(sick?) Sulcata Tortoise Question

[Mike A]

Hey everyone,

Little bit of back story: My tortoise is about 2 and a half years old, he eats Timothy hay mixed with dandelions and occasionally tomatoes. He has the proper UVB and UVA bulbs, soakings 2-3 times a week and we live in Florida, so the temperature and humidity are great.

My sulcata tortoise and I visited a friends home for a barbecue on Monday and I haven't seen him eat since then. Since he isn't eating, I've been soaking him for at least an hour or two every day so he can retain some water. After last nights soak, he threw up a clear liquid with some bubbles in it. It may have been water from the bath, but I'm not positive. I made an appointment with the vet for Monday which was the earliest I could, but is there anything I can do for him? Like I said, It's been about 5 days since he's eaten. He seems to smell things I put in front of him, like tomatoes, but he won't eat. .. and Viktor loves tomatoes so something must be wrong. Any suggestions on what I can do until Monday? Thank you all.

 

[wellington]

First give tomatoes very sparingly, they aren't that great for torts. I would keep him a little warmer then normal. Like 85 degrees day and night. Was he around another tortoise? Did he graze in the yard and was the yard fertilizer and pesticide free? I would keep soaking him and keep trying to get him to eat.

 

[Mike A]

First give tomatoes very sparingly, they aren't that great for torts. I would keep him a little warmer then normal. Like 85 degrees day and night. Was he around another tortoise? Did he graze in the yard and was the yard fertilizer and pesticide free? I would keep soaking him and keep trying to get him to eat.

I asked my friends who's house I was over if they ever spray pesticides on their lawn or plants, and they said that they never have since they moved in 10+ years ago. That was my main concern. As I just finished posting this, he threw up for a 2nd time in the past 2 days. I immediately noticed a very bad smell from what he threw up, and noticed bubbles in the throw up. I really want him to be ok and I am soaking him so much, he won't even go near food so I don't know what to do. I've spent so much time with him, I don't want anything to happen but I'm worried from not eating for 5-6 days, something irreparable might happen.

edit: Also tomatoes are given very sparingly. It's mostly a treat, like 2 small (salad sized) cherry tomatoes every week.

 

[Momof4]

Sorry! Do you think someone there fed him?

 

[Mike A]

Sorry! Do you think someone there fed him?

No, he pretty much just grazed, I didn't take my eye off of him because their yard is not fenced in. Every 5 minutes or so I had to pick him up and move him back to the area where I was. He ate weeds, grass as far as I know. Could it be something he ate? I didn't see anything specifically in the backyard that might have been bad.

 

[wellington]

Tortosies can go quite some time without eating. @Yvonne G might have some suggestions.

 

[Mike A]

Tortosies can go quite some time without eating. @Yvonne G might have some suggestions.

I'm just hoping nothing will happen to him by Monday. That is my biggest concern. I've looked online but there's very small information online about vomiting. It mostly just says "Go to a vet immediately."

 

[Odin's Gma]

Add carrot baby food to his soaking water, soak him for at least 20-30 minutes once or twice a day and keep him warm, don't let his temps dip below 80 in the coolest area, and make sure his basking area hits 95-105. Make sure he has access to a water dish he can get into (and out of) all day.

 

[Mike A]

Add carrot baby food to his soaking water, soak him for at least 20-30 minutes once or twice a day and keep him warm, don't let his temps dip below 80 in the coolest area, and make sure his basking area hits 95-105. Make sure he has access to a water dish he can get into (and out of) all day.

He hasn't been moving much, except for when I brought him outside today. I've been keeping him inside a shallow basin shower until he improves. I've been filling it up every few hours, I will make sure to get some baby food in the morning and make sure to keep him warm.

 

[Odin's Gma]

He hasn't been moving much, except for when I brought him outside today. I've been keeping him inside a shallow basin shower until he improves. I've been filling it up every few hours, I will make sure to get some baby food in the morning and make sure to keep him warm.

I don't want to freak you out, and be aware that I am pretty new to torts, but I do have a lot of experience with other animals, but what you describe sounds like a poisoning/toxin ingestion. If that is the case, and I am not saying it is, hydration and maintaining nutrients is crucial.

 

[Mike A]

I don't want to freak you out, and be aware that I am pretty new to torts, but I do have a lot of experience with other animals, but what you describe sounds like a poisoning/toxin ingestion. If that is the case, and I am not saying it is, hydration is crucial.

My concern is, does soaking him provide proper hydration? If I could provide him water from a syringe I would, but I don't know how to make him ingest water. He doesn't seem to drink, he seems to only sit in it. I believe you could be right, if it were toxins that could kill him, would it have happened already? Will it run its course or just keep getting worse?

 

[Odin's Gma]

My concern is, does soaking him provide proper hydration? If I could provide him water from a syringe I would, but I don't know how to make him ingest water. He doesn't seem to drink, he seems to only sit in it. I believe you could be right, if it were toxins that could kill him, would it have happened already? Will it run its course or just keep getting worse?

Soaking will provide hydration, they can absorb through their skin and cloaca, and if you add the carrot baby food they can absorb the nutrients from that also. I would not force fluids orally.
It depends. With many toxins animals get sick and it can run it's course as long as they haven't ingested a ridiculous amount and the animal is otherwise strong and healthy and is well cared for. I wouldn't be panicked yet if I were you, just very concerned and vigilant.

 

[Mike A]

Soaking will provide hydration, they can absorb through their skin and cloaca, and if you add the carrot baby food they can absorb the nutrients from that also. I would not force fluids orally.
It depends. With many toxins animals get sick and it can run it's course as long as they haven't ingested a ridiculous amount and the animal is otherwise strong and healthy and is well cared for. I wouldn't be panicked yet if I were you, just very concerned and vigilant.

I so much appreciate your help. None of you have any reason to help, but you do. I've really grown attached to my tortoise over the past 2 and a half years and don't want anything to happen to him. It made me quite happy that when I took him outside earlier, he seems to run around like nothing was wrong. I'm hoping that with some extra attention he will be fine. That being said, I will still take him to the vet on Monday to make sure he is OK.

 

[Yvonne G]

Have you ever taken him "visiting" before? They sometimes sulk after they've been displaced.

 

[Mike A]

Have you ever taken him "visiting" before? They sometimes sulk after they've been displaced.

No, he's actually never visited that place before, and he did seem to enjoy it quite a lot.. I recently moved here for business and I can say he isn't in a condition that I would prefer for him. He has everything he needs, it's more of an emotional thing at this point. I won't be relocating for another 2 month to a different state for work, so I can only give him what he needs until then. Being in a more natural environment was definitely a great thing to see him experience. Do you think maybe he is depressed to be back in his current habitat? Would his vomiting be a factor in that at all?

 

[Odin's Gma]

None of you have any reason to help, but you do.

It's because I love my tort, and you obviously love yours. It's more than likely not anything too serious if he is up and running but you should always treat situations like this seriously (in non invasive ways) when they are that out of sorts in the case that it.

 

[Mike A]

It's because I love my tort, and you obviously love yours. It's more than likely not anything too serious if he is up and running but you should always treat situations like this seriously (in non invasive ways) when they are that out of sorts in the case that it.

I've had him a long time..the profile picture on the left was how big he was when I got him, and now he's a healthy size for a 2 1/2 year old sulcata. It may only be a fraction of the duration of his life, but a lot more for mine.

 

[Odin's Gma]

I've had him a long time..the profile picture on the left was how big he was when I got him, and now he's a healthy size for a 2 1/2 year old sulcata. It may only be a fraction of the duration of his life, but a lot more for mine.

Just relax, keep him warm and hydrated, and make sure you pay attention to what he is doing, eating etc. so you can answer the vets questions when you see him. He will likely outlive us all! They are pretty resilient buggers!

 

[Mike A]

One last question for the evening, some of you suggested to soak him in water with baby food (carrot), I have organic carrot juice that also contains fruits, would that be something I could add into some water for this evening and soak him? Or would the fruit make it not great to do.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Mike, I'm guessing it's not good to use the carrot/juice mix since it's recommended to not give sulcatas any fruit (or minimal fruit at best). Id skip this mix and opt to wait until you can acquire the proper 100% carrot mix.