tortoise's plastron is soft and black

[jack0310]

About a month ago I bought a turtle from a pet store. Probably a leopard tortoise. Now I found that its plastron and body had become black and soft. I've read many articles but I'm not sure. I didn't do anything wrong, please give me some suggestions, thank you!
The pet store would not recommend a pool or shelter to me. But I was advised to provide a dry hot environment, I think it is damaged but I want to try to save it
The current weight of the turtle is 34.3 grams, and the length of the plastron is 5 centimeters.
Now when the weather is good, I will take it to bask in the sun for 30 minutes, bathe it twice a day for 30 minutes each time, feed it twice a day, and feed it calcium powder twice a week, one of which contains calcium powder D3. There are 11 hours of UVB irradiation every day, a swimming pool and a rest area are provided. The temperature is 32℃ during the day and 28℃ at night. The humidity is 60-70℃ during the day and 70-80℃ at night.
In addition, how to measure the correct amount of food for a baby in a day?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
As far as I see, you do everything mostly right for your tortoise. Just humidity should be 80% or more day and night.

Soft shell might point at kidneys failure and a common reason is a chronical dehydration due to keeping hatchling in "dry and hot" environment.

Some tortoises can get through this serious injury and stay healthy for years. Some, unfortunately, not.

About feeding:
The right amount of food is all that he can eat. Feed him every day, about his shell size amount, leave food in the enclosure through the day. By the end of day only few pieces should left (if everything is eaten - give him more next day). Do not be afraid of overfeeding your tortoise, this is barely possible with proper diet and large enough enclosure.

It's better to give him just plain calcium powder, without D3. Most tortoises poorly ingest dietary D3 and yet it's easy to overdose it.

Please, ask questions if any, we will try to help. By the way can you post photo of his enclosure and details on his diet?

And you might check this post on basics of tortoise care:

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...

tortoiseforum.org

(and leopard tortoise care sheet at the bottom of that post)

 

[jack0310]

Thank you very much, my fence is not sealed and it is very difficult to control humidity, and there is no such sealed fence to buy in my city. I am trying to find a way. In addition, its first meal is about a piece of mulberry leaf about the same size as a shell and 6- 7 The pellets in the picture, the second meal is to make it eat more plantains


As for calcium powder containing D3, which is recommended by veterinarians, I don’t know if it is safe or not.


The lights installed on the fence are the equipment I recently purchased. I also uploaded the light bulbs that the pet store recommended to buy here.

 

[jack0310]

It has a horrible sleeping appearance and the pet store strongly recommends the substrate. Now it is replaced with bark because there are too many sharp and small wood chips.

 

[Maggie3fan]

It is very sad for me to tell you that your tortoise has passed. Not your fault...he was sick when you bought him.

 

[wellington]

Not sure why you don't know what species you are buying before you buy it! It does not look like a leopard to me.
However the bulbs are wrong. You need a tube florescent for uvb, incandescent flood for basking and ceramic heat emitter for any needed day and night heat. Temps should not go below 80F if it is a leopard at any point day or night. Basking should be 95-100F humidity 80%.
This poor baby is already badly pyramided for its size. Get the enclosure closed and the humidity up. Get the proper temps and bulbs ASAP. Also the diet needs improving.

 

[wellington]

If this one does not make it, do not buy from a pet store and be sure of the species you are buying before doing so. Also do your research beforehand.

 

[jack0310]

If this one does not make it, do not buy from a pet store and be sure of the species you are buying before doing so. Also do your research beforehand.

Thank you for your reply. I know its situation is not optimistic, but it is still eating and moving, so I have no reason to give up on it, but I hope I will not hurt it out of ignorance!

 

[wellington]

Thank you for your reply. I know its situation is not optimistic, but it is still eating and moving, so I have no reason to give up on it, but I hope I will not hurt it out of ignorance!

No, don't give up. Get things corrected and right.

 

[Yvonne G]

What you're seeing on the plastron is the body fluids inside the tortoise. His shell is so thin you are seeing through it to inside. He really, badly needs a GOOD UVB light and calcium rich foods, and needs to be living in the proper enclosure for his species.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thank you very much, my fence is not sealed and it is very difficult to control humidity, and there is no such sealed fence to buy in my city. I am trying to find a way. In addition, its first meal is about a piece of mulberry leaf about the same size as a shell and 6- 7 The pellets in the picture, the second meal is to make it eat more plantains

As for calcium powder containing D3, which is recommended by veterinarians, I don’t know if it is safe or not.

The lights installed on the fence are the equipment I recently purchased. I also uploaded the light bulbs that the pet store recommended to buy here.

1. You can cover the enclosure (seal the fence) with a large plastic box. Or anything you can find in DIY (hardware, building materials) stores - sheet of plexyglass, polystyrene, PVC, polycarbonate panels. If you can get portable greenhouse top - this will work too.

2. Feed him as much as he will eat. Can you make a picture of pellets label? (Just to know what is it made of). Would be great if you can find Mazuri 5M21 dry food. Mulberry leaves and plantain - are good things to feed, but you need more variety, like rucola (rocket, aragula) leaves, chickory (endive), maybe dandelions. If you can find opuntia pads - that's good food too.

3. Pure calcium powder without D3 is better. But for now you can use what you have. If you can get cuttlefish bone (white oval things for birds) - this could be another source of calcium. Maybe you will need to add calcium powder every other day, not twice a week - until his shell hardens.

4. On lights: Arcadia ProT5 UVB lamp is great (the 12% Desert is the correct one, if it's Forest - we need to adjust height). The basking spot light looks like halogen bulb to me - better to replace it with an usual incandescent lamp. Coil and halogen lamps recommended by a pet shop are not very good, unfortunately.

5. The previous substrate, probably, was a cypress mulch (ZooMed Forest Floor). It's a good substrate too but bark is bit better (less dust and less mess).

6. You've already done many steps in the right direction for your tortoise, keep it up!

 

[jack0310]

The reason why I am not sure if it is a leopard is because the pet store told me that it is a leopard, but the veterinarian told me that it is not a leopard, but a mix.

I have changed from light bulbs to arcadia tubes and the vet has tested the feces and he has parasites and has now been given medication, unqualified pet dealers causing disaster for animals

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

The reason why I am not sure if it is a leopard is because the pet store told me that it is a leopard, but the veterinarian told me that it is not a leopard, but a mix.

I have changed from light bulbs to arcadia tubes and the vet has tested the feces and he has parasites and has now been given medication, unqualified pet dealers causing disaster for animals

I've heard of hybrids but didn't expect they are sold freely.

This UVB lamp is fine. You just need to cover the enclosure and change the basking bulb.

Feces don't look healthy, that's true. I hope the medication will help.

Absolutely agree on unqualified pet dealers (both breeders and pet shops).

 

[jack0310]

Thanks to everyone who responded and gave suggestions

Pellets is Rep-Cal，I can to get Mazuri 5M21

I'll now figure out how to seal the case and replace the heat bulb, now I'm sure I'm not headed in a bad direction

 

[wellington]

The reason why I am not sure if it is a leopard is because the pet store told me that it is a leopard, but the veterinarian told me that it is not a leopard, but a mix.

I have changed from light bulbs to arcadia tubes and the vet has tested the feces and he has parasites and has now been given medication, unqualified pet dealers causing disaster for animals

Don't think it's a mix either. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but doesn't seem to be a leopard or mix of one to me
Maybe @Tom
@TeamZissou
Can help on species.

 

[zovick]

Don't think it's a mix either. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but doesn't seem to be a leopard or mix of one to me
Maybe @Tom
@TeamZissou
Can help on species.

@jack0310
It is NOT a Leopard Tortoise. It looks like a fairly young sulcata (African Spurred Tortoise) to me. It is VERY light for its size. Feed it as much as it will eat. Leave a pile of food available for it to eat all day. You should make sure it is possible for it to eat at will. IE make sure it can eat any time it wants to do so at any time of the day.

 

[zovick]

It has a horrible sleeping appearance and the pet store strongly recommends the substrate. Now it is replaced with bark because there are too many sharp and small wood chips.

Just FYI, many tortoises sleep in the exact same position as the tortoise in your photo. It is not an unnatural position for them to be in when they are relaxing/sleeping.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thanks to everyone who responded and gave suggestions

Pellets is Rep-Cal，I can to get Mazuri 5M21

I'll now figure out how to seal the case and replace the heat bulb, now I'm sure I'm not headed in a bad direction

These pellets have contents very close to Mazuri. If your tortoise eat them willingly, maybe there is no need to change yet.

Or you can get a small bag of Mazuri now, as it's proven to help undernourished tortoises. And later you can continue with Rep-Cal.

 

[jack0310]

I will try Mazuri, can look at the back,The white dots is marked by pet shops.

 

[wellington]

Thanks to everyone who responded and gave suggestions

Pellets is Rep-Cal，I can to get Mazuri 5M21

I'll now figure out how to seal the case and replace the heat bulb, now I'm sure I'm not headed in a bad direction

I believe those pellets are made more for Redfoot as it has a lot of fruit in it. I wouldn't make it a big part of its diet. If you can get mazuri along with weeds or greens like arugula, ridicchio, dandelion, cactus pads, escarole, spring mix with little to no spinach, romaine sparingly. If you can still get or have in your area, hibiscus leaf and flower, mulberry leaf.