Worried about my hatchings

[laurangutan]

I have just got (have had them for two days) two spur thigh hatchings, born mid oct. They both seem to sleep all the time, but I am really worried about one of them as 'he' does not seem to be eating or moving much or going to the toilet. He was really active in the car on the way home but now I am really worried that he will die. Should I take him to the vet? What is normal behaviors for hatching; hours sleep?; how active?; how much to eat?. I have a vivarium setup with heat lamp and uv lamp for the day 14 hours, and heat pad under the sand for night. I would be grateful for as much advice as possible please.

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi,
It would help to know exact temperatures in your enclosure, warm end, cool end, under the basking lamp and night time. Unless your house gets really cold you don't need the heat mat at night.
Hatchlings do tend to sleep quite a bit and take a while to settle into their new enclosure.
What foods have you tried to feed him/her? Did the breeder say what they were eating? It would help to know exactly what kind of tortoise you do have, is it Geochelone sulcata or Testudo graeca?

Danny

 

[laurangutan]

Hello,

Thanks for your posting. They are Testudo graeca. The heat lamp is in the upper right hand corner, and the thermometer is slightly lower and towards the corresponding front corner; is this the correct place? The reptile shop set it up for me. Up there the temp is about 90+ during the day ( so i assume less down on the substrate) and is currently 70 ish with heat mat on. I have only had them for two days and have fed romaine lettuce and cooked broccoli; the latter is what the guy I got them off was feeding them.

Regards

Laura

 

[egyptiandan]

Your going to have to get the thermometer into the enclosure and get the temperatures at ground level where the tortoises are.
For food you need to lose the broccoli, but keep the Romaine lettuce. You can add this time of year Dandelion, Green and Red leaf lettuce, Curly endive and Escarole. Butternut squash is also a great food in the winter, you'll need to grate it small for the hatchlings. In the spring, summer and fall you should supplement the diet with outside weeds.
Your also going to need to supplement with a calcium and vitamin D3 supplement every time you feed. I use Reptocal.

Danny

 

[llllshaunllll]

Also is it not bad to keep them in a vivarium? I got told its a slow killing oven. I think you should take the glass out and build some think over the front.

 

[egyptiandan]

No vivariums aren't the greatest thing, but I was trying to go slow and not overwhelm Laura.
Can you take pictures of the vivarium and post them Laura?

Danny

 

[llllshaunllll]

Oh ok sorry, just trying to help.

 

[laurangutan]

 

[laurangutan]

Was that picture large enough. The dimensions are 90cm (length) by 30cm (width) by 41cm (height). The viv appears airy and there is no moisture build up.

Temp at middle of left 1/4 at ground level is about 72F, middle of right 1/4 at ground level is 92F - will need to check again tonight.

Thanks

Laura

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Laura,
All you have to do is remove the 2 sliding pieces of glass and cover the glass strip at the bottom so they can't see out. The vivarium will be fine once you do that.
The temperature should go down a bit when you do that, which will be fine.
I wasn't getting after you Shaun Your actually helping

Danny

 

[llllshaunllll]

Its cool mate.

 

[laurangutan]

Thank you for all the information. I have put tape at the bottom so that they cant see out, and will remove the glass panels tomorrow once my friends cat has gone back home. The little dude has perked up now and seems quite active although I never see him eat (apart from the reptile sand). The other one now seems to sleep all the time, and generally only gets up if I help him! He then eats loads and goes back to sleep. Is this usual behavior?

Cheers Laura

 

[stells]

Thank you for all the information. I have put tape at the bottom so that they cant see out, and will remove the glass panels tomorrow once my friends cat has gone back home. The little dude has perked up now and seems quite active although I never see him eat (apart from the reptile sand). The other one now seems to sleep all the time, and generally only gets up if I help him! He then eats loads and goes back to sleep. Is this usual behavior?

Cheers Laura

When you say reptile sand is that calci sand? if so you need to lose that also as it causes impaction and as you have seen is eaten more than normal playsand due to it being a bit more on the tastey side. Do you have topsoil mixed in with the sand??

 

[laurangutan]

Hello,

Yes I think it is the calci sand. I will replace with 50:50 play sand and topsoil mix; any brands in particular recommended / work well? I have reptile pellets the other end; they seem to like them (burrowing in at night). just for info, can you please explain the problem with impaction?

Cheers

Laura

 

[TestudoGeek]

just for info, can you please explain the problem with impaction?

Laura,
It means they can easily swallow it while eating and the sand will be trapped in the bowl.

 

[egyptiandan]

Any organic topsoil is fine and as long as the sand says play sand it's just fine.

Danny

 

[laurangutan]

Is (organic) topsoil the same as compost? Can I get both the topsoil and play sand from B&Q or similar? I think I need to get rid of the reptile pellets too?
Regards
Laura

 

[stells]

you can get B&Q sterilised topsoil and playsand they are what i use yep dump the pellets

 

[laurangutan]

Excellent thank you. By tomorrow night they will have a happy soil/sand substrate. No rubbish from the pet shop.

Laura

 

[-EJ]

That's a perfect setup as is. If you notice the tortoise pacing the front glass constantly then you might want to cover the glass with a strip of 3 inch masking tape.

You mentioned a temperature of 70F. That is a bit on the low side.

A tortoise will slow down if it is too cool or too hot. For the Testudo a range of 70 to 90F is a good range. That is they should be able to move from 70 to 90F.

Can I ask where you are located?