Basic Care - Daily Care for Tortoise
Hatchlings – Darrell Senneke
Copyright © 2003, 2004, 2005 World Chelonian Trust. All rights reserved
Cuidado diario de los
Galápagos de reciente eclosión -
Darrell Senneke
リクガメ類の子ガメの基本的な飼い方と、日常的なケア
―
ダレル
セネーク
There
is much more to daily care with hatchlings than just cleaning water dishes and
putting food in with them. A wide range of practices should become part of your
daily regimen.
The first thing that
should be done every morning is to make sure the lights are working and directed
correctly. Remember the basking light should be directed to the far corner away
from the hide box. It is important to have a temperature gradient throughout
the habitat. A tortoise hatchling should be able to warm up or cool down at
will. A “too small” habitat does not allow for this.
Before we go on to the
observations is important that you know what exactly you will do in the event
that you have a problem. There is some health information on this site but it
is not meant as a replacement for a qualified veterinarian. It is sad that many
veterinarians receive little or no instruction in the treatment of reptiles.
Because of this it is necessary that you have your veterinarian picked out prior
to any problems. The best way to find a veterinarian that is competent treating
tortoises is by checking the pages on the site devoted to this or joining the
WCT list serve and asking others in your area for their recommendations.
We also recommend a “well tortoise” vet visit to familiarize your vet with your
animal and to familiarize you with the vet.
Observations to
make on a daily basis:
1)
Is the hatchling’s activity level the same as normal? It is typical for a
sick tortoise to sit half in and half out of its basking spot. A healthy
tortoise is mobile; it moves in and out of the hot spot and utilizes the
temperature gradient. Is it just sitting in one medium warm spot and not
moving? This could be an early warning sign.
2) How do its eyes
look? Are its eyes clear and shiny or are they clouded or glassy looking?
Does the tortoise have difficulty opening them? Do they appear sunken?
Looking into the eyes of a tortoise will often tell you something is wrong
early on. Often this may not be evident unless you have been interacting with
and observing the animal since you acquired it.
3) Is its breathing
normal? It is not uncommon for a young tortoise to pump its head and front
legs a bit when breathing. It is not typical for there to be any bubbling
from its nose or sneezing evident. Wheezing is something to be concerned
about as well. In general terms wheezing is a symptom of a possible problem.
4) What does the
shell look and feel like? Is it firm or soft and spongy? Tortoise hatchlings
shells firm up quite soon after hatching and a soft shell is always an
indication of a problem if the tortoise is more than a month or so old. The
exception to this, of course, is pancake tortoises, which have softer shells
throughout their lives. Softness in the shell is usually manifested first
in the plastron.
5)
While you are feeling for the firmness of the shell look at it. Is it as
shiny as normal? Has it lost its luster? This could be an indication of a
future problem. Are there any spots or areas that are very dull looking or
hazy looking? Caught early enough problems such as these can be dealt with
easily, allowed to linger and they can be disfiguring or life threatening.
6) Notice any
peculiar smell? While it is difficult to quantify, one of our most sensitive
senses is our sense of smell. Because you have been dealing with this animal
on a daily basis you should have become aware of his typical odor. To the
author this is sort of an old abandoned barn smell. If the odor is different
than normal something could be wrong. This sort of thing is hard to explain
to a veterinarian but experienced tortoise keepers will understand and be able
to advise you in this event.
7) How do the beak
and claws look? Is it time for a trim? If it is I suggest the first time you
do it to get help from someone experienced with the techniques. Trimming is
not overly difficult but when actually doing it the first time you should
watch someone else or have him or her instruct you.
8) Clean the
tortoise’s water dish and place the animal in it. Rather than a forced
soaking this allows the animal to drink if needed or to exit as it chooses.
While it is soaking clean the habitat. Remove any feces along with any
uneaten food from the previous day. If the tortoise fouls the water it should
be removed and cleaned or replaced with another clean dish. If the substrate
smells anything but fresh it is time to change it or remove the offending
material.
9)
After the tortoise has soaked check the results. Did it defecate? If it did
was the consistency firm or runny? If it was runny the tortoise may need more
roughage in its diet and less leafy greens and fruits. The best way to tune
the diet for your tortoise in addition to reading books and studies from the
experts is to watch the droppings and strive for firm results. If you see
whitish semi-solid material do not worry. This is material is called urates
and is considered perfectly natural from time to time.
10) When you feed
the animal, observe it. Is it eating as it normally does? Remember any
change in its daily pattern could be an early warning.
11) Once every week
or so you should weigh your hatchling on the most accurate balance available.
A ten percent weight loss in a week could be a warning sign, it could also
just mean that it had a very good bowel movement. Keep records and look for
trends. A steady weight loss IS a problem. Too rapid weight gain is also a
problem. Take regular straight carapace length (SCL) measurements. What you
want to attain is natural shell growth.
Tortoises, even star tortoises, should have fairly smooth shells. Bumpy shells
are a sign of pyramiding and are to be avoided.
