RedFoot Tortoise Help

animallover1999

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I have two sulcata tortoises that I have had for about 3 years, so I'm not too new in the tortoise world.
I took in a small redfoot tortoise yesterday. It previously belonged to my sister's 15 year old friend. The girl decided she didn't want it anymore and was basically waiting for it to die. She took the heat lamp off of it, and it got sick. When I found out, I said I would take it in. I knew it would be sick from a lack of heat and proper food. He/she has a soft shell from living off of solely Romaine lettuce. It looks skinny. Sometimes it has trouble opening its eyes. I don't know how old it is, but the girl had it for a year. I also don't know how long she kept it like that, but this doesn't happen overnight.
I have it in a tank with a heat light on it now. I know everything with tortoises is slow. I want to make sure this little one makes it. I've taken it outside a couple times, so it can get some sun. I've tried to give it food, but it seems to have trouble tearing it into pieces because it is very weak. I've tried tearing the food into little bite size pieces to make it easier.
Are there any "Tortoise vitamins" I can buy to help him get better? Does anyone have any advice to give me to help him recover?
Thank you
 

tortdad

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Baby food soaks

That tort needs to be soaked every day for like 20 mins is shallow water. Make sure that water stays warm or it will get sicker, keep it under the heat lamp.

Mix the water 50/50 with baby food. Carrot or sweet potatoes, something high in vitamin A so the tort can absorb it.
 

Bee62

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Poor little tort. People can be so damn cruel: Waiting for him to die......
Good that you took him.
He need it warm and humid in his enclosure. Give him long soaks in warm water and add baby carrot food to the water.
He also need urgent a UVB bulb when he is inside and calcium powder on his food. You can offer him whatever he wants: These tortoises can sometimes eat fruits like banana, water melon, strawberries or peaches. Try if he wants fruits.
These tortoises also can sometimes eat little pieces of fish or meat or cooked eggs. You can try if he wants some of these things. My redfoots like dryed meal worms for example but also a cooked egg or ground beef.
I hope he starts to eat and recover !
 

Pearly

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Thank you for taking this poor baby in. Right now keep her warm, daily warm soaks, and feed, and feed and feed! When i say "warm" i mean her temps are to never fall below 80F, even at night, even "on dark/cool side" of enclosure. When I say "warm soaks, I mean water temp anywhere betw. 95-103F and keep her in for at least 15-20 min (30 is even better), so that her core temp has a chance to go up nicely, then right after bath give her funely chopped food. I would feed unwell tort at least 2x day, breakfast they are usually hungry after their night sleep, then soak in the afternoon and when she is good and warm afterward, feed again. Now, the food.... I'll look for my old thread on feeding sick baby redfood. Lits of pictures there and ideas what and how to get them to eat. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted
 

TammyJ

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Wishing you the very best with the recovery process! Thanks for caring! Good hydration, food and warmth are most important,

Keep us informed, please.
 
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