Sick Sully

[Chupaflor]

Hello all. You have been a great help in the past in advise on my Sulcata. Unfortunately I am not here with good news.

I am trying to figure out the lethargy in my little guy. We got him in October and they said he was about 2 months old at the time. He started off great, tons of energy all the time.

The past month has not been good for him. He started getting lethargic. We took him to the local respected reptile vet and they gave him a dose of de-wormer, said he looked well hydrated and that his eyes were clear.

Since then his belly has not gotten even harder, still very soft. I soak him daily.

Here are the details:

-160Watt UVB lamp (solarglo - it is not a coiled bulb.)
- 25Watt red heat lamp (not a coiled bulb)
- 90 degree basking spot
- 2 Hides, one on cooler side and one on warmer side
- Eats greens (dandelion greens, mixed greens etc.)
- Calcium supplement on greens every other day
- Coconut coir Eco Earth substrate
- Water dish

I've read a ton of these other threads and im terrified that it is all too late and that I have killed my baby. I don't know what I have done wrong, but I hope to fix it. I second guess everything I do, saying "maybe I should move the lights around, feed something different, etc."

He used to have Cypress mulch bedding, but we switched it out this past weekend to the eco earth. At first I was like this is it! Hes back! Becuase he was so energetic that first night. Now its back to his tired self.

Maybe he is not getting enough humidity? I don't know how to keep the humidity up, or if that is the issue.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Tom]

1. I would not use a red bulb day or night.
2. What are you doing for night heat besides a 25 watt bulb, and what is the over night low?
3. 90 is on the cool side for a basking area. Closer to 100 suits baby sulcatas better.
4. How often do you soak?
5. What does the tortoise weigh?
6. How was this baby started before you got it? At the breeders? Substrate? Soaking routine? Humidity? Etc...

 

[Chupaflor]

Hi Tom, we don't have anything for night heat. Thats why we got the red bulb to leave on and keep temps up at night. It is downright FRIGID here in upper OH, so I always was worrying about night temps. Do you have other suggestions?

I soak every day. When I put him in the water he starts backing up and keeps his eyes closed, seems grumpy that he is in the water. I always make sure it's not too hot, but I dont know.

He weighs 50 grams , or about 1.75 oz.

He was at a pet store. It was a small cage they had and he was with a few other baby sulcatas and some other breed of tortoises, I dont remember the kind.

 

[Tom]

"Breeder Failure Syndrome" babies almost always stall at 50 grams for some reason. THat you bought it at a pet store makes it very likely that this is your issue: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
Sorry to bear bad news, but better that you know, isn't it?

Read this one too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Cold night temps can be deadly for a baby sulcata. You need to know your temperature and take steps to keep it warm enough. A 25 watt red bulb is not a good solution. You need a ceramic heating element, a thermostat to control it, and a thermometer to check your settings with.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Chupaflor, sorry to hear that your sully is not doing well. I'm sure others will chime in here as well, but from the sound pf things it's your temperatures, coupled with your lighting that are contributing to your tort's decline. Not good or recommended to have light on 24/7; red heat lamp bulb at night not recommended; What are your temps? Type of enclosure? Fully enclosed or not?
A Ceramic Heat Element coupled with a thermostat is what u need to provide the overall heat; then other UVA/UVB bulbs for "sunlight" some use mercury vapor bulbs for light/daytime heat. Temperature for basking? In the hide? Etc.

Check out the sully care sheet, it has all of this explained pretty well.

Good luck, now go check those temps!

 

[smarch]

I'm not going to jump in the red light is bad train because its already been said, and i'm someone who uses one for nights in the winter because here in MA its also frigid, even in the house overnight where he stays. If anything about that red light concerns me its the fact that its only 25 watts, mine is 100watts for an enclosure on the smaller side and keeps my temps low 70s (but I have a Russian) I think the 25 may be an ineffective heat solution and perhaps the night temps are too cold and making sickness? knowing night temps will be important for that.

 

[Chupaflor]

Hello, I do have multiple thermometers around his enclosure. We have a digital thermometer that measures basking temp, and two others, one on each side of the cage. His enclosure without a red bulb at night gets down to about 70 degrees.

The basking temp is 90+ degrees, and the rest of the enclosure is in the high 80's.

What would be a good ceramic heat element and where to obtain? I haven't seen anything like that around here, but obviously I am not looking at the right things. I will get one ASAP and nix the red bulb.

 

[Chupaflor]

I will have to check the night temps again. What is the recommended night heat temp?

 

[Tom]

I will have to check the night temps again. What is the recommended night heat temp?

For a baby sulcata, I would not let the temperature anywhere in the enclosure drop below 80 day or night.

Its all in here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Chupaflor]

Thanks everyone. I will pick up a ceramic heating element this evening and get rid of the red bulb. I will be sure it does not fall below 80 day or night. Tom, do you think that it is too late if it is breeder syndrome? I think the only thing i've ever purchased from a pet store was fish. I've always been leary of pet store animals. I just want to do my best for him.