Wobbly gait in leopard tortoise

[RoshiTheTortoise]

Help! I recently got another baby leopard tortoise (they are kept separately, each in her own enclosure) from Exotic Pets LV and she has been acting strange since the day I got her. I've had her for three days now and she is walking in a wobbly gait as though she is having difficulty balancing. Yesterday evening, I also noticed her almost running around frantically for about half a minute...She is eating well and I have been giving her daily morning soaks. I sprinkle powdered cuttle bone to the spring mix. Fresh water is available daily, changed twice a day. I only saw her pass one poop two days ago. The enclosure is kept at 80-90 degrees and about 105 in the basking spot. The humidity is kept at 60-70%. (She is about 5-6 months old)
Would anyone know what the problem is? I am extremely worried...

 

[wellington]

Try to post a video. Also try to get the humidity higher. Babcocki leopards are harder to grow smooth then some others even in 80% humidity so less humidity it will be even harder

 

[daniellenc]

Dehydration and vitamin A deficiency are two to come to mind.

 

[RoshiTheTortoise]

Try to post a video. Also try to get the humidity higher. Babcocki leopards are harder to grow smooth then some others even in 80% humidity so less humidity it will be even harder

Thank you, I wasn't able to record a footage of the strange wobbly gait because luckily she no longer does it! My assumption is that maybe she was just terribly afraid of me for the first few days I've had her. She is eating like a little monster now and walks normally.

 

[RoshiTheTortoise]

Dehydration and vitamin A deficiency are two to come to mind.

Thank you for your suggestion! My tortoise has luckily stopped walking in that wobbly way and is now eating very well

 

[Greg T]

Another big help is direct sunlight. You will be amazed at how much an hour or more of direct sunlight (not in 100 degrees or super hot) a week will help them get that Vitamin D they need for energy and strong shells. As long as she is eating well, drinking well and seems active, you should be okay. If any of those 3 things stop happening, you need some help.

 

[RoshiTheTortoise]

Another big help is direct sunlight. You will be amazed at how much an hour or more of direct sunlight (not in 100 degrees or super hot) a week will help them get that Vitamin D they need for energy and strong shells. As long as she is eating well, drinking well and seems active, you should be okay. If any of those 3 things stop happening, you need some help.

Thank you Greg for your advice. I would bring the entire enclosure over to the sunlight and place something over part of the enclosure for shade when the weather was less hot here. It's been around 98-106 degrees everyday for the past week here in the Bay Area, CA so I am keeping them away from natural sunlight, because I am afraid that they might get heatstroke and brain damage from the strong sunlight. But, I will definitely give them some natural sunlight as soon as the temperature cools down a little.

Also, would it be okay if I turned off their MV UVB light during mid day for about 5-6hrs? I've adjusted the lamp higher off from their enclosure, but the enclosure still reaches 105-110 degrees...so I have been turning off their lamp for a couple of hours during the day. With the lamp off, the enclosure is still 90 degrees.

Thank you again for your help

 

[Greg T]

Maybe try the lamp for a few hours in the morning and a few in the late afternoon, your temps are pretty high. Make sure you have plenty of water for them at those temps and you are correct to keep them out of direct sunlight at such high temps. I know a person who lost several babies because of high temps in direct sunlight like that.

 

[teresaf]

Uvb doesn't travel through screen and glass. He could have had a piece of debris in his shell by his leg causing the funny walk. The temp being too high could have caused him to do the speed walking thing. I've seen that in my torts andy niece noticed it with her baby leopard. Try a couple of these(I'll attach a pic) thermometer/hygrometers. The button type dial ones are not accurate.