Holly'sMom
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2016
- Messages
- 136
Awe I'm so sorry! I thought they were doing better ....
This is just a guess here, but I would say that the problem was probably more dehydration then diet. And just from what I've read with people with this experience, the damage was done before you ever got the little tortoises. You changed your practices as quickly as you learned about it. That's all anybody can ask. Keeping tortoises is a constant learning experience.
Did you feed any grocery store foods high in oxalates? Like endive, collard greens, luttice? That can cause bladder stones and that looks like the problem you had here.
Im knew also w tortoises so I'm not sure how much help this will be but I've noticed our little one gets finicky w eating too. I'll either get some fresh food set up (sometimes adding baby food like squash pumpkin&apple or carrots, clovers and dandelion leaves from outside, moistened small tortoise mazuri, or thin slices of pumpkin to the normal greens she's eating) then I'll take her outside for even 5mins. Bring her in and set her on the food and she may only takes few bites and walk away but 75% of the time she'll go to town. Also I noticed the lower my temps were the less she eats. My thermometers were saying it was 105F when the infrared thermometer says its 90F also I try to give a variety of different store bought and fresh bought/grown foods it seems like she would get bored w the same greens and grassland food like we wouldn't want to eat the same dinner everyday, so I feed them all on different days w different greens and grasses View attachment 186773
I will get one next year. still abit painful and unwilling to replace them. Will maybe aim for a 4 inched sulcata. Even at that size, might possibly develop prior circumstances. Sigh. Will just keep eyeing out for good local breeders. I can confirm that most breeders in Malaysia are irresponsible and import from overseas. It's not really legal here unless you apply for a license for your tort and even so you need it to be from a verified licensed breeder. Which is hard to come by.It is weird when we have done everything right but the problem is still exist. That bladder stone shock me. How come?
Maybe the breeder should be put into questions.
However, i think you should start researching about nutrition facts about each every veggie you gave. When you sort it all out and have a balance one, try adopt one or two. And share it with us.
I like your passion, like your effort, and will always support you.
This is another problem. If they are irresponsible, i think you should get one with 3inches. 4 inches will be too long in the breeder hand and the tort maybe already accummulate (is it the right spelling?) Some possible illness.I will get one next year. still abit painful and unwilling to replace them. Will maybe aim for a 4 inched sulcata. Even at that size, might possibly develop prior circumstances. Sigh. Will just keep eyeing out for good local breeders. I can confirm that most breeders in Malaysia are irresponsible and import from overseas. It's not really legal here unless you apply for a license for your tort and even so you need it to be from a verified licensed breeder. Which is hard to come by.
I am a strong believer in orchid bark fine soil by Black Gold. I have it 2-3 in deep and my Sully loves to burrow in it.UPDATE:
Got her to the vet. Doc found abscess in her mouth. Which is why her mouth is hung open. Was prescribed with saline to flush and antibiotics for the infection. Hope she survives
Doc also suspects the cypress mulch might be mixed into her food as she likes walking all over them, causing the infection. Wondering whether i should transfer to newspaper sheets as bedding for the time being. Any comments?
Kale, Bok Choy and collard greens are no good tortoise food for every day feeding. They are all much too high in goitrogens and oxal acid. Please read here:I give kale, bok choy, pumpkin and collard greens (every once in awhile) but staple would be primary kale and bok choy. I do try adding Mazuri but this little fighter keeps scraping em out and picks the veggies with less Mazuri mixed on it. I usually soak them till they are in a disgusting texture, chop the leaves finely and mix well. Another local breeder/seller suggested to blend Mazuri into a powder form and sprinkle onto the veges (which I didn't have the opportunity to try )
She did deposit urates when I had her until suddenly she stopped and I suspected the stone got too big. I do provide a water dish which I check almost every 3 hours to refill with filtered water. And not to forget the 2 soaks I do every single day. Also, I will mist her enclosure to keep humidity at atleast 80%. So it really frustrates me what could've gone wrong and that I've murdered 2 innocent baby sulcatas