Tired Tort

[ktkurtz1232]

Usually my tort turbo wakes up way before me, but today he didn't want to come out of his hide and when I put him under the lamp to warm him up he hasn't moved, he ate some but not his usual amount. I cleaned his tank and changed everything and its new substrate.. The humidity is still unbalanced because the new substrate but its at 50-70 right now. The temp in the cool is 75 and the warm is 100-90. He's got a little bit of runny eyes, it worries me cause hes usually running around his tank. I hope it's just cause the newness of his tank but anything I can do to help? Or am I just being paranoid? He's a sulcata..

 

[l0velesly]

He's most likely not used to the new environment. Maybe he's just basking instead of moving around. I wouldn't worry too much right now.

 

[AZtortMom]

Have you tried soaking him yet?

 

[ktkurtz1232]

Not yet I've just been leaving him alone to see of he will come out on his own. Ill try that when I get home and then maybe let him outside for a bit, always seems to perk him up a bit.

 

[AZtortMom]

try that..you said his eyes were watering, what substrate are you using? what lights are you using?

 

[ktkurtz1232]

He seems to be okay, I'm gonna move the light closer it seems cooler then normal in the tank. He's running around like normal outside. And it's topsoil, I've used it in his outside enclosure for a few months and contacted the manufacturers and its all organic with peat moss mixed in as the only additive. I have a long uv light and my indoor heat lamp just broke last night so I'm using one I use for my chickens this winter raised really high so he doesn't fry. It's bright... He seems fine out here and he ate more food and the water went down so I know he drank. But even when I got home he was in his hide.. Before it was harder for him to get inside so he always slept on some rocks maybe that's why it seems like he's hiding more? He can actually dig and hide in his hide now... Idk his eyes stopped running though and he's exploring the wilderness again. I still need to soak him though. He hates it!

 

[AZtortMom]

It sounds like the temps are low in your tank. My sullies act that way when it's too cold in their indoor enclosure too. My sullies throw a fit when I soak them too I have 3 lights on my enclosure but mine is pretty big

 

[ktkurtz1232]

Yeah he's doing a lot better, the heat lamp wasn't working right. Higher wattage wasn't putting off more heat, it was only 80 on his basking spot so I moved it closer and ill test it again but the humidity is at 80 again. He's doing better, mad at me for his soak, but better.

 

[AZtortMom]

It sounds like the temps are low in your tank. My sullies act that way when it's too cold in their indoor enclosure too. My sullies throw a fit when I soak them too I have 3 lights on my enclosure but mine is pretty big. What kind of light is the chicken light? A CHE helped a lot too

 

[ktkurtz1232]

It's just a heat lamp, I bought it at Home Depot but the basking temp is back to 100 and he's sprawled out on his rocks instead of hiding. I'm gonna give him his mazuri and the CHE how much are those and where do I get one I haven't seen them at our pet stores and the nearest reptile shop is an hour drive, but its by my boarding facility for my horse so if I need to I can drive out there tomorrow ill be on that side of town.

 

[AZtortMom]

CHE is not expensive about the cost of a bulb. I think..my set up is 2 lights and a CHE and it made a difference . How big is your enclosure? I do leave the CHE 24/7. I got mine at a reptile store.. My is 100w

 

[ktkurtz1232]

Mine is a 40 gallon, 3 1/2 & 2 ft. Okay I'll get that, but right now he's perfect. The basking is 100 degrees and his hide is 80. He's feeling a lot better I think he was cold and tired, he was the same way when I first got him. He's chasing me up and down the tank again and drinking his water and being a bad tort who moves his "furniture" around thank you

 

[AZtortMom]

That's great news! Glad to hear he's back to his happy self. I'm glad to help