URGENT: Help for soft shell

[randy]

I didn't see this coming and feel real horrible. Only had her for 4 days and all the time of picking her up never realized her shell was so soft. What do I need to do quickly, don't want to loose her!!! With all she's been through, I'm afraid I have been her down fall. I know that soft shell is real bad and as horrible as I feel about this, what can I do quickly to help remedy this, I can get some calcium powder and cuddlebone today but will this work or help her quick enough?, would soaking her in warm water with calcium powder help quicker? I also sent Austin a quick message. Like I said I really screwed up here and would hate for her to die because of this. Thanks for all the help, besides this she is doing great.

 

[Yvonne G]

Just to refresh everyone's memory, this is the little sulcata that was shipped overnight, but lost for a few days in the mail.

Randy:

Just calm down and take a deep breath. Little hatchling tortoises have soft shells. Don't be so upset. Is the baby eating and acting normal otherwise? Just sprinkle a tiny bit of calcium powder over the food and make sure he either gets vitamin D3 from the real sun, or from a brand, new expensive uvb light. Calcium doesn't work without the sun.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Just PM'd him. Yes Randy, perfectly normal for a baby Sulcata to have a soft shell. They harden as they grow with calcium and UV rays. Thanks Yvonne!

 

[randy]

Thanks to both of you, Sorry it just freaked me out when I felt her shell this morning, it has felt soft ever since I've had her but today after reading yesterday about soft shell syndrome it just freaked the heck out of me. I guess I should have thought about this since she is only a few weeks old, just didn't want my negligance to be the cause of this. Will continue to take her out in the sun as much as possible, she's been out for about 35 minutes, the girls watch her real close and protect her better than I could being girls that is. Will buy some cuddlefish today and break it up and leave it around her home. Thanks again, feel kind of imbarrassed for freaking out so much.

 

[MORTYtheTORTY]

lol Randy...my 2 from the same clutch are still soft and one of them eat the cuttlebone but the other doesn't...I hope the other takes que's from the Big one. It's good to buy it in bulk and leave pieces around the cage since they know when they need it most. As soon as they arrived the big one was munching at it for a while. I crush it into their food for the little one if I don't see him eating it.

 

[dmmj]

The only time you have to worry is when they are harder and then their shells go soft. It can take months or longer for the shells to harden completely. As long as they get plenty of calcium and sunshine everything should be ok.

 

[randy]

Just got home this afternoon, bought a large cuttlebone at walmart in the bird section and broke off and put into the tank. She is fast asleep so I won't bother her. Ya, I remember when my 12 yr. old daughter was born and had a cone head, I freaked out and was afraid that she had some horrible problem, thing is being in the Medical Field (xray technician) you would think that I would have realized that this is normal especially since my wife pushed for a good 2-3 hours. Have to admit I'm a worry wort kind of person, shouldn't be but when things are not what I think they should even if it is normal it can really freak me out sometimes.

 

[randy]

The cuttlebone seems to be a good choice, my wife has seen her naw at the cuttlebone at least once, so I'm very glad for this, hopefully she will continually like it.

 

[DanaLachney]

I heard that the back is supposed to be removed from the cuttlebone is that true?

 

[randy]

I heard that the back is supposed to be removed from the cuttlebone is that true?

I haven't any idea, good question, maybe someone else may help?

 

[dmmj]

You want to remove the backing it serves no purpose to tortoises.

 

[randy]

You want to remove the backing it serves no purpose to tortoises.

Stupid question which is the backing, and since I left it on would it hurt the tortoise?

 

[dmmj]

The backing usually looks like a piece of metal or plastic sometimes colored to match the cuttle bone, it won't really hurt them per se, just avoid it.