Hello and welcome. Your tortoise looks extremely dry - do you normally soak him at all ? That would help make the problem more visible, for a start. Is he eating well ? I hope you will hear from some more knowledgeable members soon - meanwhile, best wishes
That looks like rodent damage. Where does your tortoise sleep at night?
Its usually not ground squirrels because they are active in the day and the tortoise will fight and defend itself during a warm day when the squirrels would also be active. This is usually the result of rats at night when the tortoise is cold and sleeping. They are eating your tortoise.
tortoiseforum.org
Ah -- just saw the link to the light box. Looking now.Its usually not ground squirrels because they are active in the day and the tortoise will fight and defend itself during a warm day when the squirrels would also be active. This is usually the result of rats at night when the tortoise is cold and sleeping. They are eating your tortoise.
Again, where does your tortoise sleep at night. If he is outside, it is much too cold. They need to be no lower than 80 degrees at night. A night box like this will keep your tortoise warm and also protect it from rodents and other predators at night. They also like to use the box to escape the heat on hot summer days and the cold on winter days.
Single Tortoise Night Box
I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...
What part of CA are you in. Very different advice for Big Bear vs. Palm Springs.
To treat that, I would do a one time Betadine scrub to disinfect it, and then spray it daily with some Veterycin for a few days.
For sure we'll do it, but for tonight we're going to have to do our best to keep them out. Urgh.
I would bring him inside and keep him in your bathtub. And you need to be sure the rats aren't nesting somewhere in your enclosure.
Time and good living conditions.
Months or years.
That is urates. It is a sign that your tortoise is dehydrated. You need to soak him daily for a couple of weeks for 40-60 minutes, and then cut it back to two or three times a week over the rest of the hot summer. You can also add opuntia, cucumber, lettuce, and water(sprayed on the food) to the diet to help with hydration. Humidifying the heated night box will also help to lose less water through respiration.
