Sick tortoise, need advice pls <3

[Tzu]

Hi, I need some advice, my tortoise won't generally move much and keeps on pooping (which I have to clean up often). I realise when I start picking it up 30 degrees, it inhales deeply. I gave it some tortoise flue and eye medicine(specificly for sulcata ones). Pls give some advice on what I should do next.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
What is his age? What do you feed him? And how do you keep him: outside the house or inside?

Night temperatures outside are too low - he needs 27-28C to stay healthy.

Try to give him a bath in a warm water (32-33C) for 30 minutes or so. Water needs to be warm all the time. Use opaque plastic tub or box, water level should be up to a line where top and bottom shells meet.

 

[Tom]

Hi, I need some advice, my tortoise won't generally move much and keeps on pooping (which I have to clean up often)View attachment 364546. I realise when I start picking it up 30 degrees, it inhales deeply. I gave it some tortoise flue and eye medicine(specificly for sulcata ones). Pls give some advice on what I should do next.View attachment 364545

Your tortoise needs a properly lit and heated large closed chamber.

 

[Tzu]

Hello!
What is his age? What do you feed him? And how do you keep him: outside the house or inside?

Night temperatures outside are too low - he needs 27-28C to stay healthy.

Try to give him a bath in a warm water (32-33C) for 30 minutes or so. Water needs to be warm all the time. Use opaque plastic tub or box, water level should be up to a line where top and bottom shells meet.

I usually have it vegetables and cactus pads from the garden. I put him outside most of the time at the garden because it's in the hot season here. His age more or so 2-3 years

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I usually have it vegetables and cactus pads from the garden. I put him outside most of the time at the garden because it's in the hot season here. His age more or so 2-3 years

Temperatures >27C are fine, but he needs a heated insulated dry shelter to warm up in the evenings and stay there at night. Since he is unwell, he needs a temperature close to 29-30C.

The lamp you use to warm him up is drying his shell and probably don't warm his core enough. You can try to cover the box and point the lamp at box' side wall (this will help to spread the heat). This can work temporarily and be cautious to not to burn the cardboard.

Sulcatas are grass-eaters, he needs some fiber-rich foods in ration, like orchard grass hay (here is more details on when and how to feed them: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/)

 

[Tzu]

Does rice work

Temperatures >27C are fine, but he needs a heated insulated dry shelter to warm up in the evenings and stay there at night. Since he is unwell, he needs a temperature close to 29-30C.

The lamp you use to warm him up is drying his shell and probably don't warm his core enough. You can try to cover the box and point the lamp at box' side wall (this will help to spread the heat). This can work temporarily and be cautious to not to burn the cardboard.

Sulcatas are grass-eaters, he needs some fiber-rich foods in ration, like orchard grass hay (here is more details on when and how to feed them: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/)

Does rice work?Like cook riced with rice cooker rice

 

[Maggie3fan]

Does rice work

Does rice work?Like cook riced with rice cooker rice

NO! Rice is for people, NOT tortoises. Pay attention to me now...That tortoise is about to die, and you are his killer. Alex gave you a link to the most important thing you will ever read. You are old enuf to know he needs a certain environment... you simply cannot take a tortoise whose habit is to walk 20 miles a day grazing on GRASS and stick him in a cardboard box. He is sick because he is not set up correctly, and it's you who is making that tort sick, and you will be his

 

[Tzu]

Temperatures >27C are fine, but he needs a heated insulated dry shelter to warm up in the evenings and stay there at night. Since he is unwell, he needs a temperature close to 29-30C.

The lamp you use to warm him up is drying his shell and probably don't warm his core enough. You can try to cover the box and point the lamp at box' side wall (this will help to spread the heat). This can work temporarily and be cautious to not to burn the cardboard.

Sulcatas are grass-eaters, he needs some fiber-rich foods in ration, like orchard grass hay (here is more details on when and how to feed them: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/)

I gave it some cactus pads, didn't ate it. But it is still defecated alot of poop. Is it a good sign?

 

[Tzu]

NO! Rice is for people, NOT tortoises. Pay attention to me now...That tortoise is about to die, and you are his killer. Alex gave you a link to the most important thing you will ever read. You are old enuf to know he needs a certain environment... you simply cannot take a tortoise whose habit is to walk 20 miles a day grazing on GRASS and stick him in a cardboard box. He is sick because he is not set up correctly, and it's you who is making that tort sick, and you will be his

It's a question, calm down.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I gave it some cactus pads, didn't ate it. But it is still defecated alot of poop. Is it a good sign?

And yes, and no.
If he defecates - that's a good thing, he has no impaction/constipation and has a bowel movement. Loss of appetite is a bad sign, usually. I hope, when you start keeping him warm and well hydrated, he will start eating again.

Don't feed him rice. Or any grains, legumes and fruit. Their diet is non-sugary vegetables, leaves, greens and grasses. Hibiscus leaves, cactus pads, mulberry leaves - are fine. I don't know what hay/grasses are available in your area, unfortunately - look for orchard, wheat or timothy grass, maybe alfalfa.

 

[Maggie3fan]

And yes, and no.
If he defecates - that's a good thing, he has no impaction/constipation and has a bowel movement. Loss of appetite is a bad sign, usually. I hope, when you start keeping him warm and well hydrated, he will start eating again.

Don't feed him rice. Or any grains, legumes and fruit. Their diet is non-sugary vegetables, leaves, greens and grasses. Hibiscus leaves, cactus pads, mulberry leaves - are fine. I don't know what hay/grasses are available in your area, unfortunately - look for orchard, wheat or timothy grass, maybe alfalfa.

His baby is too small to eat hay. Read this

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...​