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I have 7 leopard hatchlings that are 7 months old. I usually give them baths every other day to keep them hydrated. I also have a shallow water dish in the tank.

Due to work and un-related matters, I was unable to give my torts a bath for 3 days. Even so, fresh food and water was provided daily.

Checking on my torts mid-day...I noticed one tort in the same position that I found him in this morning...with his back facing me.

I pick him up and he is dead! Every limb including his head is fully extended and a tad bloated. His eyes are even open! It looks like he past away mid walk!!!

Has anyone had this happen to them before? What did my tort die of? Was it b/c he did not get his bath?

All of his siblings are completely heatlhy. His shell growth is perfect and he otherwise appeared to be healthy.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jennifer

They don't just bloat overnight... unless under a heat source is involved.

Can you provide a little history? Did you hatch them out... feeding... stuff like that?

>>I have 7 leopard hatchlings that are 7 months old. I usually give them baths every other day to keep them hydrated. I also have a shallow water dish in the tank.
>>
>>Due to work and un-related matters, I was unable to give my torts a bath for 3 days. Even so, fresh food and water was provided daily.
>>
>>Checking on my torts mid-day...I noticed one tort in the same position that I found him in this morning...with his back facing me.
>>
>>I pick him up and he is dead! Every limb including his head is fully extended and a tad bloated. His eyes are even open! It looks like he past away mid walk!!!
>>
>>Has anyone had this happen to them before? What did my tort die of? Was it b/c he did not get his bath?
>>
>>All of his siblings are completely heatlhy. His shell growth is perfect and he otherwise appeared to be healthy.
>>
>>Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Jennifer
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Thank you for responding...all the torts hatched in early march. I feed them grass and zoo med grassland...which is sprinkled with supplements every 3 days. The tank substrate is dry hay (for more grazing)...the hide box is filled with peat moss...and the water container is surrounded by beach pebbles which helps trim nails and keep them entertained.

I did happen to find him under the uv bulb...not under the heat bulb.

Hope this helps.

Let me suggest using Mazuri tortoise diet. With this you can add streight calcium carbonate and nothing more. To this you can add greens but don't need to.

Did you hatch out the tortoises?

Odds are the bulb killed it. What are the temperatures under the bulb.

Are you in the US?

>>Thank you for responding...all the torts hatched in early march. I feed them grass and zoo med grassland...which is sprinkled with supplements every 3 days. The tank substrate is dry hay (for more grazing)...the hide box is filled with peat moss...and the water container is surrounded by beach pebbles which helps trim nails and keep them entertained.
>>
>>I did happen to find him under the uv bulb...not under the heat bulb.
>>
>>Hope this helps.
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

supplements every third day? what dosage? Easy does it.
beach pebbles? what size? Probably not worth the risk.
when you keep tortoises separately, you can see what they are ingesting and passing in their feces (or whether they're not) -
and there are probably way too many variables to give you
a sure answer -
but feel your pain.
Condolences.