Sulcata advice soft plastron

[onarock]

Today I adopted 7 - 3mo old sulcatas. They were given to me because the breeder couldnt provide proper care due to a job that has been taking him off island. They have soft plastrons. He had been loosing about 2 a week for about 3 weeks now. This is one area that I dont have experience in. A- sulcatas and B- soft shell. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Tom]

Get them out in the sun as much as possible and give them Ca every day mixed in with their food. Soak them daily and keep them warm and humid all the time.

That's about all you can do. Sadly, when they get to this point, they seldom make it.

Was the guy keeping them indoors all the time with no UV?

 

[Kristina]

What you need to do is start doing vitamin/babyfood soaks. If you can get liquid calcium drops, that would be GREAT.

Over the years, when I have had a young tortoise or turtle that was weakened, ill, not eating, etc., I have used baby food/vitamin soaks as a means to add needed nutrients and energy. The method for this is simple. Prepare a soak for your tortoise. The water should be warm but not hot to the touch, and the level of the water should just cover the bridge between the carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell.) Into the water, mix one jar (or less for smaller volume soaks, but a good portion of around 30-40% of the total volume) of human baby food. Carrots or butternut squash seem to work the best. To the water can also be added bird vitamins of the kind that are mixed with water (Vitasol is one) and I have also used human baby vitamins (such as Enfamil Poly Vi Sol.) Another great option is to add a liquid calcium carbonate solution, which can be purchased over the counter and is particularly a good choice for tortoises that have soft carapaces or plastrons, or very fine grade, suspendable calcium carbonate powder. The soak should be placed in an area that will allow it to remain warm for 15-20 minutes, such as on a heat pad, under a heat lamp, or next to a heat duct.

Second, get those babies out in the sun, or at least under a good MVB light. ASAP.

Third, read this thread - http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies

If they are starting to die, then there might not be hope for all. Just do your best.

 

[onarock]

Get them out in the sun as much as possible and give them Ca every day mixed in with their food. Soak them daily and keep them warm and humid all the time.

That's about all you can do. Sadly, when they get to this point, they seldom make it.

Was the guy keeping them indoors all the time with no UV?

you got it. I just brought them home a half hour ago. I was going to start giving them sun tomorrow and calcium on their food, but was not sure about what else to do. I dont have these problems its new to me, but I'll give it my best. Thanks Tom

---

What you need to do is start doing vitamin/babyfood soaks. If you can get liquid calcium drops, that would be GREAT.

Over the years, when I have had a young tortoise or turtle that was weakened, ill, not eating, etc., I have used baby food/vitamin soaks as a means to add needed nutrients and energy. The method for this is simple. Prepare a soak for your tortoise. The water should be warm but not hot to the touch, and the level of the water should just cover the bridge between the carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell.) Into the water, mix one jar (or less for smaller volume soaks, but a good portion of around 30-40% of the total volume) of human baby food. Carrots or butternut squash seem to work the best. To the water can also be added bird vitamins of the kind that are mixed with water (Vitasol is one) and I have also used human baby vitamins (such as Enfamil Poly Vi Sol.) Another great option is to add a liquid calcium carbonate solution, which can be purchased over the counter and is particularly a good choice for tortoises that have soft carapaces or plastrons, or very fine grade, suspendable calcium carbonate powder. The soak should be placed in an area that will allow it to remain warm for 15-20 minutes, such as on a heat pad, under a heat lamp, or next to a heat duct.

Second, get those babies out in the sun, or at least under a good MVB light. ASAP.

Third, read this thread - http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies

If they are starting to die, then there might not be hope for all. Just do your best.

They seem to be moving around pretty good. Right now their shells look discolored for sulcatas. They look blotchy, maybe a bit darker than they should be in spots. They are Het. for Ivory and Ive seen healthy hatchlings produced by the same breeder that look more uniform and lighter in color. I'll get the stuff to soak tomorrow and I'll look for the liquid calcium, but we are really limited here on Maui.

 

[Tom]

So sad. You can be busy with work and still hang a damn MVB on a timer over them. What did he think, they would just magically thrive with no care? Why didn't he give them up BEFORE they were on death's door? Infuriating!

Kristina is right about the soaks. They certainly won't hurt anything.

 

[Kristina]

If you can't get the liquid calcium then just use a ton of powdered on their food. If you can get calcium with D3, even better.

 

[onarock]

So sad. You can be busy with work and still hang a damn MVB on a timer over them. What did he think, they would just magically thrive with no care? Why didn't he give them up BEFORE they were on death's door? Infuriating!

Kristina is right about the soaks. They certainly won't hurt anything.

Who knows, and to be honest, he had been asking me to take them for about a week now and it wasnt untill he finally told me that they were dying that it clicked with me. I didnt fully understand the gravity of the situation. I think its pretty clear with my posts that I try not to ask hindsight questions, only move foreward and thats what I've done in this situation. I didnt ask questions I just picked them up and now, Tom, I'm hoping with your advice and the advice of others that I can get them on the path to survival. Right now I have them on paper towels untill I can fully asess the situation. As you know from our phone conversations and my posts, I'ts already really hot and humid here. Thanks

 

[DeanS]

If they're eating...try offering them cactus (opuntia) chopped up fine as often as they'll take it! If their situation isn't at the point of no return, then this will help harden them up pretty good...plus it'll be good fiber...gotta keep the insides runnin' as well as the outside...GOOD LUCK!

 

[Tom]

So sad. You can be busy with work and still hang a damn MVB on a timer over them. What did he think, they would just magically thrive with no care? Why didn't he give them up BEFORE they were on death's door? Infuriating!

Kristina is right about the soaks. They certainly won't hurt anything.

Who knows, and to be honest, he had been asking me to take them for about a week now and it wasnt untill he finally told me that they were dying that it clicked with me. I didnt fully understand the gravity of the situation. I think its pretty clear with my posts that I try not to ask hindsight questions, only move foreward and thats what I've done in this situation. I didnt ask questions I just picked them up and now, Tom, I'm hoping with your advice and the advice of others that I can get them on the path to survival. Right now I have them on paper towels untill I can fully asess the situation. As you know from our phone conversations and my posts, I'ts already really hot and humid here. Thanks

Yeah, I just see this a lot and its very frustrating to me.

I'd put them on some good humid substrate right away. Good luck. I hope you can save them.

 

[onarock]

Dean, Thanks
Tom, Thanks again. I feel your frustration. Did you read the part that I posted about discolored/blotchy shells. Does that mean anything to you?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Sad,I wish you and the tortoises the best.

 

[Tom]

Dean, Thanks
Tom, Thanks again. I feel your frustration. Did you read the part that I posted about discolored/blotchy shells. Does that mean anything to you?

Yes, I saw it. I don't know what it means, but it probably isn't good. When I've seen this before, it is usually not a good sign.

 

[Laura]

Post some pics of the color and maybe someone will be able to tell you..
That is the type of 'breeder' that needs to stop.... hopfully now he will..
If you can find out what if any care they had.. it might help acess.. diet, calcium, sunlight?

 

[kbaker]

...They were given to me because the breeder couldnt provide proper care ...

Is this a typo - "breeder"?
Some things are so messed up with the tortoise community. I care for my tortoises, they produce, but I would not say I am a breeder. Someone neglects their tortoises and they are called a breeder.

Good luck with them. There is not much you can do other than what everyone is telling you. Sorry about the rant, but I needed to let that one out.

 

[egyptiandan]

Like Kristina said you need to get vitamin D3 and calcium into these tortoises asap. The sun and a UVB bulb will help but take a while to start working. So liquid vitamins in the soaking water (soak at least twice a day) and a calcium supplement with vitamin D3.
If they are still eating, there is a chance to save them. Though I can't think that they will all make it

Danny

 

[onarock]

Post some pics of the color and maybe someone will be able to tell you..
That is the type of 'breeder' that needs to stop.... hopfully now he will..
If you can find out what if any care they had.. it might help acess.. diet, calcium, sunlight?

He has a bunch of sulcata and babcocki eggs incubating right now. He has been doing this for 10 years without a problem. This morning he asked if I would be willing to take all his hatchlings in the future, so it looks like, I just became a foster nursery.

 

[onarock]

5 of the 7 ate mazuri.

 

[onarock]

Update.... I of the 7 deid today and now there are 6. Its painfull to watch them suffer. About 4 of the remaining 6 are doing good, at least better than before

 

[onarock]

down to 5. So I am giving them full sun all day with hiding spots and soaking in h2o mix vitisol twice daily. Its 82 today and sunny. I have not seen them deficate and they move quickly to the food start eating and then stop sooner than they should. They dont feel like light tortoises anymore they feel how they should. Plastron still soft and I dont see any change with that. Their color is a bit darker than other clutches from the same parents. What actually happends when the shell is soft besides the obviouse?

 

[dmmj]

While I am hoping for good things I think you might be fighting a losing battle. Keep with the updates please and remember lots of sunshine and calcium.