Found Baby Desert Tortoise

[CGKeith]

Get a regular light bulb if you have to. Right now heat is the important thing. The UV part of it can come later.

Being wild caught it is wanting to hibernate. It needs to be cooled down to around 50 degrees to do that. Warmer at say room temp and it won't shut down it's body functions and won't eat either. It will burn up any reserves it had and probably die.

You need to get it warm enough to where it doesn't try to hibernate and will eat and be warm enough to digest it's food. 80 - 90 degrees under the hot spot during the day.

Keep it warm at night with a black light bulb. (cheap from walmart)

Of course the hide spot and water dish as mentioned by others.

A large plastic bin (again cheap from walmart) will work and give much more room than a 10 gal tank.

 

[basmith]

So the goal is to get him warm and alert (eyes open) so he doesn't hybernate, right?

 

[CGKeith]

So the goal is to get him warm and alert (eyes open) so he doesn't hybernate, right?

Exactly!

 

[basmith]

What does the black light do? Can't I just leave the lamp on that I will put directly on him?

 

[CGKeith]

I use black light to give the animals a day/night cycle. The bulb (75-100 watt) that you use in the day time will also (should) give off more heat.

The black light bulbs I use are 60 watts and not as hot but still keep them from getting cold while giving the tortoise a break from constant bright light.

 

[coreyc]

I think they give off more heat than light so when you shut off the main lights he will not get cold I use a ceramic heat emitter they produce heat but no light

 

[CGKeith]

I think they give off more heat than light so when you shut off the main lights he will not get cold I use a ceramic heat emitter they produce heat but no light

Black light from walmart is about $2.50, heat emitter is about $25. Just saying.

 

[basmith]

I see. I will pick up a black light tonight on my way home. I will used a 100watt bulb in a lamp for the next few days to see how he improves.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Basmith:

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[DeanS]

Thanks Tom. Do you all think he will be okay if I don't get a heating lamp right away? I would hate to pay a lot of money for a nice lamp and he doesn't make it. I could put him by the window during the day to get some sun light. Let me konw if you think this will be okay.

Tell you what! Go pick up a Powersun MVB at Petco or Petsmart or whatever is near you...if he doesn't make it, I'll take the lamp off your hands!

 

[Angi]

If you save the package and receipt they will take it back at PetSmart or Petco. I bought and took back every bark collar made before I reliezed it was going to work for my bad little dog. And your Tort will make it. Mine were the same when I got them and within a few days of being warm they were fine.

 

[moswen]

i'm right behind DeanS. if your tort doesn't make it i'll pay you exactly what you paid for it, i'm due for a new one in january anyways.

you don't really have to buy a $15 water dish, you can use a plate you already have, or a plastic lid from your cottage cheese, or the lids from KFC takeout... i used those mashed potato bowl lids till like a month ago, i ran out. we quit having a craving for KFC. you can also use terra cotta plant pot plates.

lucky you angi--- i actually brought my dog up to the ACE hardware store where i bought my bark collar to demonstrate that it wasn't working, they wouldn't refund the one i had bought YESTERDAY because it had dirt on it. i was like "ya, because i USED it... that's how i know it's not working!!"

 

[basmith]

BAD NEWS! The baby has died. I think he died on Sunday afternoon since he never moved from that spot. I wish I would have been able to find this forum on Sunday. I feel bad, but he was in pretty bad shape. His eyes were never open and the temps dipped into the 30's the night after I found him. I was way off on the size. He was about 1 1/2 inches. I thank you for all your help and am sorry to report this bad news. Next time, I will know what to do thanks to all of you.

 

[Marty333]

I am so sorry for you loss at least you tried and thats all that really matters

 

[tortoisenerd]

I'm sorry for your loss. Yes you are right he was beyond saving...sounds like he hatched way late in the season. No need to feel bad because you did the right thing by trying to save the little guy.

 

[Angi]

So sorry

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw-w man! That sucks big time! I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you tried to do. Thank you! I only wish it had turned out better.

 

[coreyc]

So sorry the little guy passed at least you tried to help

 

[armandoarturo]

I know how you must feel, its awful.
but, thats life, and its the way It should be =/
unfortunately