New here, need Sulcata Advice!
- Thread starter Miss_Kat
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Okay, so here is what I have made for him outside. I know it is rather small, I will start working on a larger one in a different part of the yard, but I wanted a safe place for him to come home to. Also, he will only be spending short periods of time outside at first, so I thought this would be a good amount of space to get him used to it. I have a power cord to this spot - so I can add a red light or something if you all think I should, and the cement goes down about 1-2 feet (the walls) so he can't dig out... not that he is really strong enough to do that at this point. Right now he will be tube fed, but I am researching plants to add into there. I grow grapes here, so I can put fresh leaves in for him, should I transplant some grass? Should I cut the palm tree things higher so he cant chew on them? I also have a cactus I will add but it is big and will take up a lot of space, I may wait till I get to the larger enclosure.
it is about 4feet by 3 feet.
it is about 4feet by 3 feet.
okay, so I got me "lesson" on what to do with Morla. It's a little intense but worth it. I have to inject his front legs daily with a calcium shot. It's pretty rough to stick a needle into the little guy. 
I also give him this stuff into his mouth and kind encourage him to swallow it. Then, I have a metal tube that I stick down his throat till I feel a little pressure - I pull back slightly and then start to administer the food (a mixture of powdered protein and green supplements mixed with baby food carrots and water. I give him between 6-12 of the food a day. At this point I am not sure how long I tube feed him, but at least once a day till he starts to be strong enough to eat on his own again. The Vet is calling me tomorrow to make sure I am not having issues giving the shots, meds and food and then we check in again on Thursday to see how it is all going. I warm water soak him at least once a day for 30 min and give him 1 to 2 hours total outside sunshine. He looks SO much better, but still isn't moving around. He keeps his head inside his shell for the most part right now, but is moving it and his legs around more. I can tell he is wanting to start to move around, but just isnt quite strong enough yet. Still no poop, but we are hoping that it comes by next thursday.
I also give him this stuff into his mouth and kind encourage him to swallow it. Then, I have a metal tube that I stick down his throat till I feel a little pressure - I pull back slightly and then start to administer the food (a mixture of powdered protein and green supplements mixed with baby food carrots and water. I give him between 6-12 of the food a day. At this point I am not sure how long I tube feed him, but at least once a day till he starts to be strong enough to eat on his own again. The Vet is calling me tomorrow to make sure I am not having issues giving the shots, meds and food and then we check in again on Thursday to see how it is all going. I warm water soak him at least once a day for 30 min and give him 1 to 2 hours total outside sunshine. He looks SO much better, but still isn't moving around. He keeps his head inside his shell for the most part right now, but is moving it and his legs around more. I can tell he is wanting to start to move around, but just isnt quite strong enough yet. Still no poop, but we are hoping that it comes by next thursday.
will he eat on his own at all? did the vet say to try?
Powdered protein?
Ask about liquid calcium you can mix with the food and not have to give him injections.. ouch...
Powdered protein?
Ask about liquid calcium you can mix with the food and not have to give him injections.. ouch...
:aura, I think yo posted on my other post for his enclosure. I am tying to learn this site and know where to post different things I am not sure yet on the liquid calcium, but he is still too weak to eat on his own. I assume this is why I am still giving injections. I can tell he is "wanting" to eat though, he will move his jowls (sp?) like he wants to eat, which the Vet told me was a great sign, but he cant "bite" down on food yet and get it into his lil tummy. With some of the meds I am giving him, he can kinda gnaw the liquid into his mouth, which they said was great practice for him to get back to eating. So, he kinda sucks and works his jaw like he would if he were eating real food, but he just isn't there yet. I really hope that soon he will be SO GREAT!!! Morla is a champion! I just hate that it got to this point. I really wish there were more info out back when I got him... or that I was better at searching the internet when I got him. ALL of this could have been avoided had I just known really... really.. had I just known what I have learned in the last few days. I know I can't beat myself up, but I am also not an incapable person... HE is MY responsibility! This should NEVER have happened. Had I known even 2 months ago what I know now... his life would have been better SO much sooner. But I have to accept that I just didn't know. And I really DID do what I thought was right.... I just hope I can fix my mistakes and make him better, and also I really hope that that I can help some other sully mommies (and daddies) catch issues before hand. /rant over
I am not sure yet on the liquid calcium, but he is still too weak to eat on his own. I assume this is why I am still giving injections. I can tell he is "wanting" to eat though, he will move his jowls (sp?) like he wants to eat, which the Vet told me was a great sign, but he cant "bite" down on food yet and get it into his lil tummy. With some of the meds I am giving him, he can kinda gnaw the liquid into his mouth, which they said was great practice for him to get back to eating. So, he kinda sucks and works his jaw like he would if he were eating real food, but he just isn't there yet. I really hope that soon he will be SO GREAT!!! Morla is a champion! I just hate that it got to this point. I really wish there were more info out back when I got him... or that I was better at searching the internet when I got him. ALL of this could have been avoided had I just known really... really.. had I just known what I have learned in the last few days. I know I can't beat myself up, but I am also not an incapable person... HE is MY responsibility! This should NEVER have happened. Had I known even 2 months ago what I know now... his life would have been better SO much sooner. But I have to accept that I just didn't know. And I really DID do what I thought was right.... I just hope I can fix my mistakes and make him better, and also I really hope that that I can help some other sully mommies (and daddies) catch issues before hand. /rant overAhh, lots of typos earlier lol
well, YIPPY!!!!! I am AMAZED at how much better Morla has gotten in just the last hour! I took him outside on his towel and brought out some warm water for him to soak in. He immediately stuck his head out and started drinking! He also started moving around in the water dish! Not a ton of movement, and he isn't picking up his weight yet, but WOW, SO much improvement! When I took him out to sunbathe it looked like he wanted to eat, so I out out a lil spring mix to see if he wanted it. He sure did, but is still too weak to break the food up. Knowing he was hungry I made him tube feeding right up, gave him 11 ml and he kept trying to swallow and chew THIS IS WONDERFUL!! He is now curled back up in his shell, I assume napping, he just had a BIG hour!! WOOHOOO
well, YIPPY!!!!! I am AMAZED at how much better Morla has gotten in just the last hour! I took him outside on his towel and brought out some warm water for him to soak in. He immediately stuck his head out and started drinking! He also started moving around in the water dish! Not a ton of movement, and he isn't picking up his weight yet, but WOW, SO much improvement! When I took him out to sunbathe it looked like he wanted to eat, so I out out a lil spring mix to see if he wanted it. He sure did, but is still too weak to break the food up. Knowing he was hungry I made him tube feeding right up, gave him 11 ml and he kept trying to swallow and chew
THIS IS WONDERFUL!! He is now curled back up in his shell, I assume napping, he just had a BIG hour!! WOOHOOO
Since he was trying to eat, it might be a good idea to chop the spring mix up as tiny as you can and offer that to him.
Sun really does wonders for tortoises.
Sun really does wonders for tortoises.
he is really trying to eat now, but still not strong enough to actually break the food up. He also seems to get stuck in his shell cause his bottom jaw hangs open still. If I help him pull up his jaw he will stick his head out and try and eat, he DOES close his jaw when he is chewing and pretend eating, but it's like it gets stuck inside his shell or something - anyone ever seen that?
Well, he is doing much better. I am amazed by his daily and sometimes hourly improvements. I got these shots today while we were outside getting some Vit. D.
They are taken with my phone, so poor quality, but you get the picture:
Here is Morla checking out one of our chihuahuas Blue: At one point Morla had 4 chihuahuas around all around him... it was SO cute!
Well, he is doing much better. I am amazed by his daily and sometimes hourly improvements. I got these shots today while we were outside getting some Vit. D.
They are taken with my phone, so poor quality, but you get the picture
:
Here is Morla checking out one of our chihuahuas Blue: At one point Morla had 4 chihuahuas around all around him... it was SO cute!
Glad to hear he is trying to eat and all that natural uv will do him good!
I'm glad to hear he's doing better and better Kat. I'm also happy you found TFO in time!!
I dont know if I should push the solid food issue yet. I know he "wants" to eat, but he still hasn't pooped yet, and I am giving him ~12 ml of food via a feeding tube once a day. I will for sure as the vet though. He can't seem to get a good enough bite down on the food to get it into his mouth. BUT, he is now sticking his head out into the soaking water and taking little gulps of it!! I am thinking in the next few days he will probably be able to get into some solids! (if the bugger would just poop!)
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