Re: is my baby sulcata going to die?!?! please help!

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Posted by Terry on June 04, 2000 at 12:44:03:

In Reply to: is my baby sulcata going to die?!?! please help! posted by gubugi on June 04, 2000 at 02:22:50:

Hi I will try to answer some of your questions.

>>>>>>: since i've brought it over to my place, it's diet has gone down drastically. it ate a few bites of lettuce for the first time today. it hardly opens it's eyes. actually it only opens one side. and it's not quite as active as all you describe yours to be. i called a local pet store here, who suggested that it was probably thinking that it's hibernating.>>>>>>>

Sulcatas DO NOT hibernate, your temperatures are way too high, this might very well be the reason the tortoise is not active. During the day you must have a heat gradient, differnt temperatures
around the enclosure. Under the basking lamp it should be 90 - 95 no higher ever. There should be a cooler area around 80, but there must also be a cooler end of the enclosure around 75 degrees. At 103 degrees all over your sulcata is overheated. Buy at least two thermometers to keep at both sides of the enclosure to monitor tempwratures. There MUST be a cooler side so the tortoise has a choice.
At night the temperature should be around 75 degrees.

>>>>>>>i did some other research on these guys and it says sulcatas don't hibernate. the eye problem they said was probably a result of a vitamin deficiency...>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Correct sulcatas don't hibernate, but the max out at high temperatures and become inactive, that's why you must provide a heat greadient.
What substrate are you using?
Ceder, and other types of wood chips/shavings can be toxic . The high temperature could also be causing your tortoise to become dehydrated. I doubt it is a vitamin problem, but rather a husbandry one. Substrate, temperature, diet.

>>>>>: i've since started using heat lamps, with day temps of about 103, and night temps of 90. i've also started the vitamin a drops on it's eyes, and soaking it more often then the once a week, 30 minutes that was initially suggested.>>>>>>>>>

If it is a hatchling or less than 4 inches I would soak every other day. Soak in shallow lukewarm water only up to it's chin. Soak for around 10 minutes. You should also leave water in it's enclosure, in a shallow lid of some sort.

>>>>>>>: oh, i've also noticed that the bottom shell is very soft. i think that the sides may be a bit soft as well (is this part due to the soaking? not sure....)>>>>>>>

The bottom shell ( plastron can take a bit longer to harden, but should not be overly soft. Are you using a UVB light? If not you must provide one, this is extremely important for tortoises housed indoors, that recieve no natural sunlight.

>>>>>>>: any suggestions? i also would like to know what kind of setup i can look into as i only have it in a relatively small bin for now... any detailed plans? diet recommendations? etc?>>>>>>>

Please go to the linked web site ( below) read it all very carefully. You will find answers to nearly all your questions.
A sulcatas diet should be high in fiber, low in protein. In the wild they eat grasses, weeds and other edible plants. NO fruit and NO dog or cat food or meat should be fed.
A variety of leafy greens NOT just one type. Endive, watercress, escarole, dandelions, etc mix in fresly clipped grasses or ground up Timothy hay.
Hibiscus flowers and leaves, mulberry leaves, grape leaves. You will find more on diet at the web site.
I hope this helps, please come back and post again if you have more questions.
Terry.

Sulcata Station.

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: Hi I will try to answer some of your questions. : >>>>>>: since i've brought it over to my place, it's diet has gone down drastically. it ate a few bites of lettuce for the first time today. it hardly opens it's eyes. actually it only opens one side. and it's not quite as active as all you describe yours to be. i called a local pet store here, who suggested that it was probably thinking that it's hibernating.>>>>>>> : : Sulcatas DO NOT hibernate, your temperatures are way too high, this might very well be the reason the tortoise is not active. During the day you must have a heat gradient, differnt temperatures : around the enclosure. Under the basking lamp it should be 90 - 95 no higher ever. There should be a cooler area around 80, but there must also be a cooler end of the enclosure around 75 degrees. At 103 degrees all over your sulcata is overheated. Buy at least two thermometers to keep at both sides of the enclosure to monitor tempwratures. There MUST be a cooler side so the tortoise has a choice. : At night the temperature should be around 75 degrees. : : >>>>>>>i did some other research on these guys and it says sulcatas don't hibernate. the eye problem they said was probably a result of a vitamin deficiency...>>>>>>>>>>>>> : Correct sulcatas don't hibernate, but the max out at high temperatures and become inactive, that's why you must provide a heat greadient. : What substrate are you using? : Ceder, and other types of wood chips/shavings can be toxic . The high temperature could also be causing your tortoise to become dehydrated. I doubt it is a vitamin problem, but rather a husbandry one. Substrate, temperature, diet. : : >>>>>: i've since started using heat lamps, with day temps of about 103, and night temps of 90. i've also started the vitamin a drops on it's eyes, and soaking it more often then the once a week, 30 minutes that was initially suggested.>>>>>>>>> : If it is a hatchling or less than 4 inches I would soak every other day. Soak in shallow lukewarm water only up to it's chin. Soak for around 10 minutes. You should also leave water in it's enclosure, in a shallow lid of some sort. : : >>>>>>>: oh, i've also noticed that the bottom shell is very soft. i think that the sides may be a bit soft as well (is this part due to the soaking? not sure....)>>>>>>> : The bottom shell ( plastron can take a bit longer to harden, but should not be overly soft. Are you using a UVB light? If not you must provide one, this is extremely important for tortoises housed indoors, that recieve no natural sunlight. : >>>>>>>: any suggestions? i also would like to know what kind of setup i can look into as i only have it in a relatively small bin for now... any detailed plans? diet recommendations? etc?>>>>>>> : Please go to the linked web site ( below) read it all very carefully. You will find answers to nearly all your questions. : A sulcatas diet should be high in fiber, low in protein. In the wild they eat grasses, weeds and other edible plants. NO fruit and NO dog or cat food or meat should be fed. : A variety of leafy greens NOT just one type. Endive, watercress, escarole, dandelions, etc mix in fresly clipped grasses or ground up Timothy hay. : Hibiscus flowers and leaves, mulberry leaves, grape leaves. You will find more on diet at the web site. : I hope this helps, please come back and post again if you have more questions. : Terry.

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