URGENT! Sulcata Almost Drowns!

[Tortoise Man]

Hi everyone. I recently purchased a baby Sulcata tortoise from tortoise supply. He/She was very healthy and active. I went to check on him this morning and he was upside down in his water bowl. I immediately took him out and he was unresponsive. I put him on the cement in the sun and he started to move around a bit. Now he walking around and appears to be ok. I called the vet and they want 180 dolars

 

[Tortoise Man]

Hi everyone. I recently purchased a baby Sulcata tortoise from tortoise supply. He/She was very healthy and active. I went to check on him this morning and he was upside down in his water bowl. I immediately took him out and he was unresponsive. I put him on the cement in the sun and he started to move around a bit. Now he walking around and appears to be ok. I called the vet and they want 180 dollars for an emergency visit. They said it is still possible for it to die. I really can't spend that much on a vet visit. Does anyone have any advice. What do I do now? I already took out the water bowl and put in a small saucer filled with water. Please help!! Thanks

 

[Vladsfriend]

Long term, you made the right move. Water bowls are bad news. I'm sure you'll get some more help soon.

IMO, if the little fella is active, walking and responsive, it looks like you may have avoided disaster this time. Keep a close eye on him. Also, you may want to post some pics of your current enclosure. That way more experienced users can help with other precautions.

 

[Tortoise Man]

Ok thanks for the help. I will post pics asap.

 

[Careym13]

Yikes! Get a terra cotta saucer for water...they're cheap and they're shallow.

 

[Tom]

I would not go to the vet. There is nothing they can do. If this little guy was not gonna make it, you would already know. I'll bet he will be totally fine.

What type of water bowl were you using? Was it one of the ramped types for lizards and snakes from the pet store?

 

[Angel Carrion]

Any idea how long he was upside down? Also, I'm assuming his head was under the water? Up his temp by around 5 degrees and keep a close eye on him. Watch for nasal discharge, lethargy, refusal to eat, weakness, puffy eyes, extension of the neck while mouth open, repeated 'yawning', crackle/gurgle sound while breathing when held up to ear. Also, maybe remove his soaking dish and leave only a water dish big enough for him to drink from but small enough that he can't soak in it. If you do that, do supervised soaks once or twice a day for 10 minutes. Also mist his enclosure, but not too much since he's a sulcata.

 

[Angel Carrion]

I know more about box turtles, but the signs I say to watch for go across all turtles and tortoise's I believe. Mostly I'm worried I said to soak him too much since sulcata's tend to live in dry climates am I right? But he's also a hatchling and from what I understand hatchlings need high moisture/humidity. Or at least higher than adults

 

[Tom]

I know more about box turtles, but the signs I say to watch for go across all turtles and tortoise's I believe. Mostly I'm worried I said to soak him too much since sulcata's tend to live in dry climates am I right? But he's also a hatchling and from what I understand hatchlings need high moisture/humidity. Or at least higher than adults

You are repeating commonly held misconceptions about sulcatas. This does not help the species.

Yes the area where they come from is arid for 8-9 months of the year, but sulcatas are underground in warm humid burrows during that time. Also, it is not a "desert". They live in grasslands and on the edges of forests. Takes are fair amount of annual rainfall to sustain forests and grasslands...

What the books, websites and experts always fail to address is that the babies hatch at the start of the rainy season. It is hot, humid, rainy and there are puddles, marshes and green growing food everywhere.

We've been working very hard to correct these misconceptions of the past, so pardon me for jumping in when I see someone with no sulcata experience advising someone with a baby sulcata that they come from dry areas... I'm happy you mentioned the babies needing more humidity, but there is a lot more to it than that.

Its generally best if people with lots of first hand success with a given species give out advice on specific care aspects. I've kept a few box turtles in my day, but you won't see me giving out specific care advice on them, for example.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Okay, so I was wrong about dry climate, my apologies. But I did not say desert, I only said dry climate. Plus I did say to soak him once to twice a day for at least ten minutes. With your information correcting me, I now fix that to at least twice a day for over ten minutes. But everything I said about symptoms and behaviors to look out for, I stand by.

You appear to know quite a bit about sulcata's. Would you mind helping this guy? Only reason I commented in the first place was because no one else had, so I thought it would be a good idea to give warning signs to look out for.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Hi everyone. I recently purchased a baby Sulcata tortoise from tortoise supply. He/She was very healthy and active. I went to check on him this morning and he was upside down in his water bowl. I immediately took him out and he was unresponsive. I put him on the cement in the sun and he started to move around a bit. Now he walking around and appears to be ok. I called the vet and they want 180 dollars for an emergency visit. They said it is still possible for it to die. I really can't spend that much on a vet visit. Does anyone have any advice. What do I do now? I already took out the water bowl and put in a small saucer filled with water. Please help!! Thanks

Hey, how's your tort doing?

 

[Stevieturtlelady]

I would not go to the vet. There is nothing they can do. If this little guy was not gonna make it, you would already know. I'll bet he will be totally fine.

What type of water bowl were you using? Was it one of the ramped types for lizards and snakes from the pet store?

Hi tom! I found my less thank a year-old 3 inch baby Sulcata upside down in his water bowl it could've been up to two hours or less we blew his nose and tap the back of his shell he mediately started breathing he's walking around and he's eating he's being more lazy than usual though do you think he's OK ??!?

 

[Stevieturtlelady]

I'm going to get a terra-cotta bowl soon

 

[Stevieturtlelady]

Thank you!

 

[Jason Williams]

Can a baby sulcata get gassy fro being flipped over a while?was upside down a while before I found him and today seems sluggish and hick-upping?

 

[mike taylor]

@Tom