Hi again everyone!
Yes, I still have the baby desert tortoise that was found in the ally that runs along the storage facility I manage. He has been doing pretty good so far, up until today. I had made him a nice big inside enclosure that he romps around in most of the morning, sleeps, gets back up for a bit, sleeps then all evening/night. This morning however, he didn't want to come out of his hide like he normally does. Little baby just wanted to stay in there and snooze. After around 10:00am "ish" I brought him out and held him for awhile. He slept in my hand (as usual) the rest of the morning. He has been trying to eat more today than I have seen him do since he was brought to me (last week). Then back to sleep he went. I got him up to sunbathe this afternoon , while he slept during that as well. He feels really warm in my hand sleeping now, with a dry/rubbery feel on his front parts. He is really still. He puts his head up a bit if I move my hand to watch him, sorta like he's nudging me to keep my hand cuttled around him. He doesn't open his eyes. Oh, ok I take that back. Now he just awoken and is trying to climb on the key board. I just put him back in his stomping grounds, and it looks like he is back trying to eat again. Ok, yes I am totally new at this, and a bit PARANOID, but I just want to be sure my "newbieness" isn't causing him to be ill, or anything worse. Is it normal for a baby to sleep all day, even if he hasn't this last week? Is it normal for his little body to feel so dry/rubbery? I am sure you want to know basics, what is he eating? Lighting? Using as subtrate? Soaking? Yes, he soaks everyday. I bought a salad plant from Home Depot he seems to like more than anything. He is eating a strawberry leaf right now. I seen him trying to eat an ant/grass out in garden yesterday. My lighting I am working on. My enclosure sits in a 2-3 foot high frame on wheels, so I am angling light underneath where his hide is. I watch it all evening to make sure it doesn't get too hot. Thermostat reads around 80 (not over) when it is in there. I have been taking him out to get sun every other day. Not for too long though, for Arizona just can't seem to get under 80 degrees with the sun baking down! The subtrate I am using is actual ground cover/moss from the lake shores smack dab from the desert ground where these guys originate from! Along with some rocks, live salad plant, grass plants (he loves to sleep on top of, not under which seems a bit odd! lol! Anything you can throw at me would be greatly appreciated!
Yes, I still have the baby desert tortoise that was found in the ally that runs along the storage facility I manage. He has been doing pretty good so far, up until today. I had made him a nice big inside enclosure that he romps around in most of the morning, sleeps, gets back up for a bit, sleeps then all evening/night. This morning however, he didn't want to come out of his hide like he normally does. Little baby just wanted to stay in there and snooze. After around 10:00am "ish" I brought him out and held him for awhile. He slept in my hand (as usual) the rest of the morning. He has been trying to eat more today than I have seen him do since he was brought to me (last week). Then back to sleep he went. I got him up to sunbathe this afternoon , while he slept during that as well. He feels really warm in my hand sleeping now, with a dry/rubbery feel on his front parts. He is really still. He puts his head up a bit if I move my hand to watch him, sorta like he's nudging me to keep my hand cuttled around him. He doesn't open his eyes. Oh, ok I take that back. Now he just awoken and is trying to climb on the key board. I just put him back in his stomping grounds, and it looks like he is back trying to eat again. Ok, yes I am totally new at this, and a bit PARANOID, but I just want to be sure my "newbieness" isn't causing him to be ill, or anything worse. Is it normal for a baby to sleep all day, even if he hasn't this last week? Is it normal for his little body to feel so dry/rubbery? I am sure you want to know basics, what is he eating? Lighting? Using as subtrate? Soaking? Yes, he soaks everyday. I bought a salad plant from Home Depot he seems to like more than anything. He is eating a strawberry leaf right now. I seen him trying to eat an ant/grass out in garden yesterday. My lighting I am working on. My enclosure sits in a 2-3 foot high frame on wheels, so I am angling light underneath where his hide is. I watch it all evening to make sure it doesn't get too hot. Thermostat reads around 80 (not over) when it is in there. I have been taking him out to get sun every other day. Not for too long though, for Arizona just can't seem to get under 80 degrees with the sun baking down! The subtrate I am using is actual ground cover/moss from the lake shores smack dab from the desert ground where these guys originate from! Along with some rocks, live salad plant, grass plants (he loves to sleep on top of, not under which seems a bit odd! lol! Anything you can throw at me would be greatly appreciated!