Baby Red Footed Tortoise won't eat!

[Erew]

I recently acquired two baby red footed tortoises. They are housed in a 20g long tank with heat lamps on one side and a coil UVB bulb. Hot side of the tank is around 85, basking spot is around 95-100, cool side with hide is around 80-75. They have spaghmum moss to hide in as well as a log hide. I offer spring mix, endive, romaine, the occasional black berry or strawberry, carrot and Mazuri. I sprinkle their food with calcium powder every other day. As well as a protein (cat food) twice a month. I soak daily in warm water.

My trouble is one of the torts arrived looking very unwell with a caved-in/ creased shell, crusty eyes and has refused EVERYTHING I have offered it to feed. I have taken her to the vet twice where she received a B12 shot and is now on antibiotics. I add infant pedialyte to her soaking water for supportive care and have recently tried syringe feeding her watered down "Urgent care" dog and cat food given to me by the vet. I am really worried she won't make it much longer and am seeking advice to try and get her to eat.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Yvonne G]

The coil-shaped bulb isn't the problem, but you should remove it just the same. Those bulbs are known to cause eye problems in young tortoises.

RF tortoises do quite well with a steady temperature all over the enclosure of 80-85F degrees. They don't need a hot side/cool side.

There's probably nothing you can do. It sounds like you received a dying baby. I have had good luck getting nutrients into a baby by soaking them in 50/50 Gerber strained carrots and warm water mixed together. Leave the tortoise in the water for at least a half hour and longer is better. If yu use a small bowl with tall sides, you can just set it back inside the habitat to keep it warm. I have seen good results in about three days. But the baby food isn't a cure for whatever illness the baby is suffering from, it only gets nutrients into him.

 

[Erew]

Thank you.

I will try the 50/50 baby food water suggestion. What type of UVB bulb should I be using?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thank you.

I will try the 50/50 baby food water suggestion. What type of UVB bulb should I be using?

For Redfoot I use a strip florescent.
Mine are 18" 5.0 reptisun.
Redfoot require high humidity. Over 70%
Your high temperatures are too high IMO. 80-90 would be good. With "Just perfect" being 82.
Redfoot shy away from bright lights. They do not need a hot side and a cool side. Just overall warmth.
They don't do well in pairs, but I don't think that that is an issue yet.
Do you live in an area that will let you keep the tortoises outside at all?
Keep them humid. (NOT WET) and keep them warm. And keep providing food to them. Hopefully, they will make it.
Any photos would be very helpful.

 

[RosieTortoise]

I have had good luck with using a vegetarian based emergency food, Critical Care. It worked great for bringing my Rosie back from the brink of death and it doesn't have too much protein so it didn't strain her kidneys while trying to get her back on her feet. I mixed it with water to soften it up and put it in a plastic lid. It's just a suggestion though. I think what really attracted her to it was the smell, it smells sooooo good.

We often use this at the pet store to help sick animals get some nutrition.

 

[Erew]

Thank you everyone for the great advice.

I will replace the UVB bulb I am currently using with a tube light as soon as possible.

For humidity, I soak and wring out the spaghmum moss everyday during their daily soak and they like to bury themselves in it. And I use a spray bottle on occasion if things are looking dry.

The food the vet gave us is a "Critical care" food, but I will look into finding a vegetarian version so as not to strain her kidneys. That being said she will smell the food, push it around with her nose, but never opens her mouth to eat it. It's like she's interested in it, but just never eats.

Here are pics of my set-up. Please keep in mind the torts are small and this summer my husband and I have plans to build a tortoise table that can be moved in and out of the house to provide them with sunshine when the climate is suitable. Also, I took the pic while trying the carrot soup soak recommended by Yvonne to explain the large container in the habitat and I removed their basking rock (which I guess they don't need) to fit the soaking tub in. Turtle soup... she is frantically trying to get out now.

 

[lisa127]

Change the coil uvb to the flourescent tube type as suggested above. Change the red bulb to either a che or a black reptile heat lamp. Get rid of the carpet and cover the entire floor with that moss you have. Buy a temperature gun so you can get accurate temperature readings.

 

[Pearly]

Hi and welcome from Central Texas. I also keep the redfooted. Mine will be 2 yrs old in June. mine were freaking out during bath too until I started soaking them in my guest bath tub. They seem to like it now. Interestingly they tend to like sitting/walking in the drain (deeper) part of the tub. I usually throw couple of leaves for grazing and they easily last 20-30 min with 2-3 water changes to keep it clean and warm. Now, fishing out tort poo (to avoid clogging the tub drain!) is another story, but this system has really worked for us.

 

[Pearly]

http://http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Pearly's-tips-to-feed-picky-eater.139381/ Check out my "feeding thread", maybe you find something helpful there to get your baby to eat

 

[Erew]

For Redfoot I use a strip florescent.
Mine are 18" 5.0 reptisun.
Redfoot require high humidity. Over 70%
Your high temperatures are too high IMO. 80-90 would be good. With "Just perfect" being 82.
Redfoot shy away from bright lights. They do not need a hot side and a cool side. Just overall warmth.
They don't do well in pairs, but I don't think that that is an issue yet.
Do you live in an area that will let you keep the tortoises outside at all?
Keep them humid. (NOT WET) and keep them warm. And keep providing food to them. Hopefully, they will make it.
Any photos would be very helpful.

I am replacing the coil UV bulb with a tube, but I was curious why the tube bulbs don't hurt their eyes too? Also, is there a difference between the white CHE and the black ones?

Thanks.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The CHE all work in the same manner.
With the florescent vs coiled compact, it's the way that the bulb broadcasts the light. The coil often makes a more of a pinpoint and the long tube spreads the spectrum out more evenly.
When you have some time, look up old posts about coiled lights here. there are some sad stories as well as some that have defended their use.
I'm of the belief that it's not worth the risk. Blindness is not correctable.
I'm sorry to also tell you that if you have a red bulb. That may have to go, also.
Most tortoises see that color as something to eat. Especially Redfoot. They might see inedible things as food and eat it JUST BECAUSE it looked red. Things like sustrate, etc.

 

[Anyfoot]

Thank you everyone for the great advice.

I will replace the UVB bulb I am currently using with a tube light as soon as possible.

For humidity, I soak and wring out the spaghmum moss everyday during their daily soak and they like to bury themselves in it. And I use a spray bottle on occasion if things are looking dry.

The food the vet gave us is a "Critical care" food, but I will look into finding a vegetarian version so as not to strain her kidneys. That being said she will smell the food, push it around with her nose, but never opens her mouth to eat it. It's like she's interested in it, but just never eats.

Here are pics of my set-up. Please keep in mind the torts are small and this summer my husband and I have plans to build a tortoise table that can be moved in and out of the house to provide them with sunshine when the climate is suitable. Also, I took the pic while trying the carrot soup soak recommended by Yvonne to explain the large container in the habitat and I removed their basking rock (which I guess they don't need) to fit the soaking tub in.View attachment 198144View attachment 198145 Turtle soup... she is frantically trying to get out now.

Hi there @Erew

If that was my enclosure I would change the right hand holder to hold a CHE on a thermostat set to 85F. Then a small UVB tube set to the same end as the CHE. Hang that from the mesh. Then I would cover the entire mesh with something that is going to hold the temps and humidity up. You could even use tinfoil for now, same on that little hatch. This will get you an ambient temperature, because you only have mesh on the top you are basically using an open enclosure method, so you will have hot and cold spots on your enclosure, if it's cold in your moss it's bad, your torts could be wet and cold, especially because you are having to wet the moss every day there is no stability in the mosses moisture or temp. Put 2" depth of moist coir in there instead of Carpet.
Cover the back and ends of the enclosure to reduce the amount of natural light that is getting into your enclosure, you don't want it too bright for hatchling redfoots.
Those dials are not very reliable, can you get some digit readers instead.

If your tort is feeling cold all the time it won't eat.
Be sure your CHE is in a ceramic socket and on a thermostat, soon as you close up the enclosure a 100watt CHE will cook your torts if it's not controlled with a thermostat.

Good luck

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It's a lot to digest, Erew.
However, it will pretty simple once you get things tweaked just right.

 

[Anyfoot]

It's a lot to digest, Erew.
However, it will pretty simple once you get things tweaked just right.

Btw Ed. I agree with your 82f as an ideal. I just thought with one being sick, higher temps would be better for now.

 

[cmacusa3]

Hi and welcome from Central Texas. I also keep the redfooted. Mine will be 2 yrs old in June. View attachment 198170 mine were freaking out during bath too until I started soaking them in my guest bath tub. They seem to like it now. Interestingly they tend to like sitting/walking in the drain (deeper) part of the tub. I usually throw couple of leaves for grazing and they easily last 20-30 min with 2-3 water changes to keep it clean and warm. Now, fishing out tort poo (to avoid clogging the tub drain!) is another story, but this system has really worked for us.

This is how I keep the tub from getting clogged. I agree with Pearly, I soak my larger torts in my spare tub too.

 

[Erew]

Hi there @Erew

If that was my enclosure I would change the right hand holder to hold a CHE on a thermostat set to 85F. Then a small UVB tube set to the same end as the CHE. Hang that from the mesh. Then I would cover the entire mesh with something that is going to hold the temps and humidity up. You could even use tinfoil for now, same on that little hatch. This will get you an ambient temperature, because you only have mesh on the top you are basically using an open enclosure method, so you will have hot and cold spots on your enclosure, if it's cold in your moss it's bad, your torts could be wet and cold, especially because you are having to wet the moss every day there is no stability in the mosses moisture or temp. Put 2" depth of moist coir in there instead of Carpet.
Cover the back and ends of the enclosure to reduce the amount of natural light that is getting into your enclosure, you don't want it too bright for hatchling redfoots.
Those dials are not very reliable, can you get some digit readers instead.

If your tort is feeling cold all the time it won't eat.
Be sure your CHE is in a ceramic socket and on a thermostat, soon as you close up the enclosure a 100watt CHE will cook your torts if it's not controlled with a thermostat.

Good luck

Thank you this is very helpful and I will make the changes you suggest.

 

[Anyfoot]

Thank you this is very helpful and I will make the changes you suggest.

What size is your enclosure. Height length and width please.

 

[Anyfoot]

Just looked back, assuming you cover the mesh, all you will need is a 100w CHE on a thermostat and a 12w (ish) uvb 5.0 strip light on a timer. On for 12 to 14hrs a day.

 

[TammyJ]

Watching and hoping for the best!