danya, get him off that stuff...

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Posted by Niki on October 28, 2001 at 10:37:21:

In Reply to: closed eyes- sulcata posted by danya on October 26, 2001 at 22:19:45:

calci sand serves no purpose for a tortoise, it
shouldn't be eating the sand to get calcium, it
needs to have calcium supplemented on its food
and/or with cuttlebone (white thing for birds
with the hard plastic back removed).
Using Calci-sand at $10 a pop for a tiny bag means
you're highly likely keeping your sulcata in a
small fish tank. Correct me if I'm wrong.
But most people aren't going to be filling up room
size enclosures (or even a 4 ft. tank) with
Calci-$and. Is it possible that he's too hot
in there (or too cold) - how are you heating
it (what's the tank size in gallons if you know)
and what are the temperatures. Mine's never had
his eyes closed like your describing, it's not
normal and I'd be worried enough to change something.
Do you have any hay in there - sometimes that
causes eye problems in some sulcatas.
Calci-sand is also not something sulcatas can burrow
into, (I'm not totally down on calci-sand as I use
it for my leopard geckos, just VERY down on it as
a torotise substrate!).
Switch to a more tortoise oriented substrate,
I use aspen Kaytee nice and fluffy, not dusty.

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Re: danya, get him off that stuff... danya 11/05/01 (0)

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: calci sand serves no purpose for a tortoise, it : shouldn't be eating the sand to get calcium, it : needs to have calcium supplemented on its food : and/or with cuttlebone (white thing for birds : with the hard plastic back removed). : Using Calci-sand at $10 a pop for a tiny bag means : you're highly likely keeping your sulcata in a : small fish tank. Correct me if I'm wrong. : But most people aren't going to be filling up room : size enclosures (or even a 4 ft. tank) with : Calci-$and. Is it possible that he's too hot : in there (or too cold) - how are you heating : it (what's the tank size in gallons if you know) : and what are the temperatures. Mine's never had : his eyes closed like your describing, it's not : normal and I'd be worried enough to change something. : Do you have any hay in there - sometimes that : causes eye problems in some sulcatas. : Calci-sand is also not something sulcatas can burrow : into, (I'm not totally down on calci-sand as I use : it for my leopard geckos, just VERY down on it as : a torotise substrate!). : Switch to a more tortoise oriented substrate, : I use aspen Kaytee nice and fluffy, not dusty.

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