New to the site :)

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Yvonne G

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Hi nharr2:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

Baby tortoises get soft usually because they aren't getting the calcium and vitamin d they need for strong bones and shells. Calcium doesn't work alone...it needs to be combined with vitamin d in order to work. Vitamin d comes either from the sun, from supplements or from an expensive UVB lightbulb.

Because your baby is soft, I would be hesitant to try messing with opening his mouth. You might break something. See if you can buy some liquid calcium. Using a bowl with high sides but a small foot print, take a jar of Gerber strained carrots and add enough warm water to make it come up to the middle of his sides. Not too deep. Add some liquid calcium to the mixture. If he doesn't drink, its ok, because they will absorb some of the nutrients through the thin skin under the throat and around the cloaca.

If you think you can open the mouth without causing any damage, you can try using a flat tooth pick, the broad end. Try to slip it between the top and lower beak and see if you can open that way. Then, having a dropper of liquid calcium handy, drop a few drops towards the back of the mouth. But then he'll need the sunshine for a bit every day to make it work.

Good luck with your baby. (the other tortoise needs the calcium/vitamin D too)
 

nharr2

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Thanks everyone for all the advice!!! I am Nicki and I live in Illinois. I have been soaking my Leo and I found if I put just a spoonful of baby food he will still drink the water! He has perked up a little and I have been feeding him only squash with some reptocal powder that has vitamins and D3 along with making sure he soaks 30 minutes. The only weird thing is the Leo keeps opening his mouth to eat but he does it in the air almost like he doesnt see the food. It does make it easier though for me to put a little piece in his mouth ;) I also gave my Sulcata a baby food soak and put the powder on his romain/squash mixture. I know my little Leo is far from being "healthy" but I have a little more hope that he may pull through! I keep hearing torts need a variety of food... does that mean feed them something different each day or mixing a variety of food together for each meal? Also I am curious how many times a day everyone feeds theirs? I usually give them a soak then refil their dishes but I dont ever let their dishes go empty.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Nicki:

Sometimes when you see an open mouth, it means the tortoise is gasping for breath. It may have a respiratory infection.
 

nharr2

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Oh wow, I did not know that. Does it matter that the leo only does it when there is food in front of him?
 

wrmitchell22

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How are your babies doing? I hope your little leo is getting better! keep him warm and hydrated, I have heard great things about the baby food soaks. Good luck and welcome to TFO
 

nharr2

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Doing better! I took them outside for an hr yesterday and they walked all over in the grass and even ate some! Which really shocked me since I havent fed them grass/clovers before. I picked up the nighttime bulb and I read somewhere on this site 12 hrs of basking bulb and 12 hrs of night time bulb.. does anyone know for sure?
 

relaxkuma123

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I turned on uvb and infared lamp daytime 12 hrs a day.
Nighttime is not necessary if temperature not below 70F.
 
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