Re: must be paranoid!! leopard question

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Posted by Jamie S. on May 23, 2000 at 10:45:16:

In Reply to: Re: must be paranoid!! leopard question posted by Coralee on May 20, 2000 at 01:39:55:

I have little bit of a problem with this. I could see doing this if the tort hasn't eaten in a couple weeks or something, but only after a couple days is somewhat extreme. She just got the little guy, and I'm sure the move from it's old home to the new home and just being in a new environment will take a couple days to feel comfortable enough to eat. I would think sticking a big plastic syringe in it's face isn't going to help. If the little guy didn't move or just stayed clamped up all day I would say go for it.
I don't know, maybe it's just me.
I know this is old news now since it's eating now. Oh well.
Jamie S
: Hi Kelly!

: Don't wait for him to decide to eat.. do it for him!!!! Get a big plastic bird-feeding syringe, like those used for hand-feeding baby parrots (Pet Supplies Plus carries these, as do some vets). Find Zu-Preem Primate Diet somehow (it's also sold for birds in small quantities), or use one of the commercial dry tortoise formulas. Soak the dry chow in Pedialite (and if it's Primate Diet, just squeeze out the excess water). Mix this about 3:1 with baby food strained carrots and a few drops of bird or reptile liquid vitamins. For a tort weighing about a pound, use 30 cc or so of this mixture. Grab the tort's head and extend his neck all the way of of his shell.. with a thin tort, this is usually very easy. Using the syringe, which will have a handy-dandy long plastic neck, administer a few cc's at a time deep into the tort's throat. Wait until he swallow, give him more. For a tort weighing about a pound, about 25 -> 30 cc's is good.. it seems like a lot but they can hold it no problem. Do this twice a week, and ignore what you may hear about high protein content of tortoise chow.. worry about protein levels later, when your tort feels better. He's thin because he's been starved, and needs rapid nutrition. You'll know he's recovering (even if he hasn't started to eat on his own yet) when it gets incredibly difficult to pull his head out.

: As soon as you can, put him out on the lawn in full sun.. this brings them back to life very quickly, and usually even the very thick apathetic ones begin grazing a bit. If he's recently wild-caught, he's probably just had a harrowing trip from Africa, has spent a lot of time in a cold dark shipping box and has given up ever seeing the sun again.

: I've saved more than a few sad skinny leopards by force-feeding them this way.. they even show new growth without having voluntarily eaten a thing.

: Get him fat & strong this way, THEN worry about protein levels or correct diet.. and don't hesitate to see a good herp vet!! De-parasitizing is essential.

: GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW BOY!!! And don't worry about asking too many leopard questions.. I for one like knowing there are other folks out there that care about leopard tortoises.

: Regards... Coralee

: : ok, by now I'm sure your all sick of me posting things about my bad luck with leopards. My newest one hasn't eaten scince he arrived on saturday. I know its only been a few days, but I'm paranoid. I think I must be a natural Leopard tort. repellent! He looks at food, but won't eat. I have tried EVERYTHING...grasses, dandelions, Mazuri Tortoise Chow, various greens, grapes, ect. He does not appear to have any problems other than being light weight, which is why this concerns me. How long is too long? I plan on treating him for parasites once I get him eating. He is not weak, just thin. Any help would be appreciated.
: : Thanks, KElly
: : P.S. - No offense, please avoid asking if my temps are correct and if he has access to water, hydration, ect, ect. Everthing is as it should be. And no, no urine or fecal output has been noted yet either. :)

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: I have little bit of a problem with this. I could see doing this if the tort hasn't eaten in a couple weeks or something, but only after a couple days is somewhat extreme. She just got the little guy, and I'm sure the move from it's old home to the new home and just being in a new environment will take a couple days to feel comfortable enough to eat. I would think sticking a big plastic syringe in it's face isn't going to help. If the little guy didn't move or just stayed clamped up all day I would say go for it. : I don't know, maybe it's just me. : I know this is old news now since it's eating now. Oh well. : Jamie S : : Hi Kelly! : : Don't wait for him to decide to eat.. do it for him!!!! Get a big plastic bird-feeding syringe, like those used for hand-feeding baby parrots (Pet Supplies Plus carries these, as do some vets). Find Zu-Preem Primate Diet somehow (it's also sold for birds in small quantities), or use one of the commercial dry tortoise formulas. Soak the dry chow in Pedialite (and if it's Primate Diet, just squeeze out the excess water). Mix this about 3:1 with baby food strained carrots and a few drops of bird or reptile liquid vitamins. For a tort weighing about a pound, use 30 cc or so of this mixture. Grab the tort's head and extend his neck all the way of of his shell.. with a thin tort, this is usually very easy. Using the syringe, which will have a handy-dandy long plastic neck, administer a few cc's at a time deep into the tort's throat. Wait until he swallow, give him more. For a tort weighing about a pound, about 25 -> 30 cc's is good.. it seems like a lot but they can hold it no problem. Do this twice a week, and ignore what you may hear about high protein content of tortoise chow.. worry about protein levels later, when your tort feels better. He's thin because he's been starved, and needs rapid nutrition. You'll know he's recovering (even if he hasn't started to eat on his own yet) when it gets incredibly difficult to pull his head out. : : As soon as you can, put him out on the lawn in full sun.. this brings them back to life very quickly, and usually even the very thick apathetic ones begin grazing a bit. If he's recently wild-caught, he's probably just had a harrowing trip from Africa, has spent a lot of time in a cold dark shipping box and has given up ever seeing the sun again. : : I've saved more than a few sad skinny leopards by force-feeding them this way.. they even show new growth without having voluntarily eaten a thing. : : Get him fat & strong this way, THEN worry about protein levels or correct diet.. and don't hesitate to see a good herp vet!! De-parasitizing is essential. : : GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW BOY!!! And don't worry about asking too many leopard questions.. I for one like knowing there are other folks out there that care about leopard tortoises. : : Regards... Coralee : : : ok, by now I'm sure your all sick of me posting things about my bad luck with leopards. My newest one hasn't eaten scince he arrived on saturday. I know its only been a few days, but I'm paranoid. I think I must be a natural Leopard tort. repellent! He looks at food, but won't eat. I have tried EVERYTHING...grasses, dandelions, Mazuri Tortoise Chow, various greens, grapes, ect. He does not appear to have any problems other than being light weight, which is why this concerns me. How long is too long? I plan on treating him for parasites once I get him eating. He is not weak, just thin. Any help would be appreciated. : : : Thanks, KElly : : : P.S. - No offense, please avoid asking if my temps are correct and if he has access to water, hydration, ect, ect. Everthing is as it should be. And no, no urine or fecal output has been noted yet either. :)

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