Help! Is my tortoise dead

[Pinkshdw]

She is unresponsive to touch and her eyes are open. She was extremely active last night when I gave her a soak and had a good munching on some romaine (her favorite) and mustard greens. And then walked back over to her basking area. When I sprayed down the table this morning she flinched when the water hit her face.(she hates water in her face) Now she just won’t move. Her limbs are not limp and her eyes are open. They look normal. She’s in a 4 foot by 3 foot tortoise table that I built with a basking light, a uvb light and a day time light. She’s only about two inches long at most, and this table is temporary until we buy a house next year. How can I tell if she’s dead or not? Did she just get too cold and is unresponsive?

 

[Rover15]

She is unresponsive to touch and her eyes are open. She was extremely active last night when I gave her a soak and had a good munching on some romaine (her favorite) and mustard greens. And then walked back over to her basking area. When I sprayed down the table this morning she flinched when the water hit her face.(she hates water in her face) Now she just won’t move. Her limbs are not limp and her eyes are open. They look normal. She’s in a 4 foot by 3 foot tortoise table that I built with a basking light, a uvb light and a day time light. She’s only about two inches long at most, and this table is temporary until we buy a house next year. How can I tell if she’s dead or not? Did she just get too cold and is unresponsive?

Im sorry to hear this, have you tried soaking her today?

 

[Pinkshdw]

Im sorry to hear this, have you tried soaking her today?

I’m soaking her right now with the container underneath the basking lamp. The last time I soaked her was around 3am since I was up and she was extremely active and splashing around.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Moving at all in the water? Eyes open? Any movement?

 

[Rover15]

I’m soaking her right now with the container underneath the basking lamp. The last time I soaked her was around 3am since I was up and she was extremely active and splashing around.

Do you have a thermometer in the water to make sure its not to hot? ... i like to soal in the enclosure but in the middle just so its not directly under the light.

Also what is your humidity like i assume its an open top enclosure.

 

[Pinkshdw]

Moving at all in the water? Eyes open? Any movement?

Her eyes have been open but no movement.

 

[Pinkshdw]

Do you have a thermometer in the water to make sure its not to hot? ... i like to soal in the enclosure but in the middle just so its not directly under the light.

Also what is your humidity like i assume its an open top enclosure.

I have the water slightly off centered from the basking area and it’s warm to touch. The humidity stays between 60 and 70. I spray down the enclosure daily and I have my normal humidifier sitting directly outside of the table and it helps keep the humidity at a constant level. The enclosure is also in my bedroom which is the warmest room in the house.

 

[Rover15]

Does she poop often? Maybe try offering her a worm?

I own a box turtle and i used to own a yellow foot and a hermans tortoise. When ever i found they got lazy or didnt eat a pile of worms near them helped get them moving and usually got them pooping aswell.

Im.hoping others with more experience will comment soon.

Adding pictures i find help people out and gets more comments

 

[Pinkshdw]

Does she poop often? Maybe try offering her a worm?

I own a box turtle and i used to own a yellow foot and a hermans tortoise. When ever i found they got lazy or didnt eat a pile of worms near them helped get them moving and usually got them pooping aswell.

Im.hoping others with more experience will comment soon.

Adding pictures i find help people out and gets more comments

She ate quite a bit last night and had a bowel movement while in her soak last night as well. Im really hoping she just got too cold and needs a good warm up.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Cold? In your house in Virginia? It’s been in upper 80s here in Md dur8ng the days over the last two or so days... not very cold at night (outside). Where/ how are you keeping your tort that he might have got too cold? Any type of overnight heating element?

Good luck.

 

[Pinkshdw]

Cold? In your house in Virginia? It’s been in upper 80s here in Md dur8ng the days over the last two or so days... not very cold at night (outside). Where/ how are you keeping your tort that he might have got too cold? Any type of overnight heating element?

Good luck.

I do live in Virginia. She’s been in an inside tortoise table. It’s only been warm here during the day and dropping significantly at night. I keep her basking light on low at night and I have a heating pad in her enclosure that’s always on. My house also never reaches below 65 inside and the room I keep her in is always a lot hotter than the rest of the house. To the point I even sweat at night and I’m always cold.

 

[Rover15]

I do live in Virginia. She’s been in an inside tortoise table. It’s only been warm here during the day and dropping significantly at night. I keep her basking light on low at night and I have a heating pad in her enclosure that’s always on. My house also never reaches below 65 inside and the room I keep her in is always a lot hotter than the rest of the house. To the point I even sweat at night and I’m always cold.

I was just recently told heating pads make it hard for tortoises to regulate heat, so she could be laying over one but cooking herself too hot, stick to the over head lights and heat emitters. She is small i believe you said 2 inches maybe keep her in a tote where you can keep the heat and humidity up until she is more active again.

 

[Bambam1989]

Is there any way that you can post pics of your enclosure setup and also your tort?

 

[Pinkshdw]

Is there any way that you can post pics of your enclosure setup and also your tort?

I had just ordered new things to put in her enclosure. She’s only been in here a week and I’ve only had her about a month.

 

[Bambam1989]

View attachment 236040 View attachment 236041 View attachment 236039

I had just ordered new things to put in her enclosure. She’s only been in here a week and I’ve only had her about a month.

Can you post a image of the bottom of her shell too?

 

[Pinkshdw]

Can you post a image of the bottom of her shell too?

The more I look at her the more she seems to not be alive. but why would she not be limp?

 

[Bambam1989]

Ok thank you. Now for my questions.
Where did you get your tort from?
I don't see a water dish available in your enclosure, did you have one available for your baby?
How frequently and how long do you soak?

 

[Pinkshdw]

Ok thank you. Now for my questions.
Where did you get your tort from?
I don't see a water dish available in your enclosure, did you have one available for your baby?
How frequently and how long do you soak?

I’m not sure as to where I got her. My boyfriend got her for me, but I’m pretty sure it was a reptile store here that seemed to have great reviews and I have friends who have snakes and bearded dragons from there. She does has a water dish. It’s the little green thing In the top left hand corner. She uses it plenty and is small enough to actually fit into it and used it when she wanted. Since her dish is a bit small I soak her daily between 30-40 minutes in a large container so she has plenty of room to move around and drink. The water dish is always filled.

 

[Bambam1989]

Yes I see the dish now, I mistook it for a leaf.
I'm not an expert but I will share my observations and thoughts with you.
Pet stores usually purchase their animals from an outside source. I believe that when your tort was purchased it was only a few weeks old. It looks very dehydrated or malnurished.
It sounds like your baby was getting the right amount of hydration from you, so this makes me lean towards malnurishment. One again, I don't think this is your fault. Let me explain..
I have heard reports of breeders using improper incubation mediums, such as perlite. When the baby hatches it often eats some of this medium which then breaks down and creates a sludge that lines the intestines preventing the baby from absorbing nutrients. I believe this or something similar is what happened. Others may have other opinions.

 

[Bambam1989]

If your tort is not dead it is very close to it.
Lightly pull on one of the back legs if it will not move or only hangs limp it has probably passed. If the leg slowly retracts back into position it may still be alive.