Baby food baths

[Smartie123]

Hi everyone, I have heard people mention about baby food baths can some one expand on what the benefit of these are? How often you should give them and what type of food. Is the idea that they eat the food?

I am very worried about Donny's calcium intake as he doesn't like power I put on his food and hasn't touched the cuttlebone I gave him. He has started to develop odd circle like markings on his shell and I'm worried it's lack of calcium. Could baby food baths help?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

It's for starved animals that won't eat. Not for calcium intake. So, no.

Many critters don't like sprinkled calcium and ignore their cuttlebone for months at a time. They will eat the cuttlebone when they need it, and some like it old and grungy. Calcium is only one factor for healthy shells. Look into everything else.

 

[Smartie123]

Ok I will do thank you. Here is a picture of Donny's shell I don't know if you can see what I mean?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

It looks like a fairy ring or a miniature crop circle. I don't know what it is, but it's small with clear edges. I doubt it's calcium related.

How are you keeping him?

 

[Smartie123]

He is in doors with a heat and uvb light, he sleeps in a reptile sawdust type thing substrait but also has coconut core in his enclosure. He has fresh greens every day and a large water dish for soaking. He's active and eats loads so I'm not sure what it could be.
Here's a picture of his enclosure, he does have a uvb strip light hanging over the top but this was taken before I installed it.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Those squiggles are common on young torts and fade with age....no one really knows what they are, but they're harmless.

The sawdust really isn't good for him. I'd take the rocks out too. Just do 100% coir. Easier to keep moist. He's starting to pyramid from being kept dry. You should also work on finding something to use as a "lid". Wood or glass laid over the top, or a shower curtain tent. You want to keep it humid in there and that big open top let's the warm, humid air escape.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Also, you should look into a different light fixture. This clip-on is a huge fire hazard. Is the socket ceramic?

 

[Yvonne G]

Do a search for - white squiggly lines

We've talked about this before, and no one really knows what or why, however, my gut tells me it has something to do with it being a healthy baby that is growing just fine. Don't worry about it.

As far as the baby food soaks go, you use strained carrots because carrots has the highest vitamin A content. The turtle or tortoise soaks up a minute amount of nutrients from the soak through the thin skin on his neck and around his cloaca. It is used, like JohnsonBoswell said, for animals that aren't eating and have swollen eyes.

 

[Smartie123]

Thanks guys that's very helpful, I got the sawdust type stuff from the reptile place and he likes to dig in it but do you think it's to dry? I am struggling to keep the coir moist I have to admit. Why do you say remove the rocks? I wanted to give him an interesting environment to live in and thought these may also help to keep his claws down.
The light fixing is ceramic and it doesn't really get hot but I will keep an eye on it.

I have booked him a check up with a experienced tortoise yet on Monday just to make sure everything Is ok

 

[christinaland128]

I use this calcium supplement. It smells like blueberries so your Tort absolutely loves it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[StarSapphire22]

Yes, sawdust is too dry. We frequently recommend against it here as it can also sometimes cause respiratory issues (from the dust and oils in some wood). He will like digging in coir too. A lid will help you keep in moisture.

I recommended against pebbles because of possible choking hazards, etc. If you want to keep things interesting more plants can accomplish that. Tiles for feeding or large flat stones placed decoratively or under a basking lamp can help keep claws trimmed.

I am worried about your lamp being a clip. Clips often fail or get knocked off and can start house fires. They really are not safe, especially hanging over a big pile of sawdust.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Your vet may not be able to advise you about care and habitat. One vet told me that he seldom sees healthy tortoises, that people take such bad care of them that he overemphasizes the opposite of what they're doing instead of giving straight up advice. All the ones he sees are kept too wet, so he advises complete dryness. Yep.

Spraying the habitat leads to hand fatigue. Just water it by pouring water in. You can spread it around or let your tortoise do it. The lower layer dampness is good for burrowing and more important ( if you must choose) than surface moisture.

 

[Moozillion]

Adding a live plants really helps keep the humidity up. I just use 2 big sheets of plexiglass as a partial lid for Elsa's enclosure. Doesn't look great, but it works!

 

[Moozillion]

...plus she loves to hide under the plants. It seems to make her feel safe.

 

[Smartie123]

Hi guys thanks for all the advise, most of his enclosure is coir and he has never buried or dug in it that's why I'm a little worried about removing the sawdust type stuff but I'll give it ago and see how he gets on. He has a plant as well but pretty much ignores it. I have never seen him try to hid under it at all, can I ask what sort of plants you have in yours?

I was considering getting a humidifier or rigging some sort of irrigation system in the under layers of the coir has anyone got any experience with either?

The get I'm taking him to has a Herman himself so I'm hoping he knows a bit more as an owner than the average vet but we will see.

 

[Moozillion]

I have spider plants (also called airplane plants), Boston fern and Maranta (also called Prayer Plant). She ignores the spider plant but loves to hide under the leaves of the prayer plant and her favorite sleeping spot is burrowed half under the Boston fern- she's almost got it uprooted! I've read that in the wild, sleeping burrowed under plants in dry environments helps keep them hydrated. Some plants she ignores but some she likes. She ATE all of the Swedish ivy that I put it (which is fine- i only put tortoise-safe plants in my enclosures). I understand African violets are also safe, along with others.

There's a great website out of the UK that lists safe plants for tortoises along with pictures and descriptions of how to identify them. It
's called The Tortoise Table. There are other sites too, but that's the first one I usually go to.

When you buy plants to put in your enclosure, WATCH OUT FOR PERLITE in the soil- the tortoises may try and eat it, and it's not good for them. Purchased plants also often have large granules of fertilizers or water-conserving beads that are also bad for tortoises to eat. I ALWAYS take any new plants out of their pots and rinse the soil off the roots, replacing it with safer organic potting soil or dirt from my yard. Whenever I can, I prefer to repot new plants and grow them in organic potting soil for a few weeks to try and get any systemic pesticides out of the plant's system before putting it in her enclosure, but I can't always do that. I have learned which plants she likes to eat, and keep pots of them growing in my yard so they'r ready to go in her enclosure any time I need them.

 

[Moozillion]

One of the other things I learned here on the Tortoise Forum, is that whenever possible we should make sure that they're humid but not wet- staying wet sets them up for shell rot and other diseases. One person (i forget who-) had a really cool method of keeping the enclosure humid but dry on the surface where the tortoise is.

The tortoise enclosure should be water proof inside- whether it's plastic, painted and caulked or sealed with some sort of water seal.
You just use the substrate of your choice, making sure there's at least 4 inches depth all over. I then use a small watering can and a garden trowel. Stick the trowel into the soil, and (keeping the tip still) push or pull the handle so you then open up a small pocket in the soil. Pour in a little water, then pull out the trowel and the substrate usually falls back into place. Go a few inches to the side, and do it again. I do this all over my indoor enclosure, using several cans of water.

This way, you introduce water into the lower levels of substrate but the surface substrate that contacts the torts plastron and feet stays dry. The water evaporates UP through the substrate and into the air of the enclosure.

With plexiglass for partial lids over the warm end of her enclosure (I only want a PARTIAL lid because they need some air circulation- totally sealed could promote fungus in your substrate), lots of plants and watering the deep substrate in this manner, I easily keep her humidity between 50-75% (sometimes accidentally up to 80%! but only briefly). I usually only have to add a little water to part of her enclosure once a week.
I hope this helps!

 

[Smartie123]

That's really helpful thank you! I'll definitely give that trowel method a go