8mo. Sulcata Tortoise Seems Sick :-(

[NycFlip22]

I bought a Sulcata for my girlfriend. I live with her during the school year and we've had him for a month.
I bought him from someone from another forum that "rescued" him from a friend.

Setup:
-Glass Enclosure
-82-85 on the hot side, 75 on the cooler side
-UTH w/thermostat
-Humidity is about 60 or so.
-Overhead UVB light which is on during the day for about 12hrs.
-Eco Earth substrate with some rocks.

She soaks him in warm water once a day for 20mins.
We've been trying to convert him to eat Burmuda grass so we mix it with Romaine lettuce, and used to feed a little watermelon. She sprinkles some calcium on it.

*
First thing I noticed when I received it:
He had trouble opening his left eye. We soaked him 1-2 times a day and it got back to normal.
He was a little sluggish which was probably from the trip, but then he got a little more active and ate more after 2 days or so.
Sometimes he would rub his left eye the first few days. Then the second week my girlfriend said something like a piece of skin grew over it until he rubbed it off. It was better for a few days. And now my girlfriend is telling me he wont open his eyes unless she soaks him or unless she puts a drop of warm water over his eyes if hes walking with his eyes closed. He would then rub his eyes and open them a little.

The shell still didn't harden even after the calcium being sprinkled on the food. He move around much. He hasn't eaten about 3 days ago. And there seems to be something wrong with his eyes.
She only said that when she soaks him it seems as if his shell gets softer.

IDK what could be wrong because I thought I setup everything perfectly and she does everything that she is supposed to.


Heres a pic I posted before. This was when I first got him. Visibly looks fine. The other pics I didn't upload.

	Ultra Violet Radiation B Ultra Violet Radiation B

[Johnny Utah]

Good luck man. I don't know much about turtles, other than to ask Adrya.

[TimOsborne]

ok.. I am not 100% about sulcatas.. but I know w/ the rain forrest species like red foots and yellow foots closing their eyes is usually a dehydration thing. Get a 6.5 qt rubbermaid tub or something similar - cut the side out of it big enough to allow the tort to get in and out easily.. fill it with damp sphaghnum moss. Put the lid back on, and then partially bury it.. it will double as a den/humid hide and that should help his eyes.. if it is dehydration.. it is important to fix it quickly - and once it is rehydrated it will start eating again. I would sit the humid box on the hot side of the cage, and sit the tort right in front of it.. odds are it will go into the box.

They aren't a "go all day" type animal and enjoy being lazy and napping.. but it should fix the eye issues and get it eating. Also, if you have access to a nice yard, a run in the grass would be enjoyed I am sure.
My guys love dandolion greens if you can find some.. they also love the muzuri tortoise diet (now mine aren't sulcatas... but it won't hurt them and it is worth a try - If you can't find the muzuri, send me a PM and I will send a bit, no bigger then it is right now, a little will go a very long way).

Also, get it switched to mostly grasses and fescues as soon as you can, I do know that sulcatas should be eating about 75% grass and fescue.

[TimOsborne]

I just found some information on another site that confirms the eye thing and not eating is often signs of dehydration w/ sulcatas as well. The article also mentioned that soft shells are sometimes signs of dehydration too. It can cause kidney problems if it doesn't get treated asap.. and will result in death pretty quick.. If things don't turn around in a hurry after you add the moss box, get it to an exotic vet (wouldn't hurt to make the trip anyway).

[TimOsborne]

found this for you too..

goodluck!

Sulcata Station - About Hatchling Failure Syndrome (Chronic Dehydration)

[NycFlip22]

Originally Posted by TimOsborne

ok.. I am not 100% about sulcatas.. but I know w/ the rain forrest species like red foots and yellow foots closing their eyes is usually a dehydration thing. Get a 6.5 qt rubbermaid tub or something similar - cut the side out of it big enough to allow the tort to get in and out easily.. fill it with damp sphaghnum moss. Put the lid back on, and then partially bury it.. it will double as a den/humid hide and that should help his eyes.. if it is dehydration.. it is important to fix it quickly - and once it is rehydrated it will start eating again. I would sit the humid box on the hot side of the cage, and sit the tort right in front of it.. odds are it will go into the box.

They aren't a "go all day" type animal and enjoy being lazy and napping.. but it should fix the eye issues and get it eating. Also, if you have access to a nice yard, a run in the grass would be enjoyed I am sure.
My guys love dandolion greens if you can find some.. they also love the muzuri tortoise diet (now mine aren't sulcatas... but it won't hurt them and it is worth a try - If you can't find the muzuri, send me a PM and I will send a bit, no bigger then it is right now, a little will go a very long way).

Also, get it switched to mostly grasses and fescues as soon as you can, I do know that sulcatas should be eating about 75% grass and fescue.

Thank you..

That is what I thought before. The laziness/eye problem= dehydration. That is why I made sure my girlfriend misted the substrate often and have her soak him for 20mins a day and maybe even twice a day...and thats not enough?
Because I do remember reading that a moist hide will help combat dehydration but I've never tried that before.


I had some dandelions at my apartment, but never got around to ask if they were sprayed with pesticides.


**
My friend also recommended muzuri diet. He has many sulcatas and said he gives them romaine lettuce and the muzuri diet which I would assume contains the grass/fescue.

Since he's young and his 1st owner feed him all lettuce, its a little hard to convert him so I'm trying to add less and less lettuce by the week and trying to get him to eat mostly the burmuda grass.

The diet should eventually consist of 75% grass/fescue and 25% edible weeds, flowers, etc.

**
I will def use the moss and put it in his hide. Thanks again.

[TimOsborne]

Originally Posted by NycFlip22

Thank you..

That is what I thought before. The laziness/eye problem= dehydration. That is why I made sure my girlfriend misted the substrate often and have her soak him for 20mins a day and maybe even twice a day...and thats not enough?
Because I do remember reading that a moist hide will help combat dehydration but I've never tried that before.


I had some dandelions at my apartment, but never got around to ask if they were sprayed with pesticides.


**
My friend also recommended muzuri diet. He has many sulcatas and said he gives them romaine lettuce and the muzuri diet which I would assume contains the grass/fescue.

Since he's young and his 1st owner feed him all lettuce, its a little hard to convert him so I'm trying to add less and less lettuce by the week and trying to get him to eat mostly the burmuda grass.

The diet should eventually consist of 75% grass/fescue and 25% edible weeds, flowers, etc.

**
I will def use the moss and put it in his hide. Thanks again.

One more thing that just occured to me.. the coco coir stuff is great for humidity when it is damp/wet.. but will actually wick moisture from the tank if it is allowed to dry. If you are going to use that as substrate.. keep in damp all the time.

[NycFlip22]

Thanks a lot for the links.

Like mentioned, I read about it on the kingsnake forums and sulcatastation about dehydration being a common problem for young sulcatas and I guess that might be the main issue.

I guess it was my fault because I thought I kept him hydrated. I just hope the moss would bring up the humidity even more because the eco earth has helped a lot with the humidity for my bci.

I think I will also soak him twice a day instead of once.

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[NycFlip22]

Originally Posted by TimOsborne

One more thing that just occured to me.. the coco coir stuff is great for humidity when it is damp/wet.. but will actually wick moisture from the tank if it is allowed to dry. If you are going to use that as substrate.. keep in damp all the time.

Yeap, I'm going to moisten it more often.

I think I was scared of something I read. It said that a tortoise can catch pneumonia if the substrate is damp and the temp is cold.
My sulcata spends equal time at the hot and colder side (75 degrees) at times and was worried that at night the cold side would drop to 70 or so and didn't want him getting sick.

[TimOsborne]

yeah that is true.. but as long as you don't let it get below 65 or so and stay there, it will be fine. Make sure it has a warm spot to get to and you some flat rocks or something if it wants off the damp substrate... at that age though, they will dehydrate quickly..