Sulcata hatchling is sluggish

LittleIdDude

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Hi everyone! New tortoise mom here. I purchased a sulcata hatchling in November from a reptile show, and his name is Id (we have a 13 year old burmese python named Ego - no stranger to large pets.)

I wish I could report that the little guy is doing great, but he's not. I've been lurking on the forums for a long time in anticipation, and I think his housing situation is good. He's in a 75 gal aquarium that has been lined (on the inside) with contact paper, so it's not transparent or reflective. There is a lid on the enclosure, too. Coconut coir is 2" deep, and I keep it damp for humidity, which ranges from 70-90%. There's a ceramic bulb keeping one section at 100-110, a 60W basking bulb that keeps a section at 95ish (also has a reptisun 10.0 T8 overhead), and the "cool" side only gets down to 80 at night, when the basking bulb turns off. He has a hide at each end of the tank.

He's been eating endive/escarole, dandelion, hibiscus flowers, soaked Zoo Med grassland blend (though he won't touch it), cactus pad, and diced grass (also not a fan.) I started giving him carrot baby food, which he loves.

I started weighing him in December, and he's stayed a steady 40-42g the entire time. He dropped to 38 at one point, which triggered a vet appointment.

We took him to a reptile veterinarian, and he had both pinworms and flagellates. So we've been back three times to treat for those, as well as vitamin shots, and on this last visit, she prescribed tube-feeding (Oxbow fine). In his enclosure, he's lethargic, sleeps constantly, and will occasionally takes bites of his food, before falling asleep in place. When I take him out to soak (morning and evening) he wakes up a bit, and cruises around, and may eat a couple bites, before passing out again. He was having trouble opening his eyes, which was helped by the first vitain shot, but the second one (two weeks later) doesn't seem to be doing anything.

I just feel so bad for the little guy. I know it may be a case of "Hatchling Failure", as I'm starting to think the seller at the reptile show may not have been providing the best care. I thought I did my research and was prepared, but missed how much that bit of time can impact their life. The poor guy seems like he's just barely hanging on. Is there anything else I should be doing? I don't want to give up on him, but I feel like nothing is helping. :(
 

Yvonne G

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If I'm understanding correctly, I feel your enclosure is too hot. I keep my baby enclosures at 80-85F degrees all the time, day and night - no hot side, no cool side, no hot basking area - just 80-85F all over the whole enclosure.

I'm afraid of vitamin injections for tortoises. It's very easy to overdose the vitamin A, causing the tortoise's skin to slough off.

Do you soak the baby? You need to get him up every morning and place him in a bowl of warm water for about 20 or 30 minutes, while you prepare his food. Then after the soak, put him down in front of the food and get out of his sight.

What kind of lighting are you using?
 

LittleIdDude

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Hi Yvonne - I hear you're one of the experts! :) So I definitely appreciate any feedback you have! I'm willing to try anything at this point.

I think I explained all of this in my post. There's a 60W basking bulb over the 90 degree area (daytime only), a CHE (100W) over the 100 degree area (on all the time), and the last third of the tank has nothing overhead, and stays around 80. In between the two heat sources is a T8 Reptisun 10 with a reflector. He gets soaks morning and evening, for 15 minutes or so. We haven't had any issues with his skin - the vet opted for vitamin A injections because of his eye issues - she said low vit A can cause conjunctivitis. (I trust their knowledge, they have an adult sulcata at the practice.)

I'll try hooking the CHE to a thermostat and take it down to 85ish, and see if that makes a difference. Thank you!
 

Tony the Tort42

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I would not trust a vet who does vitamin injections. Were his eyes swollen? For the weight, try giving him more variety. Ive noticed my baby loves romain, kale, baby pea plants, lawn weeds, clover and grape leaves. I would try some of those, and sprinkle grass clippings on top. if i just give him some grass, he ignores it, but when put on leaves and other foods he likes, he tends to munch it. I believe this is called "salad style". Make sure he has a cuddle bone, and a water dish (terracatta plant dish) always in his cage, and try to give him a wide variety so you have more of a chance of getting him to eat. Im sorry things are going rough, I hope we can help.
 

LittleIdDude

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Thanks for your input, Tony! Yes, his eyes were swollen, and he doesn't like to open them unless he's been soaking.

I've been trying that salad style technique already - I even got a food processor, and make him salads that are fancier than anything I'd ever make for myself! He still prefers to just take little triangle-shaped chomps out of leaves of turnip greens. He has two terracotta dishes, one for food, one for water. I also have a piece of slate that I leave food on, too, so he can "graze" in different spots. I had a cuttle bone, but it just got icky when he stomped all over it, and now he has the tortoise block instead.

I've been lurking for a bit, and I think I've already tried all the tips/tricks, but I do appreciate any thoughts ya'll might have! :)
 

Tony the Tort42

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Well it sounds like your doing just fine. If he had parasites, I can see why he would be loosing weight, but are those cured? Torts can also loose one or two grams from water weight sometimes (mine varies from day to day, but hes generally in a path upward). How of what you feed gets munched? Could you show pictures? I would keep feeding him, medicate him if needed, and see if you can get him to perk up. Im new to tort keeping, so members like Tom and Yvonne can help much better than I can. My one tip would be to take him outside, give him some better UVB than what the lamps giving him.
 

Yvonne G

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Darn, that's so sad. I'm sorry for your loss.
 

Tony the Tort42

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Aw im really sorry. It sounds like you were doing fine, just got unlucky with who you got him from. If your still interested, and buy another, make sure to replace or bake the substrate and other things in the tank to remove the illness he had. Dont give up, im sure its happened to most people here at least once. Sorry for your loss.
 

Tom

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Little babies can't handle "vitamin injections". Sounds like a classic case of Breeder Failure Syndrome. Sorry.

If you try again and get one from a breeder that starts them correctly, you'll be amazed at the difference. I've got some incubating right now.
 

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