Is my baby tortoise sick??!!!

miss_migalawes · 26-01-2014, 11:41 AM

Hi,
I have a 3 month old Tunisian greek tortoise, see http://basmajalloul.com/2.jpg for photo. She used to be active but since End of december, she started slowing down then she fell asleep and wouldn't want to wake up. She stopped eating (I give her various weeds and flowers like dandelions her favorite, i sprinkle them with calcium powder. I soak her everyday in luke warm water. I couldn't find (for the life of me) a UVB lamp locally so I had to order it online and I'm still waiting for it, I also ordered a reptile heating pad which is also on the way. So for now, I keep her warm by placing her on my laptop's warm spot, put her enclosure in the sun whenever i can, and have a 40w lightbulb to warm her during the night. And also for the record, in my country we don't have vets that specialize in reptiles (they only treat cattle animals), so that's not an option for me

((
Sorry for rambling, but I wanted to lay out the conditions my tortoise is living before posing the problem.
I noticed, I'm not sure if this was from the beginning or not, that her plastron was soft, when i press it gently, her little legs and head expand a little. I read on the internet that it was normal since she's still a hatch-ling and still growing up. So please, tell me, is this really normal?
Another thing that worried me, is today while i was soaking her, she started closing and opening her mouth, i thought she was drinking so i didn't give it much though. After i got her out, i noticed a snot like thing near her mouth so i wiped it and put her near me as usual. shortly after, she started opening and closing her mouth like she's gasping for air, and when i looked closely, i noticed this snot like product inside her mouth. Is this a respiratory infection?

( she was fine yesterday and up until i soaked her, please help!!!!!
P.S:: it's been 3 weeks since she fell asleep and she hasn't woken up since only for brief moments to look at me when i want to wake her up then goes back to sleep.

Merlin M · 26-01-2014, 12:49 PM

What are the temperatures during the day (basking and cool end) and at night?
To me it sounds like she has been too cold. Is there any discharge from her nose?
I have never dealt with a respiratory infection so not too sure but she could be sick.. someone with more experience will help i'm sure!

But I would get the temps up, you need 30-34°C in the warm end and 20°C in the cool end and at night.

miss_migalawes · 26-01-2014, 01:00 PM

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. I don't really have a way to measure temperatures in the warm areas i put her in, but the weather temps bounce between 15 and 8 °C . I know these temps are low but until I receive the UVB lamp and heating pad, i can't provide warmer conditions at night :'(
She doesn't have a runny nose, but for the last hour or two, she's been discharging every drop of water from her body (i don't know if it's from her peepee hole it seems like it's coming from under her shell). She kept discharging until her stomach became empty (i noticed it became more concave and hollow than usual)

Merlin M · 26-01-2014, 01:04 PM

Do you have a lamp you can put a standard 60w bulb in? (not an energy saving one) as they give off good heat

miss_migalawes · 26-01-2014, 01:05 PM

Yes, I already a 40w bulb, do you think i should bump it up to 60w or 75w?

miss_migalawes · 26-01-2014, 01:46 PM

to everyone who visited thread, thank you. But unfortunately, my baby tortoise passed away about an hour ago

lonelylayla · 26-01-2014, 01:48 PM

Yes, definitely increase the bulb wattage - you want to try to achieve 30 degrees under the basking spot. Are you able to buy a thermometer from Ebay - they are not too expensive and would give you an idea what the temperature is. Would carry on with warm baths, warmth is going to be the best thing for your tort if you are not able to get to a vet.

lonelylayla · 26-01-2014, 01:49 PM

Oh - I am so very sorry

By the time I did my post, yours had appeared.

Suze65 · 26-01-2014, 01:54 PM

Oh no, so sorry for you, I'm not sure, but it sounds like it could have been a respiratory infection, which would have needed antibiotics.

emma_mcraf · 26-01-2014, 02:08 PM

I'm really sorry to hear such sad news. I think Suze is right - it did sound like a respiratory infection.
Poor little tort.

26-01-2014, 11:41 AM	#1
miss_migalawes Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Tunisia Posts: 12	Is my baby tortoise sick??!!! Hi, I have a 3 month old Tunisian greek tortoise, see http://basmajalloul.com/2.jpg for photo. She used to be active but since End of december, she started slowing down then she fell asleep and wouldn't want to wake up. She stopped eating (I give her various weeds and flowers like dandelions her favorite, i sprinkle them with calcium powder. I soak her everyday in luke warm water. I couldn't find (for the life of me) a UVB lamp locally so I had to order it online and I'm still waiting for it, I also ordered a reptile heating pad which is also on the way. So for now, I keep her warm by placing her on my laptop's warm spot, put her enclosure in the sun whenever i can, and have a 40w lightbulb to warm her during the night. And also for the record, in my country we don't have vets that specialize in reptiles (they only treat cattle animals), so that's not an option for me (( Sorry for rambling, but I wanted to lay out the conditions my tortoise is living before posing the problem. I noticed, I'm not sure if this was from the beginning or not, that her plastron was soft, when i press it gently, her little legs and head expand a little. I read on the internet that it was normal since she's still a hatch-ling and still growing up. So please, tell me, is this really normal? Another thing that worried me, is today while i was soaking her, she started closing and opening her mouth, i thought she was drinking so i didn't give it much though. After i got her out, i noticed a snot like thing near her mouth so i wiped it and put her near me as usual. shortly after, she started opening and closing her mouth like she's gasping for air, and when i looked closely, i noticed this snot like product inside her mouth. Is this a respiratory infection? ( she was fine yesterday and up until i soaked her, please help!!!!! P.S:: it's been 3 weeks since she fell asleep and she hasn't woken up since only for brief moments to look at me when i want to wake her up then goes back to sleep.

26-01-2014, 12:49 PM	#2
Merlin M Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 4,186	What are the temperatures during the day (basking and cool end) and at night? To me it sounds like she has been too cold. Is there any discharge from her nose? I have never dealt with a respiratory infection so not too sure but she could be sick.. someone with more experience will help i'm sure! But I would get the temps up, you need 30-34°C in the warm end and 20°C in the cool end and at night. __________________ 1:1:1 Horsfields (Misha, Amber and Teabag) 1:0:0 Dog: Rocco, Rottweiler cross 1 husband (Russ)

26-01-2014, 01:04 PM	#4
Merlin M Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 4,186	Do you have a lamp you can put a standard 60w bulb in? (not an energy saving one) as they give off good heat __________________ 1:1:1 Horsfields (Misha, Amber and Teabag) 1:0:0 Dog: Rocco, Rottweiler cross 1 husband (Russ)

26-01-2014, 01:48 PM	#7
lonelylayla Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Ammanford, South Wales Posts: 1,481	Yes, definitely increase the bulb wattage - you want to try to achieve 30 degrees under the basking spot. Are you able to buy a thermometer from Ebay - they are not too expensive and would give you an idea what the temperature is. Would carry on with warm baths, warmth is going to be the best thing for your tort if you are not able to get to a vet. __________________ Lynne TG Terresteris 1:3:1 Apollo & Layla, Santa, Helpa & Unig TG Iberia 2:3:0 Tonka, LJ, Persephone, Cleo & Clyde Saffron TGG RIP Jaunary 2019 Jasper, Harry & Ruby pussy cats 4 ex bat hens.

26-01-2014, 01:49 PM	#8
lonelylayla Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Ammanford, South Wales Posts: 1,481	Oh - I am so very sorry By the time I did my post, yours had appeared. __________________ Lynne TG Terresteris 1:3:1 Apollo & Layla, Santa, Helpa & Unig TG Iberia 2:3:0 Tonka, LJ, Persephone, Cleo & Clyde Saffron TGG RIP Jaunary 2019 Jasper, Harry & Ruby pussy cats 4 ex bat hens.

26-01-2014, 01:00 PM	#3
miss_migalawes Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Tunisia Posts: 12	Hi, Thank you for your reply. I don't really have a way to measure temperatures in the warm areas i put her in, but the weather temps bounce between 15 and 8 °C . I know these temps are low but until I receive the UVB lamp and heating pad, i can't provide warmer conditions at night :'( She doesn't have a runny nose, but for the last hour or two, she's been discharging every drop of water from her body (i don't know if it's from her peepee hole it seems like it's coming from under her shell). She kept discharging until her stomach became empty (i noticed it became more concave and hollow than usual)

26-01-2014, 01:05 PM	#5
miss_migalawes Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Tunisia Posts: 12	Yes, I already a 40w bulb, do you think i should bump it up to 60w or 75w?

26-01-2014, 01:46 PM	#6
miss_migalawes Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Tunisia Posts: 12	to everyone who visited thread, thank you. But unfortunately, my baby tortoise passed away about an hour ago

26-01-2014, 01:54 PM	#9
Suze65 Senior Member Adult Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 6,769	Oh no, so sorry for you, I'm not sure, but it sounds like it could have been a respiratory infection, which would have needed antibiotics. __________________ Suze. 3 THB, Sammy, Jemima, & Phoebe 7 Marginated, Tabitha, Ptolome, Tatiana, Noah,Lottey, Lulu & Poppy 1 TGG (Emma) RIP Feb 2012

26-01-2014, 02:08 PM	#10
emma_mcraf Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 11,365	I'm really sorry to hear such sad news. I think Suze is right - it did sound like a respiratory infection. Poor little tort. __________________ Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)