Twiglet is still dehydrated as urates are gritty and lumpy.  I bathe her 1 - 2 times a day for anything between 10 - 20 mins.......  I thought I'd sorted this out......  I'm now starting to give her cucumber for the water content.  How much should  I give her?   Every day??? How many slices??? Worried as I don't want to cause her any distress.

Also at he vets I spoke about worming both Tetley and Twiglet (still trying to get a fresh sample though the vet has given me a solution to put them in now).  He said that they administer worming stuff via a tube onto their mouths and to their tummy's??? Is this correct?  

Sorry for all questions juts want to get it right.

Hi, try not to worry, you are doing right keeping up the baths, and cucumber will help hydration, just a small slice with her food as it is very addictive, you dont want her to stop eating other weeds!!  Also, check your temps arent too hot in both ends.  As its easy for the ambient room temperature to rise as we put the heating on during these cold spells to keep us warm!!

Regarding the worming, if the vet is going to do it for you, then yes they often do syringe it into their mouths, my vet did with one of mine.  Althernatively, some vets will give you the worming treatment which you can put on their food or administer via a syringe.  At least if the vet does it you know its all gone in them!!!

Happy new year!!!  Regards Vivienne

Thanks Vivienne!  It's so hard not to worry.  Temps are all ok 30+ under heat lamp and then down to 18 in other areas.  Would you give cucmber every day?  I only feed mine every other day on their weeds.....  These are always drenched with water too.  

Does dehydration make them less active as she tends not tocome out her bedroom unless physically moved and then once she's a wake off she goes back to bed???? 

Glad the temps are ok!  Its tends to be the time of the year that makes them slow and less active, they can definitely sense that it winter and its their natural instinct to want to sleep.  You are doing everything right, with the cucumber just carry on as you are, every other day is fine.

Vivienne

Hi
I was having this problem with Keya, although I was doing everything OK. After advice given to me,  I do give her cucumber every day when the problem arises, just half a slice less than a quarter thick, and I hand feed this seperatley as a treat, so she doesn't associate it with her food. I also do that about 3-4 times a week. When she got lumpy urates I bathed her twice a day for about 20 mins each time, until the urates went back to normal. Something else I have tried that seems to work, I take her out of her pen and fine spray it with water, not too much to cause humidity but just to take the dryness out of the subtrate. I give her rain water when I can, and like you give her weeds well soaked in water. All of this has worked for me, and we don't seem to be having that trouble anymore (touch wood). of course all the the torts are different and this may not work for you, but I supose it is worth trying. This only seems to be a problem when Keya comes indoors, when she is outside she is fine all the while.

Regards
Jane

great advice from you both, thank you. Will try the spraying of water on the substrate as it is very dry and dusty.  I think Twiglets prob is that she doesn't drink or bathe independently.  Even when she's in her bath her head is pointing towards the ceiling so she doesn't get her head wet.  Very rarely does she submerge her head...  I'll try all your suggestions.

I feel like a bad mother at the moment!!!!

Rowan

Hi Rowan
Let TPG second what I have said first, just incase they  advice you differently, as they are the experts, I was just sharing my experiences.
I know what you mean, we feel so responsible when things are not right, but I suppose these things arise for us to learn
Good luck
Jane

Rowan, PLEASE stop feeling like a bad mother. You have noticed a problem and are dealing with it promptly! Spraying the substrate is a good idea that Jane came up with, just mind that your light is well out of the way (learn by my costly error). I normally poop scope and wash my bowls out at a night time, this is when i spray my substrates and give it a good old mix up and by morning it is all fressh and ready to go but not to damp. I can't remember what age Twiglet was when she came to you, perhaps you are just slowly rectifying what might have occured prior to all your great efforts. Sometimes if a tortoise is reluctant to drink using a spray gun (like what you spray your flowers with) filled with warm water and spray her when she is bathing, it mimics warm rain and often triggers them to drink.

Keep up the good work, you really are doing a great job!

Elaine 

Jane, Those were excellent points that you made! It is so good that you have shared your experience and we can all learn from it.

many thanks

Elaine

Thanks Elaine for the advice and support.  The vet also said that her problems are probably  from  her poor start.  She's about 2 and I've only had her since the end of October.  I'll try spraying her in the bath too.  I do teaspoon water over her eye's as they have been sore.

Next she'll be having rubber ducks!!!

Thanks loads Row  

Thanks Elaine

Urates are normal!!!!!!!!!  Cucumba works such a relief and I now have a happy little Twiggy..... Thanks to all advise

Row x

This is good news that Twiggy is back on track. You'll need to pre-empt the summer days for a couple of years until all your good work gets into her system. You really are doing so well with her, she's a very lucky tort!

Elaine