New Sulcata Tortise Owner in N. California

[Chantel]

I put her in a shoebox lined with paper, inside her tank. I will maintain at 80%+ humidity and put her in the middle so she will stay at 90degrees. She will be soaked and triple antibiotic ointment will be put on her belly button. I hate stressing her so much. I covered half the box with paper to act more like a hiding spot. A water dish will be hard to fit. Will daily soaks due until her umbilical scar closes? She is eating fresh grass right now.

 

[Tom]

I put her in a shoebox lined with paper, inside her tank. I will maintain at 80%+ humidity and put her in the middle so she will stay at 90degrees. She will be soaked and triple antibiotic ointment will be put on her belly button. I hate stressing her so much. I covered half the box with paper to act more like a hiding spot. A water dish will be hard to fit. Will daily soaks due until her umbilical scar closes? She is eating fresh grass right now.

A few things:
1. Get a clear shoe box. Red makes things look funny. Drill or punch a few SMALL holes in it around the top, but not on the lid, and keep the lid on it. Remember there is not a lot of airflow down in their nest chambers.
2. I would use lightly dampened paper towels or cloth towels for substrate. Use plain white with no prints or designs on it. Change it daily during the soaks. Always have greens available, so they don't eat the towels.
3. Keep it warm, but not so close to the light source.
4. Daily soaks and no water bowl will be fine for one of this age in this sort of housing. My babies spend their first 10-15 days with no water bowl in shoe boxes like this. We are simulating the nest chamber here. No water in the nest chamber, but there are rain puddles when they eventually hatch and dig up and out. In fact, it is theorized that rain actually induces them to dig up and out of their nests.

 

[Chantel]

Ok, I have a clear one I will put her in on white paper towels. I will fold the edges down, as any edge she sees she tries to eat. Then I won't touch her again until tomorrow morning. Soak, more triple antibiotic and fresh food. I will add the holes and a lid tonight on the new box.

 

[Tom]

Ok, I have a clear one I will put her in on white paper towels. I will fold the edges down, as any edge she sees she tries to eat. Then I won't touch her again until tomorrow morning. Soak, more triple antibiotic and fresh food. I will add the holes and a lid tonight on the new box.

Sounds like a good plan.

Take another pic tomorrow and lets all learn from this experience. Hope your little baby makes a full recovery and you have many happy decades together. Tag me so I don' miss it.

 

[Chantel]

Good Morning! @Tom I have my morning update. Good news all around. Last night's temps stayed around 88 her Dozer's homemade hospital. Her humidity levels were 88-90% as well. You wouldn't believe my excitement this morning when I woke up to her first poop! She is active and happy.

Here is a pic inside her make shift hospital, complete with her first poop! I'm such a proud tortoise Momma!

And here is an image of her umbilical opening. It still looks a little dirty, so I will soak her more today and apply more triple antibiotic. But so far things are going well.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

It looks better already, though maybe that's my wishful thinking.
And you know you're a tortoise owner when you get so excited about pooping.

 

[Chantel]

LOL, Thanks Adam! It's true, I did get really excited! It might be my wishful thinking too. By tomorrow I expect it to look even better. I leave out of town on Thursday morning. I am not looking forward to leaving her in her makeshift hospital. I am sure my daughter and daughter-in-law will take good care of her and follow my detailed instructions. It still makes me nervous not seeing her everyday!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Ha, again I understand.
I leave tonight for a few days and will be worried to death until I get back, though I know wifey and my friend Zac will take perfectly good care of my Tidgy. Another thing to get used to as a tortoise parent.

 

[Chantel]

PS - She gained a gram since yesterday, even after a poop.

 

[Blakem]

Glad things are looking up! Welcome to the forum, you've fou d the right place. Everyone here is helpful, understanding, and patient. Just keep reading the sulcata threads and your baby will be up to par soon!

 

[Chantel]

Thank you Blake! I do enjoy it here. Dozer's appetite is increasing as well. I am very hopeful she will be OK as long as she continues these positive steps!

 

[keepergale]

hot and humid. The only way to go

 

[Tom]

Good Morning! @Tom I have my morning update. Good news all around. Last night's temps stayed around 88 her Dozer's homemade hospital. Her humidity levels were 88-90% as well. You wouldn't believe my excitement this morning when I woke up to her first poop! She is active and happy.

Here is a pic inside her make shift hospital, complete with her first poop! I'm such a proud tortoise Momma! View attachment 137604

And here is an image of her umbilical opening. It still looks a little dirty, so I will soak her more today and apply more triple antibiotic. But so far things are going well.

This all sounds and looks very good. Keeping them confined in a little tub at this stage of their life actually has a number of benefits. Since there is nothing to do but it and the food is right in their face, it really allows you to introduce the right foods at an early age. Do your best to offer lots of good different things during these few days of confinement especially. Since they learn what to eat, they are also learning that substrate isn't food. Many little babies just eat whatever their little snouts come into contact with. I've seen a lot of babies eating substrate, but my babies never do after a week or two of eating all sorts of grasses, weeds, leaves and greens in their little brooder boxes.

Good luck! And thanks for the update.

 

[Chantel]

Thank you Tom. She is an eating machine. She currently has a mixture of fescue, wheat grass, and spring mix. I have been studying plants so I am learning what I can feed her/him.

 

[Blakem]

You're in for a treat if it's and eating machine now!! I once read someone who had 3 twelve inch sulcatas that are 9 heads of lettuce, then continued to graze on grass.

 

[Tom]

You're in for a treat if it's and eating machine now!! I once read someone who had 3 twelve inch sulcatas that are 9 heads of lettuce, then continued to graze on grass.

Hey! That was me. I wanted to see if they would "fill up", so I just kept feeding them. I gave up before they filled up.

 

[Blakem]

Hey! That was me. I wanted to see if they would "fill up", so I just kept feeding them. I gave up before they filled up.

Sure was! I knew it was you, just didn't say your name. I've shared that story many times.

 

[Chantel]

Hey @Tom check this out! All healed up!!!

She weighed 32 grams this morning too. Up from 29 grams 3 days ago.

 

[AmandaJustice]

Such a little tiny cutie! Sam is like a horse compared to her (but a really cute horse).

I hear you on the excitement about the poo too. When Sam did his first I nearly did a backflip. I'm sure I would have had it not been well over 30 years since I was even remotely capable of performing one At this point he is eliminating so steadily that I'm almost missing those poo-free days...

... but not really, because this way I know he's eating well. I'm running part of my tortoise care like I did with my boys. I figured if they were messing up enough diapers they were certainly eating enough. I figure the same theory works with baby tortoises.

And pictures, oh dear, you should see my camera roll on my phone. I now have a near-daily "Tortoise Time" post on Facebook for my friends. Sam has fans. Hee!

 

[Tom]

Hey @Tom check this out! All healed up!!!

She weighed 32 grams this morning too. Up from 29 grams 3 days ago.

That right there is a thing of beauty! Amazing what the right conditions can do.

I would continue with the brooder box set up for another two or three days, at least.

Looking very very good.