I have a baby Sulcuta tortoise and he is very sick. He has not eaten anything for about 5 days and he will not open his eyes. I have been soaking him everyday and I am giving him a Ampicillin soak right now. Is there anything that I can do. If something doesnt happen he is going to die soon. He has also pooped out a white pussy substance twice today.
2007-01-16 13:33:46 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
His cage is fine. I bought him a new UV lamp and a new basking bulb for his lamp. It stays about 85 degrees in there and I have been misting his cage to make it humid. I am very very concerned...he looks like he is about to die. My father-in-law is a vet but he does not do many reptiles. He said that he thinks there is nothing that we can really do for him. I do not have to money to take him to a reptile vet right now. I broke open some ampicillin capsules desolved that into water and soaked him for about 15 min's tonight. Hopefully that wil help. If there is anything that you know of that I can do, please help me.
2007-01-16 17:43:48 · update #1
No appetite can be a lot of things, and eye problems can point to diet. What are you feeding it? it can also point to low humidity- what is it in your cage?
I am not sure you are helping with the antibiotic soaks. Pumping babies with chemicals is not usually helpful. Fixing habitat and care problems is usually the answer.
Here is an article that might help- http://www.sulcata-station.org/hatchfail.html
In it they describe pretty much what you are talking about and they call it Hatchling Failure Syndrome. It is basically severe dehydration, and soaks are not the answer.
You need to create an area for hiding that has high humidity. The article describes several techniques you can try.
Here is an article about the white deposits: http://www.sulcata-station.org/faq.html#urates
Try the http://www.sulcata-station.org site in generl for good care info on these guys.
2007-01-17 14:19:09 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i actually just had a similar problem. the eyes were shut, wasnt eating, shells were getting soft....i got help from a rep vet that said to change the substrate. they need to be 70% humid in there. a 50/50 mix of playsand/coconut fiber or playsand/ topsoil ( no additives) will help that. saok him about 20 minutes a day in baby bath warm with with some kind of calcium and d3 drops in there. there are eye drops available that will help out within a week. if you have him in glass tank try to switch him over to a rubbermaid type tub, the temp needs to be 95f uner the basking area and 70f on the cool side. you should leave a water dish in there so he cand drink.
oh and sulcattas DO NOT HIBERNATE. even when they get cold, theyll just die!!
for the vitamin drops i use electrolize from hagen for the drops http://www.reptiledirect.com/browseproducts/Electrolize.HTML
2007-01-17 02:07:58 · answer #2 · answered by Twilite 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it cold where the cage is?
Check his lamps, and all the heating elements.
What does the thermometer say?
What is the humidity in the cage?
Reptiles HIBERNATE when it gets cold. In captivity it's best to keep them warm and not let them, but if his cage components malfunctioned, he may have started by mistake.
Could that be a possibility?
2007-01-16 17:30:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ok, tortoises aren't really my thing. However, it is a vegetarian reptile, and pooping white is generally related to the kidneys in vegetarians like your tortoise.
First question, did you feed him protein? If you were feeding turtle food, that's a yes. Check the label for egg, or any meat product. IF your tortoise inadvertently got protein, then chances are he's going into kidney failure.
IF there was no protein then it's possible that going without food for five days has caused him to start breaking down his own muscle tissue. This means that he has a serious medical problem.
In either case, go to a vet, but go informed. Is it protein, or is it illness. I hope for the best for you and your tortoise.
2007-01-16 15:31:12 · answer #4 · answered by Theresa A 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
all of us who tells you it is psychosomatic is merely searching for an excuse to drill a hollow on your head. That being mentioned, i think of you're needless to say posessed by utilising demons. What did they use to treatment that for the period of the middle a while, returned...? permit me think of.
2016-12-16 06:24:44 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to take your guy to the vet immediately!
2007-01-16 13:38:05 · answer #6 · answered by bluebettalady 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋