H E L P. (baby failing)

My family is new to owning a baby tortoise. We have a sulcata tortoise we got last october, from day one it was active and healthy. Recently we began to worry as our little tortoise has become lethargic, hardly eats if it even does, hides a lot in its shell, and the worst part is that it will no longer open its eyes. I went to a vet visit today and she told me a bunch of information and bluntly said she was not very optimistic. Has anyone ever experienced this before?Anyone ever nursed their tortoise back to health? I am not really sure I want to face the reality of giving up on the poor thing. Anything helps, thank you!

Tell us what kind of care you are giving it and send a picture of your habitat

We also have calcium for it and such. We feed it pellets and lettuce mostly. Until today we were unaware of water soaking and things like that. After the vet I put it out in the grass in sunlight and it moved around more than I’ve seen it move in the past few weeks.

There is a lot wrong that could definitely be causing the problem.

-you need 4 inches of damp substrate, and 80+ % humidity. Change it ASAP to fine grade orchid bark, cypress mulch, coco coir, or peat moss. Your baby is likely very dehydrated.

-that bulb is extremely desiccating. Spot bulbs should never be used, and along with low humidity, cook your tortoise and its shell. You need a regular philips flood light(BR30, I believe), and a ceramic heat emitter for night.

-those water bowls are very dangerous, because they can cause tortoises to flip and drown. Replace it with a terra cotta saucer and sink it into the substrate.

-that uvb bulb you are using is very inefficient, and can cause eye burns. That might be one of the reasons your tortoise is closing its eyes. Change it to a 10.0 tube fluorescent.

-that enclosure is much, much too small. It is impossible to create a proper heat gradient, and impossible for it to escape the heat. Your tortoise should preferable be in a 4x2 foot closed chamber, but for now, find the biggest Rubbermaid tub you can find, or a Christmas tree storage tub. Cut holes in the lid just big enough for the lights, and line them with foil.

Please read these and come back with questions-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/

Where did you get your tortoise?

1. Read, absorb, and follow the care advice provided in the links above.

2. Disregard all information you previously learned about Sulcatas and tortoises. Some pet shops, veterinarians, and even rescues still use outdated care information found to be unsafe for young developing tortoises.

3. Soak you tortoise daily for 20-30 minutes in warm water. A sick tortoise may require 2-3x daily carrot and water soaks so that vitamins can be absorbed through their skin and ingested upon drinking.

4. Temperatures levels must fall under a certain range to allow tortoises to successfully digest their foods.

5. Diet. A primarily dry processed diet is unhealthy and bad for any animal. Lettuce is also one of the least nutritional foods you can offer tortoises. Use the links to see what foods should be offered.

How long has been since you have had your tortoise? I also wish to know where the tortoise was purchased from out of curiosity.

Also, you need a new thermometer. I would recommend a temp gun and a digital hygrometer, or a digital thermometer/hygrometer with a probe.

Be sure that you’re measuring the temperatures at tortoise level. Right now, you’re checking the temperature of the top of the enclosure with an unreliable thermometer.

Wow, there was so much information that I will have to constantly go back and read that multiple times. I have had the tortoise for almost a year now, it was gifted to my family by a family friend of ours who have tons of pets including snakes, lizards, and of course tortoises. We used to have a tortoise but it was already much older and much larger who was gifted to us by our elderly neighbor before he passed, sadly that tortoise passed last year which is why our family friend gifted us the baby one after their tortoises had babies. Considering the maintenance on our previous tortoise was so low we assumed the same with this but are just now finding out we are completely wrong. This all so new to my family and I.

Thank you all so much for the advice, we are changing absolutely everything today.

BENJAMMMiiN said:

Wow, there was so much information that I will have to constantly go back and read that multiple times. I have had the tortoise for almost a year now, it was gifted to my family by a family friend of ours who have tons of pets including snakes, lizards, and of course tortoises. We used to have a tortoise but it was already much older and much larger who was gifted to us by our elderly neighbor before he passed, sadly that tortoise passed last year which is why our family friend gifted us the baby one after their tortoises had babies. Considering the maintenance on our previous tortoise was so low we assumed the same with this but are just now finding out we are completely wrong. This all so new to my family and I.

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Tortoises, even adults, are definitely not low maintenance pets. In the future, please, please do months worth of research before getting one.

Since this tortoise has been in these conditions for almost a year, it might be hard for it to recover, if it does. Be sure that you’re soaking multiple times a day, for 40+ minutes. Make sure the water stays warm, and I would even do a 50/50 mix of water and carrot baby food.

I am very sorry you’re in this situation . I hope your baby pulls through.

TechnoCheese said:

Tortoises are definitely not low maintenance pets. In the future, please, please do months worth of research before getting one.

Since this tortoise has been in these conditions for almost a year, it might be hard for it to recover, if it does. Be sure that you’re soaking multiple times a day, for 40+ minutes. Make sure the water stays warm, and I would even do a 50/50 mix of water and carrot baby food.

I am very sorry you’re in this situation . I hope your baby pulls through.

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Thank you, although I am not so optimistic myself the best thing to do is try. I really appreciate the advice.

I've personally had problems with that exact same UVB bulb you are using and your Tortoise sounds like it's doing exactly what mine did. I would ditch the coil bulb for a tube UVB

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/coil-bulbs.166917/

Toddrickfl1 said:

I've personally had problems with that exact same UVB bulb you are using and your Tortoise sounds like it's doing exactly what mine did. I would ditch the coil bulb for a tube UVB

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/coil-bulbs.166917/

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Thank you, your post was similar behavior to my tortoise too

I hope the little guy recovers!! Good luck

BENJAMMMiiN said:

My family is new to owning a baby tortoise. We have a sulcata tortoise we got last october, from day one it was active and healthy. Recently we began to worry as our little tortoise has become lethargic, hardly eats if it even does, hides a lot in its shell, and the worst part is that it will no longer open its eyes. I went to a vet visit today and she told me a bunch of information and bluntly said she was not very optimistic. Has anyone ever experienced this before?Anyone ever nursed their tortoise back to health? I am not really sure I want to face the reality of giving up on the poor thing. Anything helps, thank you!

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Further questions. Can I get brand or product recommendations ? Maybe even links ? I went to local stores looking for things to buy and I could not even find the most crucial things like a new long tube light fixture and bulb or the bedding for the tortoise. Any advice is welcome, thank you!

BENJAMMMiiN said:

Further questions. Can I get brand or product recommendations ? Maybe even links ? I went to local stores looking for things to buy and I could not even find the most crucial things like a new long tube light fixture and bulb or the bedding for the tortoise. Any advice is welcome, thank you!

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4 x 1.8 ft Enclosure to temporarily (6 months to 1 year max) house a young sulcata:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0797PCQB4/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

2 x 2 ft T5 florescent fixtures, 1 set for 4 hour daily cycle UV(B) tube and another for 12-14 hour daily cycle regular 6500k tube.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPKQPSL/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Specific 2 ft T5 UV(B) tube bulb:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQU8HAO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Buy any 2 ft 6500k florescent tubes. This is only used as a cheap tool for ambient lighting and to make your UV(B) last longer by using it less.

Affordable coco coir in bulk:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ATSXMSY/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Basking lamp fixture. Possibly cheaper on Home Depot website:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BM5YZW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Basking bulb in bulk. There might be cheaper options elsewhere:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Feit-El...aintenance-Pack-48-Pack-45R20-MP-48/100653101

All the very best of good luck! You have got the very best of advice here! Try to follow it and you will have given the little guy a good shot at recovery, whatever happens.

Soaks in water/carrotbabyfood, are super important right now. They are the only means of nourishment. Add some flavorless pedialyte ... Is there a possibility of an obstruction of any kind (I don’t think so, because I only see food in the enclosure) but could be the culprit. Nevertheless many babies regain their health with the soaks, right temp and humidity. Good luck!!!

How's your baby doing?

BENJAMMMiiN said:

Further questions. Can I get brand or product recommendations ? Maybe even links ? I went to local stores looking for things to buy and I could not even find the most crucial things like a new long tube light fixture and bulb or the bedding for the tortoise. Any advice is welcome, thank you!

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B, how’s your tort doing, we need an update !!!