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Posted by Terry on February 13, 2002 at 11:38:47:
In Reply to: Re: update on my sick baby from last month posted by kathy on February 13, 2002 at 09:42:23:
Kathy baby torts are more susceptible to many things.
Just getting a little chilled could kill a baby as it doesn't have the body mass of a larger tort.
Just as they're more susceptible to dehydration, (as Justin mentioned). It's recommended to give a hatchling/baby a soak at least 3 times a week.Dry them off well before puting them back into the enlosure.
I still soak Hoku (17 months and just over 3") at least once or twice a week.
While Angel and Bubba (18" and 14") never get soaked, or show any interest in water. Bubba did until he was around 8", little Hoku loves his soaks still.
Bubba and Angel spend the cooler winter nights (Arizona)in a heated shed.
Hoku is out most days, unless it's extra chilly/overcast or wet. But even in the heated shed it's too cool at night for such a small tortoise, so he comes into the house around 4-5pm.
In fact, I adopted Hoku as a weak, thin, dehydrated ,anorexic hatchling, suffering from a bad respiratory problem.
His previous owner had left him outside at night, he had a shelter. But even so as a hatchling he could not tolerate the chilly outdoor temperatures.
It took extra special care by my vet who even came in on her days off to monitor him and give him his antibiotic shots.She didn't charge extra but she saw him every other day for a week, to keep an eye on this sick baby who weighed less than 50grams. On his first visit my vet instantly regocnised that Hoku was dehydrated and she administered fluids and vitamins.
I still had Hoku outdoors during the day (once he had recovered) but not at night.Just getting a little chilled can be lethal to such a tiny tortoise.
Bubba was another case, he wasn't a baby when got him from a local pet store. He was around 6" and apart from pretty bad pyramiding he seemed healthy.
But his first vet visit shortly after I got him proved otherwise.
He was "chock a block" as my vet put it, absolutely full of various nasty internal parasites, worms.
So many and such nasty ones that it was life threatening, if not treated.
That's why a vet check up and fecal test is recommended for any new tortoise.
Some hatchlings just fail to thrive and sadly nothing can be done.
If you suspect that the substrate might be in part to blame, don't use it next time. I'm sure others can recommened a substrate for you.
I would get a tortoise at least past the baby stage. If you noticed, here at the forum the majority of posts by people concerned about their sulcatas health, have baby/hatchling sulcata.
Have everything ready for it before you bring it home and set up a vet visit, including fecal test for it.
Without a necropsy you'll never know exactly the cause of your torts death. But know that at this forum we can understand how sad you must be feeling now.
Hope this helps.
Terry.
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