Need some help. (not moving, not eating)

[willovr]

Hi!

My baby sulcata not moving two days ago, he/she is awake open eyes, eating small quantity of food.

What can I do? I don't have tortiise vets in my country (Puerto Rico)

Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Need some help.

Please give us more information. We'll need to know how warm the habitat is, what kind of substrate you use, what food you are offering, if you soak the tortoise in water. It might help us help you if we can see a picture of the tortoise's habitat.

 

[willovr]

Need some help.

Hi,

I have a zoomed wood tortoise house, the substrate is 90% coconut coir, 10% cypress mulch. Humidity is always upper than 80% and temperature 78 and up. Puerto Rico is a tropical island, the lower temperature in winter is around 75. The diet is basically grass, mazuri and zoomed grassland food.

Thanks!

 

[wellington]

RE: Need some help.

Yes, more info needed. In the mean time, Toms great threads on raising and housing a sulcata is below in my post. Get your temps, humidity , soaking to what is listed in the threads and see if that helps.

 

[willovr]

Need some help.

I soak in warm water every other day.

 

[wellington]

RE: Need some help.

Are you using a reliable their matter too read the temps? The disc type gauges purchase at pet stores usually fail. I would bump up the low temp of 75 to 80 with the higher humidity, colder temps can be fatal. to sure if 75 is really considered cold with high humidity, but the recommended low in Toms threads, who did the experimenting, is no lower then 80. Also, be sure the temps you are reading is at tort level. If all this checks out, I would do warm water soaks every day with some carrot baby food in it or some unflavored children's piedialyte and bump up the lowest temp to 85 until normal acting returns. Do not use any coil type bulbs. If you are, remove them. If you can get her outside in the warm sunlight for about an half hour or so a day, that would be really good too. Just be sure to also provide shade.

 

[ascott]

86 f and 63% humidity at 3 pm where you are and shows the night temps drop tonight to 73 with the high humidity....I would add a secondary heating element to assure the temps remain no less than 80 degrees and may even want to bump it to 85 for a couple of weeks to see if the adjustment peps him up some....It does not look as though you have had him long so also allow him time to settle....

 

[willovr]

Thanks! I'm also using a reptisum uvb 10 about 2 hours a day.

 

[willovr]

 

[ascott]

http://www.petco.com/product/122963...ed-_-2214141&gclid=CLyp4YqS5rsCFcSBfgodgQQARA

http://www.thatpetplace.com/reptisu..._id=26455685&gclid=CK2vprCS5rsCFWRBQgodDXUADw

Which one of these styles/shapes are you using? This type of bulb does not put off heat but is designed for uva/uvb rays...

 

[willovr]

The first one: Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent Lamp

 

[sibi]

In your picture, I don't see a hide. Your tortoise needs a box or some area that's enclosed where he can go in and hide. That's important because if they don't have a hide, they don't feel safe and won't eat or even move especially because he's in a strange place. Someone mentioned you need to have more heat especially at night when the temps get in the 70's. If he's sick because the temps were below 80 degrees in high humidity, you can give a baby warm soaks 3 times daily with Pedialyte (electrolytes) and baby food of carrot or squash. Keep doing this until your baby starts to get better. Also, he should have someplace where the basking light registers 100-105 degrees. Inside his hide the temp should be around 90-95 degrees, with overall temps being no lower than 80 degrees.

In Puerto Rico there has to be a vet that specializes in reptile care. What part of Puerto Rico do you live in? I will do a search for you and get back to you with a vet, okay?

BTW, the bulb you have is no good for your baby. I would get a mercury vapor bulb 100w for uvb. It also provides the heat your baby needs now.

 

[ascott]

The first one: Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent Lamp

How close is the bulb from the top of the torts shell? Is the light directly shining into the enclosure or is there a screen or glass between the light and the enclosure?

 

[willovr]

This symptoms are caused by low temperature(75-80 degrees)?

Thanks

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Directly, here another picture.

 

[ascott]

oh, what type of light fixture is this compact light in?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21549

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QFVYEU/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[sibi]

I think so. I know how cool it feels there in the winter, and if your baby has all that humidity and low heat, he could very well be too cold to eat. Also, if you don't have a hide , he'll feel unsafe and won't eat or move. Try changing some things, and see if that improves his condition.

This symptoms are caused by low temperature(75-80 degrees)?

Thanks

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Directly, here another picture.

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You don't have a hide in his enclosure. You need to get a box and cut out a hole large enough for him go get in with no trouble. You can use a plastic shoe box and cut an opening and put it upside down in his enclosure. Pet stores have cut out tree trunks that's great for babies to hide in. Anyway, that's part of the problem. The cool temps is another part of the problem. Finally, because he's new and the space is strange to him, that is another part of the problem. Fix all those problems, and I bet your baby will move around and start eating soon.

This symptoms are caused by low temperature(75-80 degrees)?

Thanks

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Directly, here another picture.

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[willovr]

Here is another picture, that you can see the hide part of the box with the door opened.

Always this door is closed, so he/she can hide.

 

[mikeh]

I agree, he is too cold. Needs a hide. Compact fluorescent could possibly be bad for his eyes.

I do like the weeds in your enclosure, couple more maybe.

 

[sibi]

Ok, I see it. Then, it's the temps. The bulb you have is a cool bulb. It doesn't put out heat, and your baby is trying to get warm. If a baby is cold, and not familiar with his environment, he will not eat. Get the mercury vapor bulb (MVB) 100w, and I think your tort will be much more happier. Also, the temps on the floor are very cold for him. His enclosure is on the floor, and no heat gets in under the soil. Try moving the enclosure on top of a table, off the floor. Heat rises, so, he'll feel warmer up higher and off the floor.

Here is another picture, that you can see the hide part of the box with the door opened.

Always this door is closed, so he/she can hide.

 

[willovr]

Hi!

I get the baby sully to my backyard to take a sunbath, and he/she start to yelling 'yii yii' very curious sound. The outside temperature is 90degrees.

Still doesn't move, and eating little.