my sulcata is kind of lethargic...

[squirt12]

I don't know what to do, he is super lethargic, and just lays there with all 4 legs stretched out. If i put food in his box and set him in front of it, he'll eat it, but then he'll move away and just lay there.. what am i doing wrong?!

 

[Yvonne G]

If his legs are all stretched out, this tells you he's trying to get as much of his area exposed to the "sun" as possible in order to warm up. Check your temperatures. His habitat needs to be about 80F all over the whole habitat, with about 100F directly under the light.

 

[Yvonne G]

Do you ever offer him fresh greens?

 

[mike taylor]

What are your temperatures in the enclosure? How are you reading the temperature? Does he have a uvb light? Do you take him outside? How long have you had him? Can you post pictures of the enclosure?

 

[squirt12]

Yes, at least 3 times a week!

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, at least 3 times a week!

You've got it backwards. His main diet should be fresh food - weeds and plants and maybe a little grocery store greens, with the manufactured diet as a supplement once or twice a week.

 

[bouaboua]

You mean something like this?? This is one of my Burmese star under the heat light in the morning to get warmth. Very normal. You should see my Hermanni, They really " lethargic" in the morning when sun is up.

 

[squirt12]

Its always at least 80-85 degrees, and i have a thermometer in the enclosure. He does have a uvb light, and i take him outside when i can. Its going into winter here, so itll be a few months before he can go back outside. Ive had him since the midd le of july.

 

[mike taylor]

Are you using one of them round thermometers? If so they are hardly ever right . What kind of uvb are you using?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Your substrate is too dry. What are the lights? Coil bulb? Does he have a hide to sleep in? He needs greens more then manufactured food. Humidity should be about 80%. Read this...

tortoiseforum.org/threads/african-spurred-tortoise-sulcata-care-sheet.52524/

tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[squirt12]

The thermometer sticks to the side. It tells temp and humidity. Im using a 100 w ceramic heat emitter 24/7, and a 60 watt uvb i think? But yes, the uvb is coil. He does have a large sleep box to sleep in.

 

[Yvonne G]

The coil bulb is probably your problem. They have been known to harm baby tortoises' eyes. Turn it off immediately. He can go without a UV light until you can afford to buy a different kind. Not only harmful, but painful.

 

[mike taylor]

What Yvonne said and go to Home Depot or Wal- mart and get yourself a digital thermometer. The one you have is no good . The digital one is only ten bucks . Then you can be sure your temperature is on the money.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

A coil bulb blinded a yearling Sulcata that I had. Please get rid of it immediately...