Baby Redfoot's plastron is really thin?

[mightymizz]

Out of 4 babies all around the same age (they are now around 5 months), one baby's plastron is really thin. The others have hardened up some and this guy's is just really thin.

It almost appears as if it is a little sunken in from midpoint to his tail region. One eye was also closed but opened up during his soak.

Any ideas or thoughts? He is being moved into his own enclosure right now, but there is no wheezing, bubbles, etc. but rather today he's very lethargic, eye was closed, and pretty much stayed in one spot most of the day.

 

[bobbymoore]

Pictures? Please

 

[mightymizz]

yeah, ill try to get some pictures. It really just looks like a normal baby platron, it's just really thin. The top of his shell is not has solid as I'd prefer at this stage either.

Pictures incoming in a few, he's eating right now. He is eating well right now.

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Please notice the slight yellow lines starting the angle from near slightly lower middle of plastron moving towards outer edges of plastron. Below this section of basically the lower half of the plastron is really really thin.

Oh and dont mind the chunk of leaf by his tail, his eating was interrupted.

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/...Breeder Build/Algae problems/Max/SAM_1873.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/...Breeder Build/Algae problems/Max/SAM_1874.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/...Breeder Build/Algae problems/Max/SAM_1872.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/...Breeder Build/Algae problems/Max/SAM_1876.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/...Breeder Build/Algae problems/Max/SAM_1877.jpg

 

[bobbymoore]

What do you mean thin? Like soft and squishy?

 

[mightymizz]

Yes, picture the difference between a thick card stock, poster board type paper, and a normal piece of printer paper. If they were stretched across an opening of some sort, you could barely feel against the paper and tell that one is thicker than the other.

This torts feels like there is just a thin piece of "paper" for his plastron. The other three's are much thicker and stronger. I haven't been as worried about it since the baby in question has been doing just fine activity wise up until yesterday and today. He's just been much more lethargic, the one closed eye (seems to be more open currently), and he just feels soft, especially on bottom of plastron.

 

[bobbymoore]

All babies are like that its normal when it get bigger it will be hard like the others

 

[mightymizz]

Yes, I understand, but the other 3 are very close in age to this guy and shouldnt the plastron be a little more firm at 5 months of age?

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Do some babies just take longer to firm up?

 

[bobbymoore]

Okay we'll take him to a vet and let them tell you the same thing

 

[mightymizz]

Anyone experienced in dealing with lots of babies possibly chime in if around 5-6 months the plastron should still feel paper thin??

Anyone ever experience a baby's plastron look sunken in a little?

 

[Redstrike]

I can't see much concavity from the pictures provided - things look fine. It may be a different story in-hand, I'm not disregarding your concerns.

What I find most troublesome is the tortoises lack of activity and having difficulty opening one of its eyes. Anyway the tortoise is being bullied and not getting the food, hides, and sense of security it needs? I had one of my four removed from the rest of the group because s/he fell apart one day and had to go on antibiotics for 2 weeks (wouldn't eat, eyes closed, etc.). I had almost no warning and I thought I was going to lose the tort, so it's good you've isolated that one, a vet visit in a day or two can't hurt, just no vitamin injections. I never witnessed any real bullying behavior, but it seems it can be subtle with redfoots.

Hopefully others with more hatchling experience chime in soon. Baby food soaks may be worthwhile.

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Okay well take him to a vet and let them tell you the same thing

Cruddy attitude, can we be more productive?

 

[mightymizz]

Chris, Yeah I have the same thoughts. The best thing going for this little guy is he is still eating and actively pursuing the eating when food arrives.

I have a 4ft x 2ft enclosure for these babies. There are 4 separate hides all around the enclosure to pick from. When I feed, I put 2 torts on one plate, and the other 2 on a different one.


I did buy some sweet potato baby food, but how much do you usually mix into a soak?

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll keep this updated if there's any improvement, or the other way.

 

[Redstrike]

Sounds like a similar setup to mine (4 x 3.5 ft) with 4 torts inside. I also tried to keep all the tortoises segregated while they eat, but I've learned that's nearly impossible unless you have a very large space with loads of visual barriers. Like little kids they always think whatever the others have is different/better and want that instead of what is directly infront of their face, even though it's exactly the same. You'd need to make the distance to travel between feeding stations large enough so that the tortoise sees it as no longer worth leaving the food in front of its face (optimal foraging theory). I had 5 hides in the enclosure and 2 water dishes to negate exclusion from resources, but that one tort I had just wasn't doing well.

I usually can get 3-4 soaks out of one jar of baby food for tortoises less than 3-4 inch SCL's. I put a rounded tablespoon full into the water, mix it up and put it in the microwave for ~35 seconds. If your little one is still interested in eating, that's an excellent sign! I might suggest making a vet appointment 3-4 days from now incase things change. I'd be up front with the vet and tell them this you are making an advanced appointment that you may or may not cancel based on your tortoises condition, they're pretty good about it.

Again, hopefully some others chime in.