Introducing myself, I'm Julie I live in Florida with my husband and 3 children. What a great forum, which I found it long time ago. We recently lost or 10 month old baby sulcata Leo and I'm/we're just heartbroken. All my plans for when he got bigger and plans for him to grow up with my kids etc. he was very loved! Many factored probably went into his death, once I noticed he was sick I did everything I could to help him (baby food soaked etc.)many things I've read on here also, so thank you! He was gone within 3 weeks of me noticing something was wrong. He probably was in end stage hatchling failure before I noticed a difference. I bought him at a local pet store and was told to feed him romain lettuce and that he doesn't need water, of course I took him home and feed him grass from mixed grass seeds bought for sulcatas and soaked him regularly. There is sooooo much conflicting info on how to care for these little guys, everyone thinks the way they do it is the right way etc. anyway, so it's possible between the improper care he received before I got him combined, with us being new and always learning tort parents is to blame. If I knew he was sick or had the potential to get sick do to improper care early on, I guess I would have paid extra close attention to signs. He seems active and healthy and eating, of course never having had one before I was never sure how much or how little eating was normal. Also, he really never grew in the 5/6 months we had him, which may be an indicator something else was wrong too, but in such a short hard to really judge grow size. Another thing and I've tried reading and still can't find much is sulcata hatchling urine/peeing. I never saw him pee, the only time I actually saw him per was when he was at the vet and it was a lot, I was surprised. The first week I brought him home I saw a white substance and after reading was told that was normal and can happen, I never saw the white or any other form of pee. Of course he could have been peeing and I just never caught it happening, but if not that would for sure mean something was wrong with his system. Also, what does normal poop look like? His was mostly long semi dried poops, his diet was about 90% grasses. Normal or not? I thought a lot of these things were normal, but now I'm second guesses everything! I took him to the vet and he got a check up, he had a few issues, one which was oblivious and why I took him was his shell getting soft (not good 
and he was slow, not eating and just not himself. One issue was the pet store set me up with the wrong uv light and i trusted it was the right one so I never second guessed it at the time, I brought the new one I had purchased the week before and was told that's what he should have had all along. This would explain the calcium deficiency and shell. He also had pinworms and they gave me oral calcuim and pinworm meds and sent me home. I did my best giving him his meds and taking him outside for extra sunlight etc. he just never got better, and didn't make it. One thing I'm confused about is the pinworms, where did he get them, from the grasses or water? Also how long can they have them? Is it possible he had them when I got him? What happens if left untreated? The bet said it was a lever 3+ or something, basically lots, but seemed optimistic that with the meds it should clear the problem up.
I'm not looking for anyone to lecture me on what I did or didn't do wrong, I'm just here to share my story and maybe get some answers. It's been a little over a week now and I'm still crying just at the thought of our little Leo. I find myself peeking around the corner to check on him, thinking its time to soak him etc. we burried him under a tree in our yard and its nice knowing he close by still. Im spending too much time late night reading online and blaming myself and need to get past this! We lost our 18 year old cat less than 2 weeks before Leo so it's doubly hard. I spent that last month with 2 sick animals and spending every moment possible with them, although I'm more at peace with our sweet cat because she lived a long happy life, but our Little Leo was just a baby! I'm not sure if we will get a new (though my heart says yes) but if we do I know we will be more prepared and watch for early signs of a problem. I also would like to use a good breeder, any recommendations? Also I'm curious about temp sexed tortoises, I'd love any tortoise we get, but I would prefer a female if it were possible. I've read as much as I can find about temp sexed eggs, any thoughts? Reasons for a female are not for breeding purposes, just hoping to avoid the possible aggressive/ mating behaviors in a male later on.. Again, I know it's not a perfect science and for the most part it's 50/50...
Thanks for reading, it helps to write things out!
and he was slow, not eating and just not himself. One issue was the pet store set me up with the wrong uv light and i trusted it was the right one so I never second guessed it at the time, I brought the new one I had purchased the week before and was told that's what he should have had all along. This would explain the calcium deficiency and shell. He also had pinworms and they gave me oral calcuim and pinworm meds and sent me home. I did my best giving him his meds and taking him outside for extra sunlight etc. he just never got better, and didn't make it. One thing I'm confused about is the pinworms, where did he get them, from the grasses or water? Also how long can they have them? Is it possible he had them when I got him? What happens if left untreated? The bet said it was a lever 3+ or something, basically lots, but seemed optimistic that with the meds it should clear the problem up. I'm not looking for anyone to lecture me on what I did or didn't do wrong, I'm just here to share my story and maybe get some answers. It's been a little over a week now and I'm still crying just at the thought of our little Leo. I find myself peeking around the corner to check on him, thinking its time to soak him etc. we burried him under a tree in our yard and its nice knowing he close by still. Im spending too much time late night reading online and blaming myself and need to get past this! We lost our 18 year old cat less than 2 weeks before Leo so it's doubly hard. I spent that last month with 2 sick animals and spending every moment possible with them, although I'm more at peace with our sweet cat because she lived a long happy life, but our Little Leo was just a baby!
I'm not sure if we will get a new (though my heart says yes) but if we do I know we will be more prepared and watch for early signs of a problem. I also would like to use a good breeder, any recommendations? Also I'm curious about temp sexed tortoises, I'd love any tortoise we get, but I would prefer a female if it were possible. I've read as much as I can find about temp sexed eggs, any thoughts? Reasons for a female are not for breeding purposes, just hoping to avoid the possible aggressive/ mating behaviors in a male later on.. Again, I know it's not a perfect science and for the most part it's 50/50... Thanks for reading, it helps to write things out!
