Help!! Hatchling failure disorder

[Jess10ica]

Hi

I have taken in a friends leo hatchling which i think is suffering with HFD. Is there anything i can do to stop the little guy dying? I am totally new to hfd and only came across it when i noticed his shell seems to have softened and searched on the TF.

He is around 1 year and weighs 29g. I have put him in a viv i was housing my yellowfoot babies in, in a hospital tub (fresh coconut coir substrate so no risk of contamination) i have whacked the thermostat up to 35c and its nice and humid. Have been bathing him twice a day and syringe feeding him for the last couple days as he wont eat.

I have added dioralite (which is a uk version of pedialyte) and have just mixed some calcium in there too in hopes of strengthening his shell.
I feel so cruel to ask but am i wasting my time and just prolonging his death and causing him more pain?

He is so weak and hasnt walked for over a week. He has over the last couple of days been turning around when in the bath but thats about it.

Some days he has opened his eyes but only for a little bit.

[emoji22] I am really worried about him so would love any hints and tips or just to know if it is too late..

Thanks

 

[Riley ann]

Ok it seems a little old for HFD . I’ve never seen it and I breed them but some advice I can give is to get baby carrot food and/or any liquid multivitamin sand mix it in the water and soak it. It doesn’t have to drink it because the vitamins will soak in the skin

 

[Riley ann]

Another question is when it walked did it drag or not use its back legs?

 

[Jess10ica]

When he was healthy he was none stop marching about, since i have had him he hasnt stood at all. The turning in the bath seems to be shuffling in a combination of using his head and his left back leg.

 

[Riley ann]

When he was healthy he was none stop marching about, since i have had him he hasnt stood at all. The turning in the bath seems to be shuffling in a combination of using his head and his left back leg.

Whatever you friend was feeding it had like no vitamins in it.
What did they feed it daily?

 

[Jess10ica]

Dandylion/ weeds, kale, spring greens and the occasional bit of strawberry as a treat. I will have to check what else they gave him.

 

[Riley ann]

Dandylion/ weeds, kale, spring greens and the occasional bit of strawberry as a treat. I will have to check what else they gave him.

That’s odd. Your supposed to feed them that. When my tortoises started laying eggs, the hatchlings would get ill and die after age 1. all I can say is to follow my tips and keep us posted.

 

[Jess10ica]

Do you suggest to continue syringe feeding him too? Its literally just above mentiones foods liqidized.

 

[Riley ann]

Do you suggest to continue syringe feeding him too? Its literally just above mentiones foods liqidized.

Yes, I would also soak it in minerals



I have hope for the little guy.

 

[Jodie]

I had one live almost a year, and die at 49 grams. This baby is 29 grams, and over a year? All you can do is provide optimal environment for these babies. If the organ damage isn't too bad, sometimes they make it. The damage cannot be reversed though. Best of luck.

 

[Jess10ica]

I think he isnt quite a year but close. I have had hatchlings heavier than him which is what really worries me. Havr tried a baby food and vitamin bath earlier and will keep on syringe feeding and hope for the best.

 

[Jess10ica]

We appear to be having a good day, the little guy has gained 2g and seemed a little stronger, moving about in his bath. The issue with this however is he is putting up a fight when we are trying to feed him, tried solid food but there was still no interest and i cannot get his beak open and dont want to risk hurting him [emoji17]

 

[Peliroja32]

Have you tried blending his food or finely chopping it and maybe feed in a bowl where he cant just walk away from it

 

[Shaif]

I had one on the brink of death in March last year. I soaked 2-3 times a day and i hand fed. I would place the baby in her food plate and keep her under a UVB tube. Temps 85-100. There were many nights I did not expect her to live. Somehow she pulled through. There is hope! Wishing you the best!

 

[Jess10ica]

Have you tried blending his food or finely chopping it and maybe feed in a bowl where he cant just walk away from it

Yeah he just had no interest in anything food wise, would shake his head and try to turn away.

 

[Jess10ica]

I had one on the brink of death in March last year. I soaked 2-3 times a day and i hand fed. I would place the baby in her food plate and keep her under a UVB tube. Temps 85-100. There were many nights I did not expect her to live. Somehow she pulled through. There is hope! Wishing you the best!

This gives me a little more confidence that he isnt a lost cause just yet. Have been keeping up the vitamin baths and he actually ate something yesterday! Not the healthiest but i wasnt going to moan about the pinapple and cucumber her nibbled. His shell is still so soft! If he pulls through do you guys think his shell will firm up with time?

 

[Riley ann]

This gives me a little more confidence that he isnt a lost cause just yet. Have been keeping up the vitamin baths and he actually ate something yesterday! Not the healthiest but i wasnt going to moan about the pinapple and cucumber her nibbled. His shell is still so soft! If he pulls through do you guys think his shell will firm up with time?

Yes I just think that’s a right now thing and once he gets better his shell will harden up

 

[Shaif]

This gives me a little more confidence that he isnt a lost cause just yet. Have been keeping up the vitamin baths and he actually ate something yesterday! Not the healthiest but i wasnt going to moan about the pinapple and cucumber her nibbled. His shell is still so soft! If he pulls through do you guys think his shell will firm up with time?

Yes. It will! At one point, my Diya’s plastron was so soft, it would move when she moved her legs. It was paper thin.
10 months later, she is strong and my most fearless friend!

It’s very hard and sad. But your tort is very lucky to have you!