Seeking Advice

[KileyReagan]

I am sad to announce that my baby sulcata has passed. I had been out running errands earlier only to come home to find the poor thing dead. Yesterday it had flipped himself over and another member of my family had found him that way. I do not know how long it was like that nor do I know where it had flipped in the cage as it was already upright when I came home to check on it. Immediately when I checked on em when I arrived home yesterday I knew something was off. I had called our local exotic vet and they said (along with several other family members) that it would be just fine. Throughout the rest of the day I had been hinting at still wanting to get em seen by a vet and was convinced that he would be alright. After he was flipped back over he was very lethargic and would rest him head on the substrate. I had bought the little guy from a vender at Repticon on saturday, seeing as I was knew to owning a tortoise I really didnt know what was "normal" for a sulcata (although I did heavy research), I dont know if I had bought him sick or if he possibly got (and died from) anoxia when he flipped.

 

[Jodie]

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[Tom]

There is no way for us to know, but all babies flip and they don't die. I've raised hundreds of sulcata babies and none have ever died from anything and certainly not from flipping. And I don't have time to sit and watch them all day either.

I suspect your baby night have had other issues.

Here are a couple of possibilities to consider. The world is full of misinformation on the needs of this common species, so read on and see if you see the problem.
1. You might have had the wrong temps, UV bulb, substrate or any other host of potential problems based on what you were told.
2. The breeder most likely started the tortoise too dry. I say this because, sadly, most people still incorrectly believe that this is a desert species. It is not. Its a grass land species and they hatch at the start of the monsoon season when its rainy, humid and there are puddles and green growing food everywhere.

Read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[lismar79]

So sorry

 

[cassieopia]

So sad to hear. I am sorry for your loss. Blessed Be.

 

[4jean]

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I am very sorry to hear about your poor baby.
So sad when this happens.

 

[teresaf]

So sad. This forum has helped me raise my new tort babies and they have more than doubled their weight and going strong in the few months that I've had them. If you follow @Tom advice by reading and closely following the info on the care sheets he directed you to then your next experience wll be much nicer. You also may just want to start with an older sulcata since the babies are a bit fragile?

 

[dmmj]

They often are fine after being flipped, no way to really know what he died from. Sadly they do die from being flipped over, then quickly getting righted by someone(with good intentions)

 

[DawnH]

I am so sorry for your loss.