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I just took Sparkles out for soaking. I noticed before I soaked her that her left nostril looked clogged or just odd to me. I soaked her for a few minutes and saw that the "clog" was loose so I grabbed the tweezers to get it off for her and now she has a big hole in her nose!!!! What is this? What did I do? How do I treat it? I'm sooo scared for her!!

pics:





sorry they are fuzzy..I took them with my phone.

Sparkles needs to get to a vet asap. It seems she has had a nasal infection for awhile. Thats why that piece fell off.
Keep us updated as to how she's doing.

Danny

I'm going to call the vet tomorrow and hopefully they can get me in!! I have her paper towels right now because I was worried about substrate getting in her nose. I'm so worried!!!!
Thanks Danny

Good luck with Sparkles at the Vet tomorrow, hopefully you have caught it in time. Definitely keep her on paper towels.

It might have been something like a piece of grass or a sticker or something that lodged in a nostril and caused pus to form around it...then the pus hardened and that's what you picked off. At any rate, he'll need a course of antibiotics to be sure there isn't any infection left. Also, the vet will put your mind at ease about what's actually happening there.

Yvonne

I feel so bad. I had no idea!! She had been treated for a RI. I thought she was doing well. She eats well.
I will let you all know what the vet says. Poor little baby.

Good luck - hope everything goes well! We will be thinking about you!

Good Luck!!

Good luck.

Coldliz Wrote:I'm going to call the vet tomorrow and hopefully they can get me in!! I have her paper towels right now because I was worried about substrate getting in her nose. I'm so worried!!!!
Thanks Danny

I think putting her on papertowels and keeping her off substrate was a wise move. I am sure your vet will work you in. Poor Sparkles. Good luck to you both. Keep us informed.

Ok, sorry it took so long for an update. I couldn't get in to the vet until 6:00. Anyway, the vet said her nose will be fine. He gave me some triple antibiotic to put on her nose for the next 20 days. He said its probably just from her rubbing her nose against the enclosure.

Other problem was, she's lost weight!!! Last time weighed was November she was .79 grams. This time she was .71 grams. I'm not sure how she lost weight. She eats great and she eats twice a day.
He said to nix the coconut fiber substrate. He said it causes impaction. So, I need to come up with another substrate I guess. He said to use Alfalfa pellets but I'm not so sure about that. I was thinking of using the some of the Orchard grass I bought. Would that be ok? Is it possible for that to catch fire from the heat lamp? Can it hold humidity at all? Although she is a Sulcata, the babies need more humidity don't they? He said I need to up her temps to get her to eat more.

I am glad that Sparkles will be okay. Do not use alfalfa pellets because they mold. I have experienced this when I first started with my torts. I have used sand/soil mix but I am changing this to shredded aspen bedding. Danny uses this with all of his torts and I trust his opinion so I am giving it a shot. He also gave a great suggestion for a humid hide. He said to take a plastic flower pot and cut it in half from top to bottom. Glue a sponge in the pot and keep moist. I think this is a brilliant idea, as many others did also, and intend on also using this for my leo babies.

Thanks, I'm glad she will be ok too.

ah yes!! I remember reading about the sponge trick, thanks for reminding me.

Is the Aspen bedding digestable?

Danny said that it passes right through. He uses it for all of his at all ages.