RickyTheMan
New Member
I’ve had Ricky the sulcata tortoise for almost 2 years, got him a month after his hatching. He’s pretty big for his age, but he’s always been in good health and very active.
a few days ago he accidentally ate a blob of yellow oil paint my boyfriend and I forgot to put away. We immediately rushed him to the vet. They recommended antibiotics shots in case the toxic paint that contains cadmium zinc sulfide causes pneumonia or something and told us we won’t know the effect for a week or two since their metabolism is so slow. He’s been fine since the incident, it’s been 5/6 days, he’s been moving and trying to ram into the walls of his inclosure which is typical and he’s as hungry as ever. He’s been pooping regularly too. However today I gave him a bath and he started hissing and sucking in very loudly. He’s been doing it often since an hour or two ago, even after I removed him from the bath. He’s under his heat lamp now, but every few minutes I hear him loudly hissing and sucking in and that’s not usually something he does this often so I’m wondering if anyone knows what this could mean. Is he struggling to breath? Or is he maybe just bored, I don’t know. I have a video, but I don’t think I can attach videos.
Also after his poop in the bath and the hissing I noticed his butt/tail area looks a little swollen. I don’t know if that’s also normal, maybe he’s trying to push out the paint? I just don’t know. Will attach photos.
I couldn’t find anything on the internet about tortoises eating paint just dogs and cats, has anyone had a similar experience? He’s our baby and we’re just insanely worried about him. Thanks for any help you guys can give.
a few days ago he accidentally ate a blob of yellow oil paint my boyfriend and I forgot to put away. We immediately rushed him to the vet. They recommended antibiotics shots in case the toxic paint that contains cadmium zinc sulfide causes pneumonia or something and told us we won’t know the effect for a week or two since their metabolism is so slow. He’s been fine since the incident, it’s been 5/6 days, he’s been moving and trying to ram into the walls of his inclosure which is typical and he’s as hungry as ever. He’s been pooping regularly too. However today I gave him a bath and he started hissing and sucking in very loudly. He’s been doing it often since an hour or two ago, even after I removed him from the bath. He’s under his heat lamp now, but every few minutes I hear him loudly hissing and sucking in and that’s not usually something he does this often so I’m wondering if anyone knows what this could mean. Is he struggling to breath? Or is he maybe just bored, I don’t know. I have a video, but I don’t think I can attach videos.
Also after his poop in the bath and the hissing I noticed his butt/tail area looks a little swollen. I don’t know if that’s also normal, maybe he’s trying to push out the paint? I just don’t know. Will attach photos.
I couldn’t find anything on the internet about tortoises eating paint just dogs and cats, has anyone had a similar experience? He’s our baby and we’re just insanely worried about him. Thanks for any help you guys can give.