Im Emily, also known as Elyce. My tort is Sandy
- Thread starter Elyce
- Start date
Hello and welcome back
Have you read the TFO guide on How to Raise a Healthy Sulcata? It should answer many of your questions
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
Have you read the TFO guide on How to Raise a Healthy Sulcata? It should answer many of your questions
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
Yes. Ive built his enclosure last year Feburary on alot of that advice except for one particular piece only because it wasnt easily obtainable here. Im back on for my Sulcata needs surgery and as health problems. I was just regoing through Toms original list of Beginners and what not to do. Thank you for reshowing it to me and the Welcome. Im hoping to get information on deworming at 14 months, on bladder stones in 14 month old torts, recommended surgery and tube feeding. Thanks again.
Last edited by a moderator:
Bladder stones in one so young are not good news. It suggests that your tort has been kept too dry. How frequently do you soak your tortoise?
Pictures of your enclosure and lighting will help us to help you.
BILBO-03
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2016
- Messages
- 737
Hi and Welcome!
@Yvonne G has experience of torts with this kind of problem and hopefully will look in.
Under normal circumstances, your tort should be soaked for at least 20 minutes every day in warm water. Use a flat-bottomed bowl that has high sides that your tort can't see over or through. I find doing it first thing in the morning before the tort has warmed up properly to be most successful.
The water needs to be deep enough to come just up over the join between the shell and the plastron.
With stones involved, up this to twice a day for at least 30 minutes. Depending on the size of the stone(s), your tort may be able to pass them if sufficiently hydrated.
What temperatures do you have in the enclosure? There are 4 important ones: warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum.
What's the humidity in the enclosure?
Is there a cover over the enclosure to keep the humidity up?
Is there a water dish in the enclosure? Is it one your tort can easily get in and out of?
You also mentioned worms. Has your vet mentioned these.
Do you have an android or apple phone? It's much easier using the app.
Yes I know of Yvonn G and have spoken to her a year or so ago. With stones Ive heard it might not be passible. Vet is fully involved. Yes to water, he use to get it and drink it now he doesnt. I have my own tub for his soaking water is always warm. I usually kept him in for 15 mins or so. His basking is 102° his light he has a cooler temp at 80° and night usually goes between 80° and 85° flectuaites in the CA. He as a closed top that is wired like material that pinches together because it opens in the middle of his enclosure. 2 feet by 2 feet wide. One flat slate rock and recently I took out coconut substrait that was on his coller side and cypress was on his heating side due to the x-ray showing he was eating the coconut. Now irs only cypress. Ive also added a minimum heating pad betweeb encolsure and its stand.(so its not dire tly in the enclsoure.) However he lays on the corner with the heating pad and basking light the most. As for humidity goes. Not much. I have no real neasurment tool and besides spraying down his enclosure once in awhile I dont know how or what is a good system for that. I have a 12 hour timer system set up. Also we have 2 1/2 achre land. It was snowing and raining alot. But as of now we are warmer and he as been getting to go outside to roam and eat grass.(if he would eat.) He stopped pooping in his soaks 2 weeks ago. The vet as now taken Xrays after doing other attempts and saw the stone plus granulaited substance blocking digestive system they want to instill feeding tube plus removal of stone. At 14 months. So i changed substraight but newer lights forced him to walk longer and for first time he pooped and ate. Thats when they saw he had pin worms.they suggested cleaning enclosure with doapy water each week. Ive fed him grass, recently bok choy, green collards and mixed grass. Since hes just now eating i dont have a high expectation either then that its just him. So i pay attention as much as I can.
Last edited by a moderator:
The top that you describe does not hold the moisture in. It needs to be solid otherwise the water simply evaporates straight out.
You could use tinfoil or plexiglass (perspex) to close it in with holes where the lights are if necessary.
The substrate needs to be damp. Take out the decor, tip water in from a jug and mix it up with your hands so all the substrate is evenly damp. Do it a little at a time, so you don't end up with a soggy mess. Use spraying to slow the rate at which the substrate dries out.
You have not been soaking for long enough either. Soaks need to be for at least 20 minutes normally. Now you must do them for at least 30 minutes twice a day.
You could use tinfoil or plexiglass (perspex) to close it in with holes where the lights are if necessary.
The substrate needs to be damp. Take out the decor, tip water in from a jug and mix it up with your hands so all the substrate is evenly damp. Do it a little at a time, so you don't end up with a soggy mess. Use spraying to slow the rate at which the substrate dries out.
You have not been soaking for long enough either. Soaks need to be for at least 20 minutes normally. Now you must do them for at least 30 minutes twice a day.
Aluminum with poked holes? Just a few holes my top is black with tiny square like holes. Not sure how to describe it as. And he doesnt have decore besides a curved log to hide in. And Im not sure if youre saying to soak the sides with jar of water vs spraying?
Your top sounds like woven mesh. Something like this sort of thing
It may as well not be there as it allows the water vapour to escape.
The foil will not completely seal the top of the enclosure top so you don't need to poke holes in it. You only need to make sure there's a gap where lamps and wires might touch it.
You need to make all the substrate damp by tipping water into it as I described and mixing it with your hands. Don't just tip it down the sides, stir the substrate and water together.
Afterwards, you can use a water spray twice a day to help slow down the substrate drying out.
Welcome back.
I hope the little guy recovers soon.
I hope the little guy recovers soon.
