Baby Sulcata with a soft shell

Vayala

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My cousin recently gave me her baby sulcata tortoise that she is unable to care for, the problem is that it has developed a soft carapace. She told me that they kept it indoors since she got it in January but without a uvb bulb... I just ordered one and I am planing to give it as much natural sunlight as possible but is there anything else that I could possibly do to ensure that it gets better quickly because it also seems to be pretty lathrgic and I have not seen it poop in the past 2 days
 

Toddrickfl1

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My cousin recently gave me her baby sulcata tortoise that she is unable to care for, the problem is that it has developed a soft carapace. She told me that they kept it indoors since she got it in January but without a uvb bulb... I just ordered one and I am planing to give it as much natural sunlight as possible but is there anything else that I could possibly do to ensure that it gets better quickly because it also seems to be pretty lathrgic and I have not seen it poop in the past 2 days
Honestly at that point there's not much you can do. Soak soak soak! Some people here have seen good results with baby food soaks. Get some carrot baby food and mix it 50/50 to water and soak the tortoise this way a couple times daily. Good luck.
 

EllieMay

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My cousin recently gave me her baby sulcata tortoise that she is unable to care for, the problem is that it has developed a soft carapace. She told me that they kept it indoors since she got it in January but without a uvb bulb... I just ordered one and I am planing to give it as much natural sunlight as possible but is there anything else that I could possibly do to ensure that it gets better quickly because it also seems to be pretty lathrgic and I have not seen it poop in the past 2 days
Keep the baby very warm..85-90F all the time.. I hope it turns around for you... Pedialite or carrot baby food in the soaks may help too.. warm warm warm
 

Tom

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Here is the care info for sulcatas. Soak daily, keep it warm, get it daily sunshine when the weather cooperates, and order up an Arcadia 12% HO tube with a reflector fixture from here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com Follow this care info as much as possible stay off of the FB tortoise groups, and don't go to the pet store. You'll get bad advice and bad products from both.
 

Vayala

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My cousin recently gave me her baby sulcata tortoise that she is unable to care for, the problem is that it has developed a soft carapace. She told me that they kept it indoors since she got it in January but without a uvb bulb... I just ordered one and I am planing to give it as much natural sunlight as possible but is there anything else that I could possibly do to ensure that it gets better quickly because it also seems to be pretty lathrgic and I have not seen it poop in the past 2 days
Update: today I was going to take it outside to get sunlight when I noticed it had a very long and hard piece of poop sticking out of it. It was almost as long as it’s body. I decided to very gently pull on it to try to take it off and a little bit more came out of its body. I then soaked it for 15 minutes and nothing else came out and I put it on the grass and it barely moved for the hour and a half that it was outside. I brought it back inside and it has not really moved since. I am really worried that it might not make it through the night :(
 

Tom

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That is a possibility.

What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, and overnight low?

What equipment are you using for night heat?
 

Vayala

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That is a possibility.

What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, and overnight low?

What equipment are you using for night heat?
Sorry about the super late response, but the warm side is in the low 90s, the cool side is at 75, the basking area is at 100, and I have not gotten a chance to measure the night temps. For the day I use two ceramic heating bulbs and at night I just turn one off. Since my last update the baby has become a little more active and eats more, but I’m still concerned about it’s soft shell and its pooping. It does not poop very regularly, but when it does it is very big and hard and looks VERY forced.
 
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