sudden loss of appetite/lethargy

[J.P.]

Hi...i got two baby leopards 5 days ago. All was ok for few days...but yesterday 1 started refusing food. Today it's not moving except when soaked. They were housed together but now separated. Have a vet appointment this afternoon, but still very worried. It seems to quick to be our fault....the 2 torts were chosen for activity, appetite and overall healthy appearance....

Has anybody experienced this sudden problem? What are the chances of survival?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

what temp is there cage? what are you feeding them? whats there cage humidity?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

We need to know those things, and what kind of light you're using. What are you feeding them? What did the previous keepers feed them? And the temps of course...all that matters for us to help

 

[Jodie]

Unfortunately I have. How were the babies started? Where did you get them? Tom has a thread about hatchling fail syndrome. You should read that. Is the little ones plastron getting soft?Try keeping your temps up for this little one. Soak in carrot baby food n water 2x per day for 20 minutes or so each time. If the humidity in your enclosure is not at least 80, get it up. Keep the temp over 85 day n night. Best of luck. So sorry.

 

[J.P.]

Humidity is 60-90, plus daily soaks..ambient temp at 70 with basking spot at 90 and taken outdoors to bask in sunlight, always supervised...fed with chopped greens and grass...i read a lot of careesheets prior to getting them so my husbandry is ok i think...

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

are u using that news paper as bedding ?

 

[J.P.]

These guys are imports, so i have no idea how they were started. It's a gamble but i had no choice since leopards aren't being bred yet where i am. I read Tom's article, that's why i keep them hydrated.

 

[J.P.]

Newspaper for this guy because he is in isolation....

 

[Jodie]

The temps should be a little higher I think. 80 with 95 basking. 85 - 90 for the sick one. What kind of light are you using?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

The temps should be a little higher I think. 80 with 95 basking. 85 - 90 for the sick one. What kind of light are you using?

j.p is using news paper as beading it that ok?

 

[Jodie]

j.p is using news paper as beading it that ok?

I think it is impossible to get the humidity over 80% with paper bedding, so no, not in my opinion.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

thats what i was thinking jodie. j.p could he have ate some of the news paper?

 

[Jodie]

Try Coir or/and sphagnum moss. This sounds like a dry started baby. Some do not survive. I lost one and the other is struggling. He eats and is active. Not getting soft, but is so tiny. At 9 months he is half the size of the hatchlings that I got from a good source, humid start. They are only 5 months old. All you can do is keep this little one extra warm and hydrate excessively. Baby food soaks can help when they aren't eating.

 

[J.P.]

The newspaper is just starting today, for isolation purposes because i want to keep a sterile environment. He did not eat newspaper, because i put it on paper after it stopped eating. With newspaper i see the condition of the feces and will be able to clean it up quickly, thst will not be easy with natural substrate. The substrate in the main elnclosure is moist cocopeat with damp sphagnum lining the hide, depite that my tort still got sick.

 

[J.P.]

I will put a hide with damp moss to keep humidity despite that newsprint floor...and just to let you know, relative humidity today is at 70. That is outdoors, very easy to maintain high humidity where i am.

 

[J.P.]

So the culprit is dry starting? I am glad to know it is not my fault, but still sad knowing my torts had a rough start. I guess the best thing i can do is damage control.

 

[Jodie]

From all of the research I did while my sweet little Pensee was failing, yes. Dry start was the only available culprit. Sometimes no matter what you do, they will not make it. I forget other places do not have the struggle I do with humidity. I really wish there was something else I could tell you would help. Hopefully you can pull him through. I keep all of my hatchlings above 80% humidity now and never below 80F.

 

[J.P.]

Thanks Jodie. I knew the risk i was taking buying from unknown sources. I chose younger specimen hoping for a shorter time under possible exposure to dry starting. I'm anxiously waiting for the vet's news. I'm still hoping it's something treatable like a mild infection or deficiency.

 

[J.P.]

Just an update...vet's diagnosis is early signs of RI. The poor guy will stay with the vet for 5 days to undergo antibiotic treatment. He said it's not a hopeless case since treatment was done before it's too late. A positive sign is it ate two bites before going back to sleep. I will be watching out for any symptoms in the other one.....

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

i hope your little leopard gets better good job taking him to the vet!