sulcata sick?

[jonny G]

hey guys,im really new to this forum. Ive kept reptiles for the past 10 years, i consider myself an enthusiast. i breed snakes but i also love turtles and tortoises. i recently went to a reptile expo and found some baby sulcata tortoises, Ive been wanting one and did a lot of research so i decided to get one, well i ended up getting 2. i know how to buy reptiles and what to look for but i felt bad for them, they were in a plastic container with a hot hands pack. they had their eyes closed and weren't moving to much, i assumed it was because its winter here and it was a little cold in their. i took them home warmed them up and soaked them a few times over the next few days. they became more active and began to eat a little but they still sleep most of the time and they don't eat as much a i feel they should. they have their eyes closed a lot and when they are open they are sunken in a little, their is no discharge. they are just very lazy and don't seem so well. i have a humid hid for them i figured it might help their eyes, and they love it spending most of the time in it, i take them out and have them bask when i can. they are eating greens and timothy hay. i still soak them 2 or 3 times a day for about 15-20 min. they seem a bit better but not a lot. they also haven't pooped since i got them 4 days ago. what do you guys think?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! I'm sorry to tell you but sulcatas are territorial animals and they like there own space, pairs don't work well its best to separate them.
sulcata babies don't eat hay, most of there diet should be fresh grasses and nontoxic weeds. it will take a while for them to settle down in there new enclosure and they will probably hide a lot. are you using a coil bulb? whats the enclosure temps, torts get sick when the temps get to low? whats the cage humidity? are you following toms care sheet?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

also enclosure and tort pics will help.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Hello and Welcome! It takes a while for them to adjust to a new environment, I would just keep watch but it should improve over time.

When they start to mature, be careful, they get territorial. You may end up having to separate them.

 

[jonny G]

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the tank is at about 80, basking at 100, cool side humid hide is 75 and at about 80% humidity, the rest is about 40%, also im using at 125w mercury vapor bulb

 

[wellington]

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Welcome to our forum. Share a little of yourself and what you think is wrong with your Sulcata's.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Careful of those rocks in the water dish, they could potentially eat them. My tortoise ate a few rocks in her day...I had to change her substrate.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

View attachment 118010 View attachment 118010 View attachment 118011 dView attachment 118012

the tank is at about 80, basking at 100, cool side humid hide is 75 and at about 80% humidity, the rest is about 40%, also im using at 125w mercury vapor bulb

replace the paper towel with coco coir, cypress much or orchard bark, the enclosure needs moist substrate. the enclosure size is way to small for even 1 sulcata make the biggest enclosure that you can. also the water dish is too steep its a flip hazard.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Welcome to our forum. Share a little of yourself and what you think is wrong with your Sulcata's.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-sick.112038/#post-1040366 he made a thread here on the sulcatas.

 

[jonny G]

i just read toms caresheet. i will be moving them to a bigger enclosure with some more damp substrate. i will still be using the same heat lamp. they are doing better than the first day, i just want to make sure they do well. they just seemed very weak when i fist got them and they still seem a tad weak, definitely stronger than before though. im worried that they havent pooped yet.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. These should help answer your questions.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum, Jonny. If you follow Tom's guide for raising a sulcata you will have a beautiful, healthy tortoise or two. I am sure you know that as a hatchlings their care is critical. As soon as possible get them into a habitat that is large enough for them to roam, allows them to thermo-regulate their core temp, and gives them a place to hide. Having a warm and humid environment is just what they need. When they can do all this they will eat and poop, and grow very quickly. To get the set up right you will need a good thermometer/hygrometer. A Temp gun is also a good thing to have to check surface temps at various locations in their habitat. Looking forward to seeing lots of pictures.

 

[Jodie]

Welcome to the forum. Best of luck to you. The care sheets are great. Ask any questions you have as you get things set up.

 

[jonny G]

 

[jonny G]

so i changed things a little. ill move them to a bigger cage i build in the next month or so. the little guy on the right in the pics is the active one, he is doing well the other one in the hide is still lethargic and doesn't eat as much. also the active one is kinda picky with his food. i have a mix of baby kale, baby arugula, and collard greens as well as some wheat grass mixed in. he doesn't always seem to want it though he will eventually eat some though, if i hold it for him he will come to check it out and smell it but then he walks away. he also likes to nibble on the hay, and some of the tortoise food i have in the bowl for them

 

[Jodie]

This is looking a lot better. The water dish looks too deep maybe just the pic. They should be able to climb in n out easy. Sink it down in the substrate. You should plan on seperate enclosures when you upgrade. It is very likely the lethargic one is being dominated by the other. He will suffer if kept together. Pairs almost never workout.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Jonny, and welcome to the Forum!!

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you no allow your babies to get cold. Do not allow the habitat to get below 80F degrees while they are babies.

It has been my experience that keeping baby tortoises together is ok for the first little while...maybe a few months, but after that you will start to see dominance issues. One will be stronger and one weaker. or submissive. Eventually the more submissive tortoise will stop growing, stay hiding, stop eating and eventually become sick. So be watchful for this and have another habitat in mind for when (not if) that happens.