My sulcata baby is acting weird

[trey329]

When I give my sulcata baby food, he comes, smell the food and trying to eat but he just opens his mouth and biting the air and sometimes eat the soil next to/under the food . Looks like he can recognize the food but he can't see the food very well maybe. He is trying to eat but he can't grab the food well so he eat a little bit and give up then he stay away from the food. And I feel he moves very slow.
His eye is open and I don't see any injury on his body and eye.
I keep the temperature 29-37 and the humidity 80%. I give grasses, bok Choi, grape leaves and cactus. I put cuttlebone in the cage. I soak him 30min every day. He does poo well. Can you please advise what wrong with him or my treatment.

 

[Yvonne G]

Sounds like he may be sight impaired. Try stacking the pile of food up against the wall so it doesn't move away as he bites at it.

 

[trey329]

Sounds like he may be sight impaired. Try stacking the pile of food up against the wall so it doesn't move away as he bites at it.

I just read that using bulb light will damage the tortoises eye. And I am using it coz the shop recommended to use for giving uvb. Is this the cause of his sight impaired?

 

[Tom]

I just read that using bulb light will damage the tortoises eye. And I am using it coz the shop recommended to use for giving uvb. Is this the cause of his sight impaired?

Are you using a compact florescent bulb for UV? If yes, that could be your problem. Those bulbs can blind them. Pet shops usually give bad advice and sell you the wrong products.

Please read and follow this care sheet. Your questions are welcome.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[trey329]

Are you using a compact florescent bulb for UV? If yes, that could be your problem. Those bulbs can blind them. Pet shops usually give bad advice and sell you the wrong products.

Please read and follow this care sheet. Your questions are welcome.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

I use this light . Is this bad as what you said?

<B>Trixie ProSun Mixed D3 UV-B lamp</B> (100W)

The Trixie ProSun Mixed D3 UV-B lamp is a combination of UVA, UVB, Basking and Infrared Light all bu

www.dubaipetfood.com

By the way thank you for giving me the advice in my last thread. I read well and learned a lot from there. My cage was kind of desert style but after I read I changed to humidity environment. Also improved the food.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

It would be the problem. Mercury vapor bulbs are bad for babies.

 

[Tom]

I use this light . Is this bad as what you said?

<B>Trixie ProSun Mixed D3 UV-B lamp</B> (100W)

The Trixie ProSun Mixed D3 UV-B lamp is a combination of UVA, UVB, Basking and Infrared Light all bu

www.dubaipetfood.com

By the way thank you for giving me the advice in my last thread. I read well and learned a lot from there. My cage was kind of desert style but after I read I changed to humidity environment. Also improved the food.

That is not the type of bulb I was referring to, but I wouldn't use that one either. You want a regular incandescent bulb set on a 12 hour timer for basking, a CHE set on a thermostat for maintaining ambient temps 24/7, LED lighting for more ambient light if needed, and a HO type florescent tube for indoor UV if needed.

I'm not familiar with that brand or bulb. With out a meter to gauge the UV output, and with no knowledge of how good or bad that bulb might be, we can't rule that out as the cause, or contributor, to the eyesight problem. I'd stop using it, and go with what I outlined above. If the problem disappears after a few days, then you'll know it was the bulb.

 

[trey329]

It would be the problem. Mercury vapor bulbs are bad for babies.

I'll stop using it immediately but will his eyesight become better in future? Now I feel so bad for him ..

 

[trey329]

That is not the type of bulb I was referring to, but I wouldn't use that one either. You want a regular incandescent bulb set on a 12 hour timer for basking, a CHE set on a thermostat for maintaining ambient temps 24/7, LED lighting for more ambient light if needed, and a HO type florescent tube for indoor UV if needed.

I'm not familiar with that brand or bulb. With out a meter to gauge the UV output, and with no knowledge of how good or bad that bulb might be, we can't rule that out as the cause, or contributor, to the eyesight problem. I'd stop using it, and go with what I outlined above. If the problem disappears after a few days, then you'll know it was the bulb.

Okay. Anyway I'll stop using and look for what you mentioned. Thank you very much.

 

[ArmadilloPup]

Awww, poor baby. In past threads, people have reported good results after changing out their lights.

I wanted to comment because my tort’s always had bad aim (from a good breeder and all the correct gear), but he was definitely much more clumsy when he was little. I witnessed the same “chomp at air” thing before, on the same day he was cleared at his first vet checkup. He became more bold over time. Chopping up veggies real fine and making mush out of Timothy pellets in a shallow dish can help alleviate the guess work for the little guy.

 

[trey329]

Awww, poor baby. In past threads, people have reported good results after changing out their lights.

I wanted to comment because my tort’s always had bad aim (from a good breeder and all the correct gear), but he was definitely much more clumsy when he was little. I witnessed the same “chomp at air” thing before, on the same day he was cleared at his first vet checkup. He became more bold over time. Chopping up veggies real fine and making mush out of Timothy pellets in a shallow dish can help alleviate the guess work for the little guy.

Thank you for the comment. I hope he will get better soon. I'll update the result of changing next week.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'll stop using it immediately but will his eyesight become better in future? Now I feel so bad for him ..

It's sort of like snow blindness. It gets better with time and soothing ointment.

 

[saleena.lewis]

He could be having a hard time seeing exactly where the food is, I would recommend changing your light setup.