Urgent! Need solution for extreme dehydration!!!

[Starinat]

Hi, I am very grateful to find this Forum. I am so worried after seeing its urates. It is big and gritty as you could see in the picture. I soaked it in lukewarm water everyday but it doesn't change anything. Please help me!

 

[Yvonne G]

You can ask your vet to teach you how to inject sub Q fluids. Another way to get water into the tortoise is to spritz water over the food every time you feed. You can soak for a LONG time, rather than just the 15 minutes we normally recommend. Just keep an eye on the tortoise during a long soak to make sure he doesn't get into trouble.

Do some research on the types of food you feed the tortoise. Foods high in oxalates or foods in the cruciferous family tend to make stones.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Go to your Vet and have him show you how to administer Lactated Ringers solution. It's just a skin pop and a slowish injection. I have done it many times, and I only have one dependable hand. I won't ever have a tortoise with a 1.5 stone again.....if he won't do it go to Wilco and get the bag and just teach yourself. PM me if you want.

 

[wellington]

Please give us a run down of your enclosure, temps, humidity and diet. What types of heat and lighting you are using and substrate being used. Soak longer as mentioned and do twice a day until things get better. Feeding water melon and cucumber will help hydrate, but not good as a staple. Be sure it has water to drink 24/7 and that it's a low sided dish easy for it to get in and out of. Along with advice above.

 

[Starinat]

I put it in a (20x20)cm tray, the temperature here is always 30-33 Celsius. I feed him spinach/long beans/hibiscus plants + mazuri. 24/7 water is 100% confirmed, currently using paper as substrate but I will buy him coco peat this Sunday to increase the moisture and I am using natural sunlight for its heat and lightning, put it under the sun for 20 minutes a day in the morning. I don't know how can I know the humidity around its enclosure.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He can only digest his food if his insides are 85 degrees, so he won't eat. If nothing else put a regular incandescent light bulb over him. He has to be warmer, or he'll die.

 

[Starinat]

So, i will get a uvb light instead of using sunlight. And I think he is now doing good, he poop out 60%slimy + 40%gritty urates. Also is him having too many proteins in his diet? One of the website I found during my research says that urates made out of protein, is this the right information?

 

[DutchieAmanda]

He can only digest his food if his insides are 85 degrees, so he won't eat. If nothing else put a regular incandescent light bulb over him. He has to be warmer, or he'll die.

30 degrees Celsius is 86 F, so don't worry about this!

 

[Starinat]

Will the surrounding temperature increase if uvb light is applied? If yes, how can I keep the temp suitable for my tortoise?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Will the surrounding temperature increase if uvb light is applied? If yes, how can I keep the temp suitable for my tortoise?

At night I cover my open tops with aluminum foil....like this. It looks funky, but it keeps up the temp.
Plz let me know if you can see the picture.....

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The light in the middle is a black light bulb, keeps the ambient temp with the foil at 80 degrees. During the day the top is open, she has a 100 watt MVB, with a nice wooden hide to get out of the light. The Powersun keeps the open top during the day at 95 degrees under the light and 85 far away from the light. All my chelonia go outside in their own pens on the rare occasion we have sun...

 

[Maggie Cummings]

 

[Starinat]

Ya I see them, thanks. What substrate are you using for you tortoise?

 

[Markw84]

I put it in a (20x20)cm tray, the temperature here is always 30-33 Celsius. I feed him spinach/long beans/hibiscus plants + mazuri. .

Your tortoise needs more variety and some leafy vegetables - endive, escarole, arugula, mulberry leaves, hibiscus, grape leaves. You should not be giving your tortoise the beans (high protein), and very little spinach( very high oxalic acid). Those two foods as a principle part of the diet can also cause these crystalline urates.

 

[Starinat]

Will excess temperature make him not comfortable or resulting in a fatal? The temp here is high and there is a uvb lighting around. Make it even hotter.

 

[Lyn W]

If you can post a picture of his enclosure and tell us where you are located members can give good advice based on your circumstances and climate etc. Are those temps inside his enclosure or normal temps for your climate? Does he live inside or out? If he has access to plenty of sun then you may not need a uvb lamp. I only use a uvb because for the majority of the year it isn't warm or sunny enough for my tort. The more information you can provide the more tailored made the advice will be.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I think he's in China. @Starinat...Can you post some pictures of how you keep him?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Ya I see them, thanks. What substrate are you using for you tortoise?

I use fine grade orchid bark.

 

[Starinat]

I am a Chinese and I do not live in China but Malaysia. I guess it was my English that makes you guys think I come from China. I admit that I am bad in English. Okay, I keep him indoor because I am scared that the cats will try to harm him. Because of this, a uvb is now a must for my tort but i couldn't find it in my area. I keep him in a plastic tray with substrate made of paper. It is very simple but at least it does satisfy the requirements, does it? I'll get one shelter that is more reliable for him if I can afford one. So I am planning to buy him a wider and bigger plastic box. Will upload some photos but definitely not now.

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

Go to your Vet and have him show you how to administer Lactated Ringers solution. It's just a skin pop and a slowish injection. I have done it many times, and I only have one dependable hand. I won't ever have a tortoise with a 1.5 stone again.....if he won't do it go to Wilco and get the bag and just teach yourself. PM me if you want.

When is a right time to do something like this? After you get confirmation they have a stone or anytime? How often do you do this?