Baby sulcata refuses to eat! HELP

[Nicole edwards]

I have a baby sulcata tortoise. He is very young. I've had him for around a month and a half and the past couple of weeks he has slowed down on eating and now he's to the point where he will not take a bite of anything. He seems perfectly fine in every other way than loss of appetite. He is fairly active and looks normal as far as I can tell. He is having bowel movements which is a positive. I just don't know how to get him to eat. He has a cage that is made out of wood. It is 18x36 the substrate is zoo med forest floor. I spray the substrate one to two times a day to keep the humidity up. He has a basking bulb for during the day, a UVB bulb for during the day, and a ceramic heating bulb to keep him warm at night. The temperature on the hottest side is around 105 middle is 90 and cool side is 80. The temperature at night stays between 80-85. He is offered kale, fresh grass, turnip greens, and a little of desert tortoise food from the pet store. I soak him twice a day in warm water for 20 minutes. I'm not sure what else to do. If anyone has any ideas on what I'm doing wrong or things to try please tell me! I have attached photos of him and his cage to help with any other questions! Thank y'all so much!!

 

[Tom]

Looks like your UV bulb is one of the coil type cfl bulbs? If so, these can sometimes burn there eyes and cause them to go off food. If you are using one, I would turn it off ASAP. They don't need UV every single day and the tortoise will be fine for a few weeks while you get something more suitable. If you can get the tortoise outside in a safe enclosure for some sunning a few times a week, you won't need indoor UV at all.

Another possibility to consider is that most sulcata babies are started far to dry. Do you know how your baby was started? What was the source? Read this one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
I hope this is not your issue.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Try to vary the diet.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-diet-sheet.52677/
and maybe give him baby carrot food or baby pumpkin food mixed in his soaks so he's taking in some nutrients.

 

[teresaf]

You can try a bigger variety of foods and chop it up very fine since it's a baby. Mazuri tortoise food is the best of store bought. A softened piece with each meal should be fine. it seems 95% of torts sure enjoy it. Don't try Mazuri LS. 95% of torts won't touch THAT. You do not have a coil type bulb I hope. Those are frowned on here. They have caused a bunch of bad problems. babies are really hard to take care of because of their high Heat and humidity requirements. requirements that, I don't believe, your setup is able to accommodate. Unfortunately they are so fragile that they don't tolerate any degree of error well. some that are dry started evidently will not live even if you're doing everything right. I do know that change is scary for them and theyll go off their food for a week or two so try to keep their general habitat from changing. Let's see if @Yvonne G can help. I don't have a sulcata so can't help with the food choices and she's a pro....

 

[Nicole edwards]

Looks like your UV bulb is one of the coil type cfl bulbs? If so, these can sometimes burn there eyes and cause them to go off food. If you are using one, I would turn it off ASAP. They don't need UV every single day and the tortoise will be fine for a few weeks while you get something more suitable. If you can get the tortoise outside in a safe enclosure for some sunning a few times a week, you won't need indoor UV at all.

Another possibility to consider is that most sulcata babies are started far to dry. Do you know how your baby was started? What was the source? Read this one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
I hope this is not your issue.

Thanks for the information! He was purchased from a large traveling company so it is very likely he was started off to dry ( I hope that is not the situation ) I will turn my UVB bulb off immediately and hope that it helps

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum. What a cute tort you have. Take care of him.

Torts do not like change; so it'll take your tort some time to adapt to the new place, environment, climate, owner and so on.Patience is needed here.

 

[Nicole edwards]

Looks like your UV bulb is one of the coil type cfl bulbs? If so, these can sometimes burn there eyes and cause them to go off food. If you are using one, I would turn it off ASAP. They don't need UV every single day and the tortoise will be fine for a few weeks while you get something more suitable. If you can get the tortoise outside in a safe enclosure for some sunning a few times a week, you won't need indoor UV at all.

Another possibility to consider is that most sulcata babies are started far to dry. Do you know how your baby was started? What was the source? Read this one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
I hope this is not your issue.

This is the UVB bulb that I have. Is this considered coiled?

 

[Tom]

This is the UVB bulb that I have. Is this considered coiled?

Yes. Its a cfl (compact florescent light). I would take it back and tell them why. They should no be on the market.