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Ok. I will call and ask them today. I actually have not weighed him. I’ll do that in a just a bit. Do this on his face look like he just maybe shedding? Any ideas what it could be?

Really need someone more familiar with sulcatas to answer that question. ?

 

[moriah2971]

Really need someone more familiar with sulcatas to answer that question. ?

Ok. Thank you.

 

[mastershake]

this doesn't look like what we are seeing. try using a wet qtip and cleaning around his mouth sometimes stuff just get dried on there, might be some skin shedding also

 

[moriah2971]

this doesn't look like what we are seeing. try using a wet qtip and cleaning around his mouth sometimes stuff just get dried on there, might be some skin shedding also

Thank you!

 

[AgataP]

Are his eyes always half closed like on the pictures ?

 

[moriah2971]

Are his eyes always half closed like on the pictures ?

His right eye is more closed than the left. Some days they look more open than others. I honestly don’t think the pet store where we got him did all the right things. I’m terrified this little guy May not make it. We are trying our best to do all the right things but, he’s never been a big eater, sleeps a lot, and not very active ?. Some days are better than others.

 

[moriah2971]

@moriah2971 Pet stores are resellers, so it's difficult to know where your little one actually came from. I don't know if you'd get anywhere, but it might be worth asking where they get their baby sulcatas from. They might confirm one way or the other of you asked if they got them from a local breeder or out of state.

How much does your little one weigh?

I weighed him and he’s only 32 grams. I have no idea what average weight at his age would be but he’s not grown much at all.

 

[AgataP]

I weighed him and he’s only 32 grams. I have no idea what average weight at his age would be but he’s not grown much at all.

mine is 2.5 months and it’s 74g

 

[Tom]

I weighed him and he’s only 32 grams. I have no idea what average weight at his age would be but he’s not grown much at all.

They usually hatch at 30-35 grams. I have one female that usually hatches babies between 37-40 grams with her largest being 44 grams on the day it hatched before soaking.

Few people start this species correctly, and the vast majority of care advice is all wrong. No one has asked you how you are housing this baby yet. I see an open topped tank in the background of you pics. Is that where this one lives? Is there night heat? They need a warm humid closed chamber to thrive, along with daily soaks. Here is the current and correct care info in case you haven't already found it in another thread somewhere:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[moriah2971]

mine is 2.5 months and it’s 74g

Oh gosh ??

 

[moriah2971]

They usually hatch at 30-35 grams. I have one female that usually hatches babies between 37-40 grams with her largest being 44 grams on the day it hatched before soaking.

Few people start this species correctly, and the vast majority of care advice is all wrong. No one has asked you how you are housing this baby yet. I see an open topped tank in the background of you pics. Is that where this one lives? Is there night heat? They need a warm humid closed chamber to thrive, along with daily soaks. Here is the current and correct care info in case you haven't already found it in another thread somewhere:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Oh geez! I wished I weighed him when we first got him! I knew he was so so tiny. So we have a 40 gallon glass tank with a screen top that I have sealed (as best as possible) with foil over the top. Yes, I have night time heat on the right side in front of the heat light. It’s a CHE emitter. It’s around 85-90 degrees at night in his tank. We keep the humidity around 80-90. I am having to pour a cup of water on there almost every day and I spray him as well. He gets his daily soak also.

 

[moriah2971]

Oh geez! I wished I weighed him when we first got him! I knew he was so so tiny. So we have a 40 gallon glass tank with a screen top that I have sealed (as best as possible) with foil over the top. Yes, I have night time heat on the right side in front of the heat light. It’s a CHE emitter. It’s around 85-90 degrees at night in his tank. We keep the humidity around 80-90. I am having to pour a cup of water on there almost every day and I spray him as well. He gets his daily soak also.

They usually hatch at 30-35 grams. I have one female that usually hatches babies between 37-40 grams with her largest being 44 grams on the day it hatched before soaking.

Few people start this species correctly, and the vast majority of care advice is all wrong. No one has asked you how you are housing this baby yet. I see an open topped tank in the background of you pics. Is that where this one lives? Is there night heat? They need a warm humid closed chamber to thrive, along with daily soaks. Here is the current and correct care info in case you haven't already found it in another thread somewhere:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

I have read the care seat a few times and learned so much! It’s so helpful. Thank you! I looked into the plastic enclosures but am afraid to invest that much money at this time. Since we got him he’s seemed to struggle as in sleep A LOT, not a large appetite, and just not active. I’ve constantly worried and stressed Over him. Just this past week he is starting to eat more and be a little more active. I thought at one point I have seen someone recommend a plastic tent like structure on amazon maybe... could you help me with what this would be called and maybe I can go that route. The reptile plastic has a 5 month delay when I called last week.

 

[Tom]

I have read the care seat a few times and learned so much! It’s so helpful. Thank you! I looked into the plastic enclosures but am afraid to invest that much money at this time. Since we got him he’s seemed to struggle as in sleep A LOT, not a large appetite, and just not active. I’ve constantly worried and stressed Over him. Just this past week he is starting to eat more and be a little more active. I thought at one point I have seen someone recommend a plastic tent like structure on amazon maybe... could you help me with what this would be called and maybe I can go that route. The reptile plastic has a 5 month delay when I called last week.

I've never used the greens house style enclosure covers, but other members here have reported positive results with them.

That is the one and only problem with Animal Plastics cages. I've waited 8 and 9 months for enclosures. They make a quality product at a great price and they are also great people. Its worth the wait. Having said that, our own @Markw84 is now making enclosures for sale. His enclosures are even better than the AP ones, and Mark's are purposefully and perfectly designed for tortoises. I have one of my own now and love it. It functions perfectly and with no problems. Best of all, his turn around time is usually two or three weeks from the time you order. I highly recommend sending him a message here on the forum and getting more info. I'll be getting all of my enclosures from Mark from now on.