Why is my sulcata tortoise shell soft?
Tortoises fed a diet low in calcium, or those who cannot absorb calcium well, usually first show a soft shell, especially if they are a juvenile. This causes the shell to become deformed and often the tortoise looks too big for its shell. It become weak, and eventually has trouble walking, due to soft bones.
What do you do when your tortoise has a soft shell?
Treatment. There is no need to treat the soft shell of a baby tortoise. As you’d expect, it ought to harden up at around the age of 6-8 months and if it does, there’s no need to worry about your tortoise at all this is exactly what’s supposed to happen as your tortoise matures.
How do I know if my tortoise has soft shell?
If you have just bought a tortoise and you know that it is a baby, or pretty young, a softer shell isn’t that big an issue. If the shell is the right shape, with no sign of damage, but is softer than expected, this is just a matter of age. The best indicator is if the shell feels springy and more malleable.
What does a healthy sulcata tortoise shell look like?
The top of the shell (the carapace) should be smooth, feel firm to touch and have no obvious bumps or signs of injury. A healthy tortoise will have signs of a growth ring, which appears as a palish band in between the bony plates (scutes) and above the lower, marginal scutes.
What does shell rot look like on a tortoise?
Wild turtles generally present dehydrated and in poor body condition with a mosscovered malodorous shell. Pet turtles tend to have more subtle signs but these can include a red tinge to areas of the shell, slime over the shell, a bad smell, flaking of the scutes and an easily damaged shell.
Why do tortoises wiggle their bum?
Your annoying them Females will do it if they don’t want a male to breed them and males will do it to signal to another male that they aren’t a female. It’s fun to watch, but it’s basicly telling another tortoise to go away I don’t want any today.
What is the white stuff on my tortoise shell?
Also, it’s important to note that hard water doesn’t always look like a chalky residue covered over a large part or all of your turtle’s shell. It could show up in the form of small or tiny white spots on your turtle’s shell. This is a sure sign that its calcium carbonate and due to hard water.
When should A sulcata tortoise live outside?
If the weather is below 60-degrees Fahrenheit , keep your baby tortoise inside. The warmer it is, the better, so 70-degrees is safer than 60, but you can put your baby sulcata outside when it’s 60-degrees. Just be careful and keep an eye on your tortoise’s carapace temperature with a digital temperature gun.
What do tortoises eat in their habitat?
turnip greens
Do Young sulcatas eat grass?
In the desert and savannah, sulcatas eat grasses, wild flowers and other plants. They require a diet that is high in fiber and low in protein. The bulk of their food should be timothy hay, grass hay and edible leaves, flowers and weeds.
What should baby sulcata tortoise eat?
Broad leaf plantain