A few worries about my baby sulcata!

[LKentish]

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Hey all,

My name is Lillian, I'm a very new mother of a spoilt baby sulcata! And now I'm a worrying mother..

He/she is 3 months old, and I've had him for a month. On the 12/08/13 he was exactly 6cm and 60g, two weeks on he was 64g (I thought he would gain more weight than that?), weighed him yesterday and he's 55g! Very worried..

He's never been a great eater, I put it down to being fed different things at the pet shop before, and just getting used to his new home. I feed him a variety of things, grass, lambs lettuce, lots and lots of dandelions and sow thistle, clover, rocket, ruby chard, he's even had a bite of a strawberry. But I have to move him to where the food is most days, or he would go the whole day not eating. And even when I do, he will take a few bites and move on. This gets repeated throughout the day. So he's still eating, but disinterested. Especially if I sprinkle calcium supplements over it, he won't go near it! Nor will he touch his cuttlefish. Is this normal? My mums torts eat anything and everything, and love their cuttlefish..

He hasn't been wormed either, I'm thinking it might be worms? I've moved back to uni and trying to find a good reptile vet to take him to. But thought I'd ask on here, as this is where I've got all my info from for him. And I haven't seen anyone else with this problem seems they either eat everything, or nothing..

Additional info;

He also gets two/three soaks in warm water a day. I spray his shell often, with the rest of his enclosure. Has access to a water tray, and food. He has two hides that he refuses to use, I put him in it at night, and I find him on top of the hide in the morning. He spends most of his time under the heat, day temp is 29 degrees, night is about 20 degrees. But once I let him walk around the garden/house he's very active. He has a 18w t8 bulb, desert one 10.0. But he's had full days outside when it was hot enough, however it's now 14 degrees outside (I live in England). Lastly, when he flips himself over he doesn't attempt to right himself, just lays there waiting for me! Very worrying! Constantly checking, but since I've put rocks around the floor he hasn't (maybe he's doing it when I'm not around).

(Minor pyramiding had already started before I got him)

Anyway, I know it's a lot to read and take in, especially since its your own time I'm asking for! But I'd really appreciate some advice, or reassurance haha. My local reptile shop also hasn't a clue.. But any light is better than none! Thank you

Lillian.

 

[wellington]

RE: A few worries about my baby sulcata. (Newbie)

Hello and Welcome. What are you using to read the temps? A temp gun is a good item to have. The things you get from pet stores, those round disc things are not very accurate. A basking spot of 95+ with 80 all over and 80% humidity is what you want to try to get. They have to be able to warm up somewhere past 85 to digest their food properly. Take a look at Toms threads below for raising a healthy, smooth sulcata. If you can get a poop sample, any vet can read it, not just a reptile vet. A reptile vet is needed if he were sick. Good luck, see what others suggest.

 

[LKentish]

It was originally high 80s, but I've put it up today to over 90 after reading! And I have a normal battery powered house temp thing in the enclosure shows humidity as well, currently 80%. When it drops I spray the substrate.

I have read toms threads, but I think I'll read them again to check I haven't missed anything. Just odd when their character changes.

Good to know about the vets! I'll book him in.

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[wellington]

Yes, when I first found this forum and Toms threads, I kept them close at hand to find and referred back to them many times until the info was planted into my head. I think with the temps bumped up and a hot enough basking spot, hopefully you will see a difference. Also, if there is a food item that does seem to be his favorite, chop it up the other foods finely and mix with his favorite and spritz with water. He will have to eat the others as he is eating his fave.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the forum, Lillian. It is wise to have a fecal exam to eliminate that concern about worms. They can certainly cause a lack of appetite. I have my sulcata checked every year. It always seems to me that when the environmental conditions are met; the heat, the hydration, safety (having a hiding spot), room to exercise, and such; baby sucatas will eat, and eat, and eat. The closer you can come to providing the ideal environment for your tortoise the better his or her appetite will be.

 

[Tom]

Your temps are much too cool. This is your first and foremost problem. NO baby sulcata should ever get anywhere near 20. No part of the enclosure should ever drop below 26-27, even at night. There are few temperatures to be concerned with Warm side 27-35, cool side no lower than 26, basking spot around 37-38, and night never lower than 26 anywhere in the enclosure. It needs to be dark at night, but still warm. The best way I have found to accomplish this is in a vivarium with a ceramic heating element on a thermostat set to 80. This will maintain your ambient temp day and night. Then you just put your basking lamp on a timer for 12 hours and adjust the height or wattage to get the right temp directly under it. Your UV tube can be on this same timer and will light up the enclosure nicely.

Your second problem is the origin of your tortoise. The pyramiding suggests that he/she was started too dry and dehydrated. Some will recover from this, and some won't. All you can do is give the tortoise the best possible conditions and hope for the best. No need to soak more than once a day, but I don't think two or three will hurt anything either.

Your diet sounds great. You might be using too much calcium. Just a tiny little amount is all you need for a little sulcata. if you mix it all in with the food, he shouldn't even be able to tell its there.

Do you also have a humid hide and is the top of the enclosure mostly covered to keep in heat and humidity?

 

[LKentish]

Oh gosh oh gosh, I've put it up to 80 just now. And that's exactly the set up I've got, vivarium with a ceramic bulb on one side. So leave it at 80 at all times, and just have the basking lamp on during the day?

That's the thing, he seems to know calcium is in the food I've tried to trick him, and when he's mid eating I sprinkle some over the greens. And he immediately refuses to eat any more..

I had trouble creating a humid hide, it's half a bit if tree trunk hollowed on damp coco coir (I spray it daily). But he also won't stay there, and has never ventured into it. He just climbs on top.

(Old photo, but to get an idea, he has more things to climb now)

Thank you for your advice!

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Hello.
do you have a water dish in there?
also try some cucumber and some avocadoand some very tiny pieces of the nopal cactus pedals.


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some plans would be nice in there so that he feels like he's outside

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[Tom]

I use upside down black dish washing tubs with a door hole cut out to make humid hides. Or plastic shoe boxes. It's very simple and it will work much better than the half log.

Please keep us updated on his progress with the new warmer temps.

 

[sibi]

Remove anything that he can climb on. If he climbs and flips over, he will not able to correct himself. Sulcatas are not like other turtles that can correct themselves. They will just stay flipped and if in that position for a long time, he can die from exposure to cold or lack of water. Tom's suggestion of a plastic box placed upside down with a hole cut out to allow him to enter is the best thing to keep in humidity and heat. If you don't have a temp gun, I suggest you get one. You should measure often the temps inside his hide, on the substrate under the basking light or uvb bulb, the temp under the heat emitter for night temps. It just seems that your baby may be trying to climb the log to get to a warmer spot.

 

[LKentish]

Yes yes, water dish is in there,

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New hide it is, I'll get that done today. I thought he might have been trying to get warmer.. Oh I hope he picks up!

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Just ordered a temp gun, should arrive soon!

 

[LKentish]

He's already picked up thank you all very much for your help!! It could have been an awful ending..