Tortoise possible mbd
- Thread starter Benjtort
- Start date
A sulcata, right? Baby tortoises shells normally have a bit of 'give' to them.
Do you have a uvb light?
Do you supplement with anything?
A picture of your tortoise and enclosure would help greatly.
Do you feed calcium-rich foods, and do you supplement with calcium two or three times a week? And, in order to help that calcium do its job inside the tortoise's body, he MUST HAVE a GOOD UVB light. Calcium just gets pooped and peed out without vitamin d3 either from the sun or a GOOD UVB light.
I am not home will do when I do get home
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 3,397
That red area in the center of the plastron is new growth. Those new growth areas are highly vascularized and you are seeing the red appearance from all the blood there which are bringing in the necessary nutrients to help the bone grow.
Does that also make the shell soft
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
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It may be slightly softer in the areas which growing rapidly, but it shouldn't be as soft as a sponge.
Just want to critique your enclosure a bit-
-Get rid of the red light. Tortoises can still see it at night, and it makes them want to eat the substrate.
-Replace the water bowl. Those ramp ones are huge flipping hazards. A good alternative is a large terra cotta saucer that you put under plant pots
-cover the top. Your tortoise needs high humidity to not pyramid further. Try covering the top with a shower curtain, but make sure it doesn’t touch the lights.
Other than that, I really like your enclosure!
Please take a look at these links-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
-Get rid of the red light. Tortoises can still see it at night, and it makes them want to eat the substrate.
-Replace the water bowl. Those ramp ones are huge flipping hazards. A good alternative is a large terra cotta saucer that you put under plant pots
-cover the top. Your tortoise needs high humidity to not pyramid further. Try covering the top with a shower curtain, but make sure it doesn’t touch the lights.
Other than that, I really like your enclosure!
Please take a look at these links-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
They still see it even if it’s off at night, and I have never had problems with him eating the substrate
Eduardo Hernandez
Active Member
Along with everything TechnoCheese recommended, I'd say to remove all the pellets you have. They should be fed sparingly, only as a supplement. Tortoises are grazers, but they need greens, weeds, and grass to graze not pellets.
What do you mean they still see it even when it’s off?
I mean that they can still tell that it’s there, and it’s not invisible like it’s labeled as. Tortoises need total darkness at night, and red lights disrupt their sleep cycle.
