Did I just sign up for something I will regret

BrookeB

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So, in all honesty this is NOT how I wanted to get another tortoise. Especially a baby. I have lost 6 babies over the past 8 years.

The first 2 where 8 years ago. One was a Sulcata and the other was a leopard. They where both hatchlings, and they both died in the first 3 months of life. To be honest the first month of their lives I was using the dry way of raising them as I had not found this site.. the breeders told me how to raise them... ??‍♀️ then when they started to be lethargic I looked for help and found you guys ?. Even though I figured it out rather quickly the damage was done. And it wasn’t long before they passed.. it took me 7 years to get more tortoises as I was heartbroken.

The most recent group I had really broke my heart. I got 4 babies. 2 leopards 2 sulcatas very very young for my 28th birthday last September. Bought online and shipped to me. I had 4 closed chamber temperature and humidity controlled environments. Only issue ever found by you guys was the MVBs I had in their environments (8 years ago they where recommended so I didn’t know that we now know they are bad) they where removed though, after only a week or two of use. Still slowly all of these babies showed signs of illness. After 4 months they all passed away.
This time I knew I didn’t do it, it wasn’t my fault that they died. They all had perfect regularly checked environments. They all had healthy food, soaking, misting and water available. Still heartbreaking but at least I knew it wasn’t all me.

My best guess was that this time the breeder also raised them dry at first.

This time I was all set to buy from Tom, but I can’t drive at the moment and shipping wasn’t possible due to my location (they get delivered late in the day) so I was going to wait to get one when I can drive to pick it up.

But then one of my family friends needed to rehome a 4ish month old leopard tortoise that they had. They had a family emergency and the mother needed to focus on her ill 2yr old daughter and couldn’t take care of the tortoise at this point. They brought this tortoise from their home in Florida to CA, so he was bred and raised in Florida until about 3 weeks ago. As they truly needed help with this situation I didn’t feel right turning them away. So my sister brought him to me last night. I already had a closed chamber set up and that’s where he is now. He was already on 1 soak a week and mazuri once a week. He was also outside a lot in both Florida and California. He seems really healthy but I’m seriously stressed about the what-if’s.. pictures attached please let me know if you think I can help stop the pyramiding already showing and if there is anything extra I can do to help with that. I was also told he’s a really really picky eater, he only eats Romain lettuce and Mazuri... he Apparently Ate the grass and weeds in Florida but wouldn’t touch the grass/weeds at the California house. Advice will not be unheard by me because I really really really don’t want to lose another baby. ?DF0739AD-AFE7-4447-BA22-C37CEC6AD09E.jpegF9BA13AE-923B-428F-9BB4-07EAD082FFA3.jpeg11DC532D-B7C2-4E22-977A-DDB5E56D0A4D.jpegDF846A79-F027-45C8-9F35-5205E2981050.jpeg65AFC545-00E0-43EA-B4E2-88200BC41DCC.jpeg73C67E15-173E-4106-8818-5B0C4CE019F8.jpeg
 

nicoleann2214

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Mar 11, 2020
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917
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NY
So, in all honesty this is NOT how I wanted to get another tortoise. Especially a baby. I have lost 6 babies over the past 8 years.

The first 2 where 8 years ago. One was a Sulcata and the other was a leopard. They where both hatchlings, and they both died in the first 3 months of life. To be honest the first month of their lives I was using the dry way of raising them as I had not found this site.. the breeders told me how to raise them... ??‍♀️ then when they started to be lethargic I looked for help and found you guys ?. Even though I figured it out rather quickly the damage was done. And it wasn’t long before they passed.. it took me 7 years to get more tortoises as I was heartbroken.

The most recent group I had really broke my heart. I got 4 babies. 2 leopards 2 sulcatas very very young for my 28th birthday last September. Bought online and shipped to me. I had 4 closed chamber temperature and humidity controlled environments. Only issue ever found by you guys was the MVBs I had in their environments (8 years ago they where recommended so I didn’t know that we now know they are bad) they where removed though, after only a week or two of use. Still slowly all of these babies showed signs of illness. After 4 months they all passed away.
This time I knew I didn’t do it, it wasn’t my fault that they died. They all had perfect regularly checked environments. They all had healthy food, soaking, misting and water available. Still heartbreaking but at least I knew it wasn’t all me.

My best guess was that this time the breeder also raised them dry at first.

This time I was all set to buy from Tom, but I can’t drive at the moment and shipping wasn’t possible due to my location (they get delivered late in the day) so I was going to wait to get one when I can drive to pick it up.

But then one of my family friends needed to rehome a 4ish month old leopard tortoise that they had. They had a family emergency and the mother needed to focus on her ill 2yr old daughter and couldn’t take care of the tortoise at this point. They brought this tortoise from their home in Florida to CA, so he was bred and raised in Florida until about 3 weeks ago. As they truly needed help with this situation I didn’t feel right turning them away. So my sister brought him to me last night. I already had a closed chamber set up and that’s where he is now. He was already on 1 soak a week and mazuri once a week. He was also outside a lot in both Florida and California. He seems really healthy but I’m seriously stressed about the what-if’s.. pictures attached please let me know if you think I can help stop the pyramiding already showing and if there is anything extra I can do to help with that. I was also told he’s a really really picky eater, he only eats Romain lettuce and Mazuri... he Apparently Ate the grass and weeds in Florida but wouldn’t touch the grass/weeds at the California house. Advice will not be unheard by me because I really really really don’t want to lose another baby. ?View attachment 297401View attachment 297402View attachment 297403View attachment 297404View attachment 297405View attachment 297406
Good luck!❤️ Maybe it’s sign for something❤️
 

KarenSoCal

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Oh so adorable!

Plenty of humidity and soaks should help the new growth to be smooth. He should spend most of his time in his closed chamber. He should only go outside for an hour or so each day until he's bigger.

Make sure his basking light is an ordinary incandescent flood light bulb. No "spot" bulbs...they focus the heat into a small spot and dry the carapace.

On the off chance that you have not read our new care sheet, I've linked it below. Always good to remind ourselves of the details we may have forgotten.

 

EllieMay

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Inquiring minds want to know! You’ll do great with this baby:)

Make sure you keep a close eye on its temperatures.. too hot or too cold will kill anything quickly.. do you have a temp gun to check all the areas in it’s enclosure ?

Good luck!!
 

Ink

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Beautiful baby! I purchased an eastern hermann (not Miss. Dexter Persimmons) he passed within 1 month never seemed right. Then I got my western and I was freaked out for 6 months at least. I was driving myself crazy. He is now 3 years old and so much fun! your baby looks good from what I can tell. My leopard has a great personality. Try to enjoy
 

haydog_99

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Rocklin, CA
Inquiring minds want to know! You’ll do great with this baby:)

Make sure you keep a close eye on its temperatures.. too hot or too cold will kill anything quickly.. do you have a temp gun to check all the areas in it’s enclosure ?

Good luck!!
What is considered too hot for an ambient temperature?
 

Maggie3fan

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Good luck!❤ Maybe it’s sign for something❤
You say he is a picky eater, only eating Romaine lettuce and Mazuri. If he is fed a correct diet, he can only eat a correct diet. Bottom line is...he can only eat WHAT YOU FEED HIM. So if you feed him correct foods, he can only eat correct foods. Every morning at the same time, put his food on a piece of tile. Leave it until bedtime. If he hasn't eaten, then throw it away and add new in the morning. You need to be strong and feed what is right, not just what he wants.
You also need to know that correct heat, humidity, soaking (daily) and food are what he needs, NOT what he wants.
You feed your kid mac n cheese because that's all he will eat...NOT! Seriously, feed him a variety of foods. He will eat when he gets hungry, YOU need to be strong.
 

wellington

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None of your losses is your fault. Sorry for them all btw.
As for this one, look at it this way. You are able to give this baby the best chance. You have learned and apply all the right stuff. If this ones fails, you gave it a chance that it may not ever had gotten.
Good luck and you know where to go if you need help.
 

Tom

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What is the weight?

The new growth and marbling is a very good sign. The picky appetite is kind of a bad sign, but could just be a behavioral thing, so don't panic yet.
 

BrookeB

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What is the weight?

The new growth and marbling is a very good sign. The picky appetite is kind of a bad sign, but could just be a behavioral thing, so don't panic yet.

53G weighed today

I just got him like a day ago so all the information is just what my friend told me. From what I’ve seen he eats a lot, I’m going to start to introduce grasses and weeds. I’m soaking him daily and I have a temp gun.. humidity has been Stable at 83RH.
 

Tom

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53G weighed today

I just got him like a day ago so all the information is just what my friend told me. From what I’ve seen he eats a lot, I’m going to start to introduce grasses and weeds. I’m soaking him daily and I have a temp gun.. humidity has been Stable at 83RH.
53 grams at 4 months is right on the bubble. You can relax when it hits 60.

If you ever actually get a properly started baby from one of us, you are going to be astounded at the difference.
 

BrookeB

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So update so far, I have NO idea what she was talking about with the “picky eater” issue.. he eats everything and ALL DAY. My husband says he’s a gold fish... This little guy is more active then my last guys where but he does take a few naps throughout the day, no favorite spot in the enclosure he just roams around until he falls asleep. He uses his water dish and doesn’t seem to mind the first 15min of his daily soak.. and He does go to bed in his humid hide every night.
 

BrookeB

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And that was AFTER he pooped the biggest poop I’ve ever seen come out of any of my babies. No joke like a quarter which is like 1/4th his size lol...
 

Blackdog1714

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And that was AFTER he pooped the biggest poop I’ve ever seen come out of any of my babies. No joke like a quarter which is like 1/4th his size lol...
How TFO- not even past the first page and poop talk starts :p BUt I feel ya my Leopard leaves some montser loafs!
 

BrookeB

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He’s 62 grams today... yay! ?
Although I’m not planning on changing anything at all (maybe his diet because his weeds are finally starting to grow but I’m just happy he’s the biggest baby I’ve managed to get to.. all of my others stopped at 48-55g☹️
 

Ink

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He is a great eater, poops and is warm. Try to enjoy. You are doing a great job!
 

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