Newbie and concerned momma

[YvetteAimee]

I have a baby tort. I'm a first time tort momma. I got it Thursday. Friday and Saturday I got it to eat some baby spinach (I've noticed bites in the remaining leaves) and I got a poop each day. And the poop is solid like a pellet. Not hard, but firm.

I've been doing soaks a few times a day and watching on a possible sinus infection. It had some watery stuff in its eyes Friday, and Saturday morning one eye was seemingly stuck shut. But the other wasn't as watery. It opened the closed eye after a soak and apparently ate and pooped.

I'm keeping the tank at 80 F as best I can. I got a temp gauge yesterday, turned the central air down so the house stays at 76 - 78 (everyone is mad LOL), and I also got a side mount heat pad to keep the heat up when it gets chilly. I have 2 bulbs above the tank. One is a normal heat bulb and the other is a bulb that is supposed to replicate sunlight? As for humidity, what is a good way to do that? A spray bottle? Just a misting on the sides of the tank or the substrate too.

I have yet to see the tort use the water dish or eat the tortoise food pellets. And it will eat some baby spinach IF it's finely chopped but I cannot tell how much it's eating. It snaps at the whole leaves but otherwise no bites. Can anyone tell me how much this baby should be eating?

Is it normal for a baby tort to nibble and sleep all day? It gets super active when it's outside in the sunshine. But not so much in it's tank. I even added paper to the sides and it has sort of relaxed enough to sleep anywhere and sort of buries itself in the coconut substrate.

I offered some boiled egg white and yolk today and it may have nibbled it, but now it's sleeping again in the corner with a few bits of spinach around it. Like crumbs. Does this sound normal?

I'm super concerned as this is my first tort. I had a turtle as a teen and it seemed easier to care for. I want this baby around for a long time so I'm desperate for help and advice.

 

[Jennica]

I am a first time momma too (3 weeks now) My little sully loves dandelions,clovers,romaine,grass,rose leaves and even hostas. I have read that the tortoise pellets arent really good for them and have never heard of anyone feeding them egg. Is your enclosure closed? Basking temp should be right around 100%. I keep humidity up with damp substrate and spangum moss. Since your tortoise is new to its enclosure it may take a little bit to get used to its new home. If its pooping though its getting some food. Good luck! Everyone on here is awesome and really truly wants to help.

 

[Kirin]

Did you read the care sheet for reds. I do not have a red i have a leopard and sulcata, but i do know it takes time for a new baby to settle down. so just read up and learn all you can and keep asking questions. someone will come along soon to answer you.

 

[mikeh]

Babys sleep/hide alot. If he is eating/pooping he is going ok. It sounds like you have an open table enclosure. It is important that NO draft from air-conditioning vent is reaching the table. Aircon draft will get the tortoise sick sooner or later. What is the humidity like inside the table? May we see photos of your set up.

 

[YvetteAimee]

 

[YvetteAimee]

I'm not currently using the heat pad on the side of the tank. I've been using water to spritz the side of the tank and the substrate and log. The tank is very empty at the moment. I'd like to add decor but I want it to be safe for the baby.

 

[wellington]

Be sure to wet the bottom layers with warm water for humidity, while keeping the top layer dry. RF are more prone to shell rot then some other higher humidity torts. As for the eyes, if you are using a coil type bulb, get rid of it, they have been known to cause eyeroblems. I have also read before that RF don't like it really bright, so be sure there isn't too much light going on. Also, the UVB going through that screen top is being diminished, cut holes for the UVB to go through in the too, or better for holding humidity is a little more of a solid top. Also, check out the tortoiselibrary.com for more great RF info. It's one of our members sites. Also, spinach is not a good food to feed torts and should never be a main diet. You need to add much more better things to his diet and be sure to soak him every day for 20-30 minutes in warm water, specially if he's not drinking on his own yet. Yes, babies do hide and sleep a lot. Adding some plants fake or safe alive ones will help him feel more comfortable with the add cover the plants give.

 

[mikeh]

Thanks for the photos. Too dry, too bare, too bright. The post above has many good points.

Forget for a second what you have seen or been told by a pet shop, instead picture how the animals lives in the wild, which is a perfect condition for the animal to thrive. Recreate it on miniature scale and your baby will thrive too.

Key words: Rainforest floor-moisture-humidity-warmth-plant canopy/shade/cover-water-leaf/forest litter.

Couple things to start with.
1) Soak the coconut husk in water. After its absorbed, squeeze it hard leaving it moist but not wet. This will help stabilize humidity a bit.
2) Turn the heat pad on and turn one of the lights off to reduce brightness.
3) DIGITAL humidistat and digital thermometer to monitor the environment inside the tank is a must.

 

[YvetteAimee]

I will do that asap. Which light is of more importance? The UV or the basking light? I will turn the other off. I will also get a humidity and temp therm. (digital) asap too. I have lots of plant life around me, is there anything other than dandelion greens that I could use for food until I can get to the store? I will be going in the am tomorrow. It ate today and is sleeping (again, no surprise) so I think I can make it until tomorrow.

 

[mikeh]

Leave the basking light on. Warmth is priority.
It sounds like UV light is coil or compact florescent. These are not recommended as they are known to damage to reptiles eyes. We can guide you for suitable UV light is best once you get thermometer/humidistat and report your reading. If you can bring the little one outside few times a week for half hour/hour at a time you may not need any UV light in summer months so no rush on that. (Just make sure he doesn't overheat in direct sun, always offer planty of shade)

 

[mikeh]

Dandalion, clover, broad and narrow plantain weeds, mulberry three leafs, grape vine leafs, saw thistle, milk thistle. Make sure the area is not treated with any kind of chemicals.

 

[YvetteAimee]

I removed the uv lamp and moistened the coconut substrate. The side heat pad is getting warm, but not hot. Dunno if that will change or the unit is no good. Temp is reading at 80 but it feels humid. I was taking it out each day for about 20 mins. And the outdoor temp has been around 75 - 80 here in Michigan. I usually sit with it and if I feel hot (top of my head) I decide to go it with it. I burn easy and figure it I'm getting uncomfortable it may be too. I'll be getting some in tank decor tomorrow. Any suggestions on what is safe for torts? And what temp is the best? Again, the non digital temp reads at 80 - 82?

 

[mikeh]

Here is an example of what safe ideal enclosure may look like. There are members who have some nice enclosures for baby red foots, hopefully some will share photos.

 

[mikeh]

20-30 minutes a day outside is fine. You may want to get a temperature infrared gun as well. This will allow you to monitor torts shell temperature in the sun, also indoors. Again forget about petstore and think Home Depot to get most tools. Everything will be cheaper. They sometimes have nice decorative moss. Great for hiding and moisture/humidity aid.

Now that humidity will be higher, cool side 80F (not lower), 90F Under basking light. For now use you heat matt for night heat. Place the hide against the heat pad wall with open side so heat gets in. Block the tortoise inside the hide for the night. (Heat pad should be very warm to touch but not HOT). Place your thermometer inside the hide and check reading in half hour. Adjust hide as needed.

 

[YvetteAimee]

Ok Lowe's or Home Depot it is. But I think the cost will be the same as the hubby will have a hay day LOL Thank you all so much. I hope this helps my little baby.

 

[YvetteAimee]

My husband I and switched the baby over to a Rubbermaid tote today. The long shallow kind. I'm keeping the lid weighted over the cooler side to retain humidity. I used sphagnum moss for substrate and moistened it with some warm water. It seems to be holding the moisture well. It's not wet, just moist. I also got some fake plant fixtures and some river pebbles. They're smooth. I also removed the small kidney shaped water dish and got a 6 in clay pot bottom for the tort to soak in. It's pushed in so it's ground level. We got a clip on shop light and it has a 75 watt bulb for a basking light. I positioned the light behind the log tunnel so the baby has a nice place to hide and is out of the light. I also added a digital therm and hygrometer. We noticed an imediate difference in the torts behavior. Very active and is trying to climb the rocks and plant fixtures. So far the temps have stayed near 82 and the hygrometer says 76 to 77. I fed the baby a chopped dandelion leaf today. It seemed to enjoy it and made a nice poop too. The one eye is still wanting to stick, but after a 15 min soak it was open. I'll do it again tonight and contact a vet if it worsens. I've heard that torts will stick their eyes shut on purpose. Can anyone confirm this? Also, can anyone tell me what the perfect temp and humidity level is so I can shoot for it? I can add pics later of the new set up, I had to go to work

 

[mikeh]

Lots of good changes and it shows.
I hope you offer more then one dandelion leaf. Offer food all day on the cool side of enclosure, it stays fresh longer and discourages biting the fake plants.
Humidity 80% and upward is ideal. Dipping down to 75% is fine. Misting shell couple times a day is good practice.
I have never heard of tortoises sticking eyes on purpose. He is active, eating, pooping. Sounds like he is doing just fine. Give the eye little time under new conditions.

80F on cool side. 82F is fine. 90F under basking light. Basking light off at night but ambient temp should remain at 75-80F.

Yes we would like to see photos of the new set up.

 

[YvetteAimee]

Ok sounds like I'm on the right track. I'll keep food in the cooler end from now on. So far it's like having a completely different tortoise. It sleeps off and on, but it's far more active. I was concerned that I'd have a dead tort on my hands at some point, but I'm feeling a little more confident that we're doing ok. We're discussing getting a tote just for it this coming weekend, something a little taller and something we can trap humidity in better. We caught our little guy or gal attempting to climb out. It was amusing, but we removed all the plants from the corners etc so it couldn't tip itself over. Thank you Mikeh

 

[mikeh]

A LARGE tote is a good choice, (many members use them for hatchlings) until your husband can built the tort a nice closed chamber

Obviously you dont want the tort be able to climb out, but hatchlings will flip from time to time climbing things. This is ok. Whats important is that it has things around to grab onto to correct itself. Places to absolutely avoid chances of flipping and not being able to correct itself rather quickly is water dish and under a heat light. These two areas should be set up so the tortoise simply can NOT flip in the first place. Flipping in these areas and not being able to correct itself is a certain death sentence.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't remember if anyone has mentioned about spinach in the previous posts. If so, you can disregard mine. Spinach binds calcium. Its ok to feed a little spinach, occasionally, but don't feed it every day or exclusively. Your baby needs all the calcium it can get and spinach grabs the calcium and takes it out into the digestive tract to be eliminated.