# Investigating a suspected RI



## Curie (Aug 26, 2019)

Hi, i say suspected because some symptoms fit with an RI vet wasn't 100%

He's 7 and 4 months old, and has never been sick in his life. He is roughly 6.1inch and 790g (give or take hes not easy to measure or weigh). He's always had this on again off again whistle ( 3 years or so) but generally only heard it when he was working really hard at climbing or digging excessivley and chocked it up to low humidity...and when i soaked him and moistened his table it would go away. 

Pretty suddenly he stoped eating as much and was very lethargic, spending all his time half burried under his lights and he is normally an overactive boy, so i knew something was wrong right away and brought him to the vet. The vet didn't really notice much...a slight (very slight almost negligible) amount of pink on the side of his throat but if he hadnt been showing other signs she wouldnt have even mentioned it. He wasnt making any gurgling or mucusy noises at that time and no discharge anywhere even when tipped..and at the vet he was pretty active. The only notable thing the vet noticed was he was shaky when walking...still strong in his posture but he had a bit of wobblyness and she was concerned that maybe it was neurological. I hadnt noticed it before she mentioned it..brought him home to test him on the carpet in his room (he speeds around in there normally) and he was infact still wobbly. Not falling over still very strong but deffinatley jerky.

He's on ceftazdime injections every 72 hrs..after the first shot he started making wet noises but still no discharge and he was good in the morning but much sicker by the evening. He is still eating a bit but not a huge amount. 
He's now had his second dose (third today). He is MUCH more active..banging around and doing his tortoise acrobatics like normal. However, he is still a bit wobbly..which is concerning. Also he mouth breaths when i pick him up or move him around and hes not happy with it. I know its still early and im hoping the wobbly is from being sick. 

Has anyone seen this behaviour in a tort with RI? Could this be something else? Im an overly anxious tortoise mom atm. 
Also, if it is just an RI i really want to figure out how it happened...and how i can stop it from happening again.

Set up: 
150w basking light and uvb bulb (uvb changed every 6 months, just changed it) 
Temps
in hot end 85-100 ( temp gun checked and height of bulbs changed to maintain)
Cool end 71 lowest 65 (during winter)
2x4 tortoise table, 1/4 covered the rest open, hide, water bowl he can fit into, food rock/slate, other rocks and decor. (Working on a 5x9 feet enclosure currently)
Substrate, eco earth, repti soil, cypress mulch and spagnum moss
Humidity 50-70 %
Food, mainly mazuri (addicted) but greens offered daily (mainly dandelion, endive/frisse) not sure how much greens he actually eats.


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## xMario (Aug 26, 2019)

Curie said:


> Hi, i say suspected because some symptoms fit with an RI vet wasn't 100%
> 
> He's 7 and 4 months old, and has never been sick in his life. He is roughly 6.1inch and 790g (give or take hes not easy to measure or weigh). He's always had this on again off again whistle ( 3 years or so) but generally only heard it when he was working really hard at climbing or digging excessivley and chocked it up to low humidity...and when i soaked him and moistened his table it would go away.
> 
> ...


What species? 

Pls send pictures of ur enclosure ur tortoise and all the lights u use 
[emoji106]


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## Curie (Aug 26, 2019)

Totally forgot to say, he's an eastern Hermann's


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