Sleeping more than normal.

[Sulcatalover21]

My 1 1/2 year old sulcata has been sleeping a lot more than usual and its starting to worry me. After I take her inside she goes right to sleep and stays sleeping till noon. She also isnt eating her grass, i even tried kale. The only thing i could get her to eat is pellets. Does anyone know whats wrong

 

[JoesMum]

The first thing to check is the 4 important temperatures: Directly under the basking lamp, warm end, cool end and the overnight minimum. Please post back with them. If these are wrong, your tort will become inactive. A temperature gun thermometer is most accurate, they are not too expensive from Amazon.

Is your tort losing weight?

If she is not eating properly, it is important to soak her daily for a good 20 minutes to make sure that she stays hydrated.

Could you post some pictures of your tort's enclosure. We may spot something that will help.

 

[Tom]

Explain more about how you are housing her. Where does she sleep? Where do you live? Indoors or out? What are you using for heating and light? How often do you soak?

 

[Sulcatalover21]

She lives in a 30gallon aquarium but has a large outdoor enclosure for her to graze. She sleeps in the tank in her hide. I live in AZ. Im using a 75w heat lamp in one end. Soak about once a week.

 

[JoesMum]

And how big is she? A 30 gal aquarium sounds small for a sulcata

 

[Tom]

Do you know your temperatures? What are you doing for night heat?

A 30 is much too small.

For one that young you should be soaking much more often. I'd soak every day for at least a couple of weeks, and then every other day for the next few months.

 

[Sulcatalover21]

Under her basking bulb its 90° For night heat her home has hay in it but she stills sleeps under the bulb. Shes about 4 1/2 inches is that to small? Ok ill start to soak her daily.

 

[TortoiseRN]

For a 4 1/2" sully you should have at least a 4'x8' indoor enclosure. Your going to have a 12" sully sooner than you think.

 

[Tom]

Under her basking bulb its 90° For night heat her home has hay in it but she stills sleeps under the bulb. Shes about 4 1/2 inches is that to small? Ok ill start to soak her daily.

Basking spot needs to be warmer and I suspect your ambient does too. They need it dark at night but still warm. Hay is not a good substrate and since they do not generate their own heat, it does not keep them warm at night. Please read these threads. They will help you to understand the details you are missing:
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/

Your sulcata is off food and sleeping too much becomes something in your husbandry is off. Probably low temps and bright lights at night. These threads will help you fix it.

 

[Sulcatalover21]

Should I invest in a night time bulb? And I meant she has hay in her hide, her substrate is coco coir.

 

[Tom]

Should I invest in a night time bulb? And I meant she has hay in her hide, her substrate is coco coir.

You should invest in a ceramic heating element and a thermostat to maintain a warm ambient all over day and night. Its all in the links I provided.

I would not use hay in an enclosure with coco coir. You are asking for trouble. Coir should be kept damp and hay will mold and mildew when its damp. If its damp it also needs to be warm and warm wet hay molds and mildews even faster.

 

[Sulcatalover21]

Ok ill take the hay out thank you so much for the help.

 

[JoesMum]

If you need additonal niht heat, use a CHE rather than a night bulb. They don't ned light at night, just warmth. You mjst know the temperatures accurately though.

 

[Emily Contreras]

hows it goin with your tort