Hermanns vomited, now off food and lethargic
 

Hi all, been a while since i've been on here. Have had a bit of a scare after 4 years of tortoise ownership and am really, really worried for my tortoise, Munster.
never had any problems with her, always active, eats well, poos every day, until a few days ago. Went to switch her lights off and noticed she'd vomited the days food back up. Also noticed she'd had a go at an artificial plant. One of those fern types, so suspecting she might have comsumed some.
Took her immediaty to trinity vet centre in maidstone that specialises in reptiles the next morning.
He gave her an examination, gave me repoboost and said to keep an eye on her and will ring me end of the week for an update and to get a stool sample.
At the moment, she's not moving much, eyes open, which is good, not eating a thing. Hasn't poo'd in 3 days (so can't get a sample at the mo). Breathing is fine. She did a wee this morning that really smelt awful. Haven't seen her straining at all.
Giving her 2 x baths a day for half an hour with repoboost. Temp is 27c, 32 under the lamp at the warm end.
I'm leaving her alone to recover, hasn't vomited since, but worried like mad
as tortoises shouldn't vomit and it's not usual unless something serious is up.
anything i've missed that can help her along?
All i can think of, extreme case of worms, although never seen any,(but will get tested when she does go)
compaction of some sort, or she eat some of that bloody plant (now in bin) and threw up.
i'm hoping she just got extremely stressed by it, but would she be off food and not moving much 3 days later?
Any advice most welcome.
Thanks all. Mark xx

Usually if they vomit then it is a sign they have eaten something poisonous:0(
I had this happen to my marginata many years ago. I grow my own weeds, but my husband put down ant powder down without telling me. Unfortunately I fed them some of the weeds. I lost all of them. I also fed some of the weeds to my graeca, and they survived. So unfortunately only time will tell. Keeping him/her hydrated will help. Sorry to bear this news but it can take time for them to get better.

Thanks Sandy, the artificial plant looks like it was either made of plastic strand or cloth so i don't think it's poisonous. She hasn't been outside.

Hi Mark. What a worry for you. :-(
Hopefully Munster threw up whatever it was and there’s nothing left in her system. If she’s not eating you’re not necessarily going to get a stool sample too easily. You could try a trip out in the car, which tends to make them go.
Was her wee clear or cloudy? A bad smell could be a sign of bacteria. The more hydrated she is the clearer the urine should be.
Keep up the baths and hopefully she’ll pick up by the end of the week. Please let us know how things go.

Had a call from my wife an hour a go to say Munster has passed away.
We as a family are devastated. Mark x

I am so very sorry, Mark.
It’s awful news.
Rest in peace little Munster. x

Thanks Emma, my son is in bits, she was his first pet and part of our family.
She went downhill so fast, i have no idea what's happened. We are going to miss her so, so much.

Really sorry to hear Mark:0(

thank you Sandy

I recall the photos of your son with her. My kids are all growing up now but since they were young I’ve always taught them we must celebrate the lives of the animals who are part of our family. They’d have a good cry and cuddle and then we remember the good memories.
When my daughter was young I would do a montage of photos of the pet we’d lost which she could keep and that helped her loads and she always had a cuddle to say goodbye and helped with the burial. She still does it now. We lost a much loved budgie in December and I waited for her to come home from work before telling her and she had some time with her before we buried her.
Also, we’ve always painted a pebble with each pets name when we get a new pet and then when they pass it becomes a memorial stone.
I hope you can find ways to help comfort your son.

Torts can be slow in showing their ailments sometimes and equally, they take a long time to get better, so it could have been something Munster had for a while and it just got to the stage when it started to show but was too bad for anything to be done.

I hope you’ll decide to give another tort a home when you’re ready. x