I would like to know if these changes are normal or am I doing something wrong. April has been with me since good Friday her previous owners says she has not hibernated since she was born 3 years ago. I find April to be sleeping most of the day, she only wakes up when I soak her in water twice a day then sleeps again after she eats. Her shell is also changing. The light green colour now has pigments and the bottom shell has indents. Please can you look at the pictures and advice if there is something I can do for her.
Tortoise Shell changes
- Thread starter csvp85
- Start date
She looks to me too have slight mbd (metabolic bone disease) by the slanting in the second to last picture it shows the best.
Otherwise besides the pyramiding and possibly mbd, she looks fine.
@Yvonne G
Otherwise besides the pyramiding and possibly mbd, she looks fine.
@Yvonne G
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
@csvp85 Can you tell a bit more about your lightning and heating setup and her diet/supplements and such? What are temperatures in the enclosure (day/night/basking spot)?
In your earlier messages I've seen only a blue heat bulb which you've changed later. What do you use now?
Also, am I right that on the left/top are older photos and right/bottom are newer?
In your earlier messages I've seen only a blue heat bulb which you've changed later. What do you use now?
Also, am I right that on the left/top are older photos and right/bottom are newer?
Yes I have been told about the mbd that's why I have been soaking her and watching her diet. She is getting better with her walking.
The right/top photos are from today. She has this light
100W Reptile Heat Lamp Bulb E27 Tortoise Basking Light Bulb Dimmable UVA+UVB Daylight Heating Bulb
On timer from 8am-8pm. She does not sit under it. She always goes to the corner of the house and sometimes buries herself in the substrate.I have attached pics of the temp now, supplements and where she is sitting.
Attachments
You've been given the wrong care info. You need to make some changes. Your tortoise needs a much larger enclosure and there are four elements to the lighting. MBD is corrected with good strong UVB lighting, the right temperatures, the correct diet and supplements. Pyramiding is corrected with humidity and using the correct types of bulbs to not make it worse.
All the info is here:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
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The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
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Questions are welcome.
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Okay... An urgent change is needed:
1. The lamp you use doesn't emit UVB and emit miniscule amount of UVA. Because it's an incandescent lamp. It's fine to use as a heat and light source in the basking area. Put a thermometer under it for 1-2 hours and check temperatures. It should be 35C. If not - raise/lower the bulb. Or get a lower wattage one if this one is too hot.
2. You need a *good* source of UVB right now. Get Arcadia ProT5, Desert 12% (e.g. on SwellReptiles), the smallest length/wattage is sufficient. It should be mounted at 18-20 inches above substrate.
If her only diet are pellets - that's no good. She needs varied diet of greens.
As a minor issue - gauge type thermometers/hygrometers are inaccurate. Get a cheap digital one from a hardware store to better understand what's going on in the enclosure.
Thanks for this.
I am not sure how to fit a tube light on this type of enclosure.
I give her lettuce, Kale, collards, cucumber and add the pellets and calcium. Trouble is she does not eat the dandelion pellets so I have to crush them and mix them into the greens. I tried giving her fresh flowers but she will not eat them.
I think she has these bad habits from the previous owner, it was a child looking after her and she only gave her lettuce plus the bulbs in the enclosure were worse then mine.
I will have a look for a better thermometer.
After everyone's advice I feel that her whole enclosure needs changing. That way I can get the right bulbs and keep the heat in.
Quite worried about her not hibernating and I think it also may be contributing to her sleeping all day now.
I am not sure how to fit a tube light on this type of enclosure.
I give her lettuce, Kale, collards, cucumber and add the pellets and calcium. Trouble is she does not eat the dandelion pellets so I have to crush them and mix them into the greens. I tried giving her fresh flowers but she will not eat them.
I think she has these bad habits from the previous owner, it was a child looking after her and she only gave her lettuce plus the bulbs in the enclosure were worse then mine.
I will have a look for a better thermometer.
After everyone's advice I feel that her whole enclosure needs changing. That way I can get the right bulbs and keep the heat in.
Quite worried about her not hibernating and I think it also may be contributing to her sleeping all day now.
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
To hang UVB light tube you may try to use a lamp stand like this: https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/swell-reptile-lamp-stand#lamp-stand-large
Either get two and hang the tube fixture on the hooks or get just one and hang the fixture from the horizontal stand rod.
You are probably right, that she has "bad dietary habits" from her early days. Mine is just the same. And it's a long way ahead to make her eat varied greens.
She definitely needs more space to roam. If it's possible to setup an outdoor pen for her, even on the balcony - that would be optimal. If she has to stay indoors then aim for 4x8 feet (can be L-shaped or double-decker, for example). Building an enclosure yourself (e.g. out of raised garden bed or an old bookshelf) would be more cost-effective.
They can do fine without brumation ("hibernating") and it's not recommended to brumate sick or weakened tortoises or when you are unsure of its health status. Next year you can give it a try. She might be sleepy because of the pain related to MBD or lack of bright ambient light.
Either get two and hang the tube fixture on the hooks or get just one and hang the fixture from the horizontal stand rod.
You are probably right, that she has "bad dietary habits" from her early days. Mine is just the same. And it's a long way ahead to make her eat varied greens.
She definitely needs more space to roam. If it's possible to setup an outdoor pen for her, even on the balcony - that would be optimal. If she has to stay indoors then aim for 4x8 feet (can be L-shaped or double-decker, for example). Building an enclosure yourself (e.g. out of raised garden bed or an old bookshelf) would be more cost-effective.
They can do fine without brumation ("hibernating") and it's not recommended to brumate sick or weakened tortoises or when you are unsure of its health status. Next year you can give it a try. She might be sleepy because of the pain related to MBD or lack of bright ambient light.
