i have a few worries about two of the tortoises i own. They have become weak altho have continued to move around and eat, it all happened so quickly.

i took them to the vet and he examined them, he said they were low in calcium. i gathered there was something wrong but never imagined it would be calcium deficiency. Also one of the effected tortoises had a bladder stone which they had about 5 months ago and managed to pass without surgical intervention luckily!!!! i didnt even know that she had a stone :(

I have had them xrayed and the bones r very weak on the xray, they seem to becoming softer in their under part of their shell!!!!! The others i own have shown no symptoms or signs like these two but am willing to treat them just in case. I provide the adequate lighting and heating they require plus the correct supplements ie nutrobal, they adore and enjoy munching on the cuttlefish bone so i am extremely puzzled.

anyway to cut a long story short I have been given calium gluconate to them as a sub-cut injection by the vet which i am happy to adminster as i medicate in my day job. He wasn't very good with telling me about how long i should continue this and also i want to know whether its the right thing to do. I did some research and have bought (but haven't used) this ZOLCALD Zolcal oral supplement that contains vitamin d plus calcium and magnesium. how effective is it?? and do u have experience in using it? im not very confident with medicating animals...so im slightly confused since arriving home from the vets.

There does not seem to be any information online about treatment of hypocalcaemia in tortoises online.


Any advise/help would be greatly appreciated...from one very confused tortoise lover!!!

Hi Kenya,

I can understand how worrying this is for you! I've asked our veterinary adviser to look at your post, and he usually responds very quickly, so hopefully you will have a clearer idea of what to do soon.

Best wishes,
Nina (TPG)

Thanks Nina, i have been extremely worried and want to find out whether what i am doing is going to be effective or whether i need to use an alternative route to treat them. I am also not happy with both the vets i went to for advise and am wondering if there is a good vet in the westminster area?

i appreciate ur help thanks again :D

Fatima

Hi

There are three important aspects to the prevention and treatment of tortoises with calcium problems. The tortoises require to have the correct heating in combination with an appropriate UV-b source and finally they need to have adequate calcium in their diet.

If using the zolcal give 0.1ml per 100g body weight daily by mouth for the first week or so, depending on the case.

What is your basking temperature, what UV-b source are you using, how old is it, how far away from the tortoises is it, is there any mesh or glass between it and the tortoises and how long is it on for? Is it next to the heat source?

thanks kev

Hi Kev,

well firstly i have the Exo Terra SolarGlow Mercury Vapour Lamp 125w- Heat and UVB in one and have had it for two months now and have been using this a lot. it costs a fortune for one bulb but thats what i have been using. this is kept about 20 cm above them. i have also been using a ceramic heat lamp to keep the warm during cold days, which is also kept at a similar height from the tortoises.

i also recently bought the tube uvb/a tubes at 10% uvb. and have it going..the temp they usually have under the lamp is anything between 18-26 depending on how warm it is indoors. i have a dimmer switch on the lamp which changes the strength of the bulb.

i have a question...do u think its better to carry on with the calcium injections? if so how long for? and also if not do u think its wise to start using the zolcal oral supplement. Which is more effective? i have found by doing just two injections into kenya has def shown an improvement in herself and her behaviour. jimo is the worst effected. his shell is quite soft i am worried as to what can happen to him....

i try and take them out into the sun but as u all know the british weather has not been all that great this yr. i count us extremely lucky for the sun we have had the last couple of weeks.

Hi Kenya,

Kevin has had a few problems posting on the forum and has asked I reply on his behalf as follows:-
It sounds like you are doing well on the UV-b front but the basking temperature could be upped a little bit into the mid thirties at least. Not sure how well the mercury vapour lamp will run with the dimmer switch and I would leave the lamp full on provided your set up allows the heat to be dissapated. I would probably increase the calcium content of your diet too. The zolcal could start now. It's difficult to be more precise regarding how long they will need the calcium injections for as I have not seen the tortoises.

kev

Thanks so much for reassuring me about the lighting they are in over 30degrees in during the day. also During the day the UV light is on at full blast and isn't turned down or dimmed down as all.then evening when i finally turn on the night light or the heat lamp on in one part of their tortoise table so they are able to get away from it if they want to.

Before kenya recieved treatment she had lost all strength in her right back leg. since recieving the three calcium gluconate injections and the zolcal oral supplement for the last week she seems to be thriving. she has begun using her leg and seems to be her old self again. I shall be taking her back to the vet in a couple of weeks for an x-ray. But as for Jimo he seems to be about the same. not doing as well as kenya. he is still looking quite weak and not like his old self. i have continued to give him the injections and he has had 2 injections so far. and I am planning to give his third injection on monday. I feel he is sufferin more then kenya was. his shell seems to have softened and u can feel it when u give it a squeeze (I dont do that as i know it isnt right to do but found it that way when i was examining him). I am more worried about jimo then I am about kenya now.

I am dying to find a good reptile vet (that specialises in tortoises) either in the london area or in rochester/strood/chatham areas in kent.

I really wanna thank u all for everything and ur support and adivce. its just been nice to talk and discuss on the forum... god bless whoever created this forum :D

Have you had a look at our vet list on the vets section of this website?  There is a recommendation of a good tortoise vet in London on there.

Helen

Hi Helen the link wont ctually open on my laptop it says my pdf application has expired!!! can someone please look and let me know of one within the westminster area please...

Thank you!

Hi Fatima,

There are two vets listed in the London area:

Chris Hall at C.J.Hall Vets, 15 Temple Sheen Road, East Sheen, SW14 7PY, tel: 0208 8769696; and

Brandon Spolander, Barrier Animal Clinic, 32 Hardens Manor Way, Eastmoor Place, Charlton, London SE7 8LP, tel: 0208 2936580

Hope this helps,

Nina

hey guys just wanted to give u an update....my goodness what a bit of calcium injections can do for a tortoise.....they r doing amazingly better and their shells are hardening again :D. kenya is feeling tons better and is much more herself. jimo has regained his strenght and is much more his old self more active and eating properly again.

i cant believe how lucky i was to have noticed this all so quickly...thank u so much for all ur help and guidance.. u guys r amazing.

thanks guys :D

Glad to hear they're on the mend:-)