# *URGENT* Tortoise making squealing sounds and opening their mouth.



## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 5, 2021)

Hi, I own a horsefield tortoise and I am currently very stressed as she sounds like she is struggling to breath. She keeps opening her mouth and making a squealing sound, please help.


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## pacific chelonians (Feb 5, 2021)

If you could post a photo of your tortoise and it’s enclosure we may be able to help better also how frequently is she squeaking and how frequently is her head and mouth opening I really need more to make a definitive answer for you


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 5, 2021)

She seems to be squeaking quite often (approx. every minute) her mouth opens every time she squeaks, she also seems to extend her neck sometimes when she squeaks. Also she has only just started doing this very recently in like the last hour. I will attach some pictures soon.


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 5, 2021)

She also sounds like sometimes she is sneezing.


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## pacific chelonians (Feb 5, 2021)

Give her a soak in warm water for 20min 3days in a row that should help


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 5, 2021)

Thanks so much for the help, I will do, I have been giving her lots of baths since it started happening about an hour ago but it doesn't seem to have an affect. Is it more of a long term thing? Also I can attach a video of her squeaking if that will be off any help.


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 5, 2021)

Also it sounds to me that she has got a blocked nose as she keeps sneezing and having to breath out of her mouth every once in a while, I don't know if it is that but that's what it sounds like.


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## Yossarian (Feb 5, 2021)

Looks like your tort has a respiratory infection, the noise, and the opening mouth thing are typical, and correct me if Im wrong but it looks in the pics like it also has puffy eyes? Im betting your tort is too cold, an open top table at this time of year in england is going to be difficult to keep warm enough, and the information that led you to that table and that substrate is the wrong information I am sorry. The best treatment immediately is to increase ambient temps above 26c day and night for the next few weeks, with increased temps the RI should clear up pretty quick. You should be soaking your tort daily anyway.

You should also consider making some changes to your enclosure (table). Your torts shell is pyramidding because the enclosure is too dry. Ive posted the care sheet for these torts, pls have a read and come back with questions, dont be discouraged because your doing things wrong, you have the right info now, so you can give your tort the best life. Luckily, your current table is too small for much longer so you have an opportunity to reconsider that as well. 

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise | Tortoise Forum

BIG VIVARIUMS Archives - Southdown Aquatics


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## ZenHerper (Feb 5, 2021)

Dry conditions can also cause respiratory problems in tortoises...they evolved way back when the world was covered with clouds and mist. Modern tortoises that live in drier landscapes will burrow deep down into the earth so they have a place to get out of the blazing sun's harmful effects.

When you adjust your pet's heat, you also have to adjust the ambient humidity to keep the sinuses and lungs from drying out. Pay particular attention to the information about a Humid Hide box.

Tortoises develop symptoms slowly, and those symptoms are very slow to abate.

Since the reptile immune system runs in response to ambient temperature, it may take some time for things to "charge up", so to speak. 

You have to make the relevant adjustments as quickly and completely as you can in part because their response will be slow.


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## BillyTheSulcata (Feb 5, 2021)

HorsefieldTortoise said:


> Hi, I own a horsefield tortoise and I am currently very stressed as she sounds like she is struggling to breath. She keeps opening her mouth and making a squealing sound, please help.


I would follow the suggestions made here but I would also take her to the veterinarian. I hope she gets better soon.


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## Yossarian (Feb 6, 2021)

LiliAndDaisy said:


> I would follow the suggestions made here but I would also take her to the veterinarian. I hope she gets better soon.



Vets and torts are complicated, vets often don’t know what to do with sick torts. I would only go to a vet if the symptoms continue for several days after raising temps.


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 6, 2021)

Hi, thank you all so much for the help, I will look into doing all of these things. But last night she started chocking, we think she had started chocking on her dirt in her enclosure so we quickly gave her baths to try and clear it up and every minute it would look like she was dead, then she would wake up again with her neck out and open her mouth really wide and start squeaking again, we googled everything but we just didn't know what to do. It was so horrible to watch. Luckily she is still alive as we continuously checked on her during the night and she has seemed to stop squealing and/or chocking now but we have rung the vet. hopefully they can help. Thanks again for all the feedback and I will take it all into great consideration.


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## Yossarian (Feb 6, 2021)

Is the tort straining, could it be a blockage? Have you seen the tort poo recently?


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 6, 2021)

She was straining last night when it happened and it seemed like a blockage. I haven't seen her poo since probably the day before yesterday. She seems okay now so if it was a blockage she may have cleared it herself.


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## Lyn W (Feb 6, 2021)

I hope she will be OK now, but if not and you do need the vet, try to use an exotics vet who will have a better idea of tortoises if you can. 
Don't let them give any vitamin jabs as these can do more harm than good.


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 6, 2021)

She seems ok now, we are just giving her a bath now, I will keep a close eye on her. I will take not about the vitamin jabs if we do need to take her to the vet


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## maureen allenza (Feb 7, 2021)

How is she? Please take her to the vet! I lost my tort a few months ago, and I do not want you to go tru that! It was out of the blue. We still miss him.


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## SLB (Feb 7, 2021)

HorsefieldTortoise said:


> Hi, I own a horsefield tortoise and I am currently very stressed as she sounds like she is struggling to breath. She keeps opening her mouth and making a squealing sound, please help.


Open mouth breathing, audible breathing, extension of the neck as if struggling to breath suggests your tortoise had a serious respiratory infection. While I would get it to an exotics vet ASAP, you also most likely need to adjust your temperature/humidity, and habitat. Nutritional deficiencies can also play a role in the development of respiratory infections. These conditions rarely self-resolve.


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## Gijoux (Feb 7, 2021)

What type of soil are you using in your enclosure? Most soils are contaminated with pesticides and other poisonous debris. I would place her on a towel to observe urination. She may be trying to pass a stone. Soaking and increasing the temps are required. Is she eating?


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 8, 2021)

maureen allenza said:


> How is she? Please take her to the vet! I lost my tort a few months ago, and I do not want you to go tru that! It was out of the blue. We still miss him.


Im sorry to hear that, thanks for the advice we are taking her to the vet today.


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 8, 2021)

Gijoux said:


> What type of soil are you using in your enclosure? Most soils are contaminated with pesticides and other poisonous debris. I would place her on a towel to observe urination. She may be trying to pass a stone. Soaking and increasing the temps are required. Is she eating?


I don't exactly know what soil as we are just using the one that we get from the pet store. I will look into maybe buying a different one


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## HorsefieldTortoise (Feb 8, 2021)

Also she has not been eating recently just sleeping.


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## Melissacoop (Feb 8, 2021)

Please keep in the back of your mind that all vets don't do right by tortoises. They should get an xray ro rule out a blockage. Did you make the changes to her enclosure as far as raising the heat? Please follow the advice given on this forum and come back and tell us how the visit went.


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## TaylorTortoise (Feb 8, 2021)

You need to replace your enclosure with something more enclosed and a lot brighter. there needs to be a light for UBV and a heating light if the UBV does not already contain heating.

try getting some kind of screen to go on top of the enclosure to at least hold in some humidity for your guy. I would recommend getting a humidity and temp gauge to stick in there so you know the humidity and temp at all times.


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## TaylorTortoise (Feb 8, 2021)

Taylorlynn48 said:


> You need to replace your enclosure with something more enclosed and a lot brighter. there needs to be a light for UBV and a heating light if the UBV does not already contain heating.
> 
> try getting some kind of screen to go on top of the enclosure to at least hold in some humidity for your guy. I would recommend getting a humidity and temp gauge to stick in there so you know the humidity and temp at all times.


A humid hide works well too!


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