What To Do ?

[NWBLOODLINES]

Hello everybody. I did some horse trading at a local show here in Seattle last Sat. and ended up with a three month old leopard tortoise. I'm pretty sure that I am now going to be a tortoise person from now on as I'm just really hooked. Today we looked at some stool under the mic. and found flagellates and pinworms. What little food this guy does eat seems to pass right through him or her pretty much un-digested . The shell is also a little soft on the sides and underneath so I'm thinking MBD . The thing is that the person who I got the tort from would let me exchange it for another, possibly healthier tort. but I'm kind of attached . Since I'm new to tortoises, I have zero wisdom or perspective on how treatable mbd is for tortoises . For instance, do three month torts have shells that are a little bit soft at all , or should they be rock hard? I have the meds , the right light, and I'm pretty sure I know what to do, but I have no idea what to expect at all and I could really use some advice .

 

[Kristina]

Welcome to the forum!

No, your baby does not have MBD. At 3 months old it is still going to be soft. At a year old, it will still be softer than an adult. It takes time and plenty of calcium and a good MVB bulb and lots of outdoor time for them to harden up properly.

A vet can give you the medicine needed to take care of the parasites. What kind of foods are you feeding? Can you please describe your set-up in detail, including temperatures? If your temps aren't warm enough, they can't digest food properly. A picture is worth 1,000 words, if you can get some pictures of the baby and your enclosure.

Here is a good thread to read. All of the information applies to Leopard tortoises as well.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1GTuzTxLN

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[yagyujubei]

In my experience, the shells of young tortoises can seem somewhat flexable at times, especially when actively growing. It's a matter of perspective. They shouldn't feel spongy though. The parasites are treatable easily, and if you did exchange, the others almost certainly have the same. As long as there are no bubbles or noisy breathing, you shoild be ok. Fenbendazole seems to be the wormer of choice.Post a picture if you can, and good luck.

 

[Robert]

Welcome. Looking forward to seeing posts of your new tort and her enclosure. Good luck at the vet!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi NWBLOODLINES:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name and where you are?

 

[JohnathanO]

Welcome

 

[Balboa]

Just conjecture as I don't have the experience to say for sure, but the "undigested" bit, aside from temps as already mentioned, makes me think of gut fauna. I've seen many of the pros talking about having to give their torts some healthy poop to eat to colonize their digestive tracts, and this is often lacking with the babies. Not having healthy older torts yourself to get some good poop from it might help to feed something that contains live cultures. Zoo Med foods are supposed to contain some live cultures or a dab of yoghurt may do as well.

---

BTW, bummed I missed the expo, how was it? We had planned on attending but mismarked the date.

Which reminds me of another point. He could have a touch of the runs just from stress. A week isn't much time yet to have settled in.

 

[Torty Mom]

Welcome to TFO! It's easy to be bit by the tortie bug!