Hello, this is my first post but I've been reading this forum religiously for months now. Unfortunately my first post is a very sad one, I purchased 2 baby redfoots which I recieved on Sept. 30, I was told they were roughly 3 months at the time and they weighed in at 68.5 & 63 grams. When I first got them there was a very shy skittish one that was a little smaller (Little Foot) and a much more outgoing one that sometimes came off as a bully (Bowser). Within the first few weeks LF had quit eating for maybe 2 days, was pooling and seemed just off and after reading multiple posts here I found a few tricks to try. She ate a piece of the moss or something and was plugged up, she pooped, and after that she's been flourishing. During all of this Bowser was perfectly fine, he ate great, he enjoyed warm soaks, he explored and let you rub his cute little head. He has since taken a drastic downward turn within the last week. Ive weighed them regularly and since this last time he has lost weight (in grams) and its really making me realize it could be very serious as more issues just keep coming up.. On Oct 1st: LF- 63 Bowser- 68.5, Oct 17: LF- 65 Bowser- 72 then Nov 3: LF- 69.5 and Bowser- 69. He's absolutely refusing to eat, started running away from it is so I started feeding them in a separate container so he had to be around the food to possibly make him interested. I have tried EVERYTHING he occasionally takes a small nibble but nothing that can be doing much good. Now he still drinks regularly and I soak both of them everyday for 15-20 minutes and every other day I put calcium powder in the water. Since he is not eating he is no longer pooping and if anything does come out its a small amount of liquid/gooey mush. And if all of that wasn't bad enough I noticed yesterday he's not really opening his eyes until I soak him then he's able to open them a bit but I don't think he's keeping them open after. I've started twice a day soaks with him now to try and help his eyes. I'm at a complete loss for what to do, I never thought I'd get so emotionally invested in 2 little tortoises but I will be devastated to lose that little guy. Now since I'm sure it will be asked they are in a 2×4 (give or take) turtle table thing, about a third of it is completely covered and dark (temperature around 80-ish and humidity stays about 75-80) the rest is a mesh top with clear sides and I try my hardest to keep that at about 85-90 with humidity fluctuating much more than I'd liked between 70-90. The humidity in the open area is a real struggle for me, I do the best I know how but it's difficult to have it humid but also not too wet. I have 2 CHEs (I believe, 1 is black and 1 is white and I always keep at least 1 on all night) then I have my UVB bulb which I am recently finding out is bad and I need to replace with a tube light. They have repta-bark substrate with sphagnum moss on top as well as a hide log, large water dish and basking area. I've even thrown a couple cuttlebones in there hoping he'd at least munch on something but no luck. It's also worth noting that I live in a smaller town where finding a vet that can see a tortoise is difficult, they are more familiar with cattle than anything with a shell. So obviously if there was anything close I would have taken him already but to get him seen somewhere is going to be a multiple hour trip 1 way which is why I thought I'd reach out to see if there are any other suggestions before we begin a journey like that.
Thanks in advance and please tell me that my baby is going to be okay!
Thanks in advance and please tell me that my baby is going to be okay!