Any vets recommendation for "Red foot tortoise" in Atlanta GA?

stina92

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Atlanta
Hi guys!

My hatchling red foot tortoise is pretty sick=(
I'm sure he has a respiratory infection.
He had the same symptom about 2 weeks ago, and I needed to wait until to see a doctor.
So I gave him a tiny bit of "Doxycycline" in his water, and he drank some, and he was recovering.
I still took him to see a doctor. When I took him to the vet, he almost recovered, and Doc took his x-ray, and nothing came up.
So she did not give me any medicine for him. However, now he is sick again :(
I'm so worried about this tiny baby.
Could you please recommend a good doctor who knows about "RED FOOT TORTOISE" very well?
 

method89

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
May 15, 2019
Messages
1,384
Location (City and/or State)
Malverne, NY
Can you tell us more about your setup? what are your temperatures within his enclosure? Can you post pictures?
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
Hi guys!

My hatchling red foot tortoise is pretty sick=(
I'm sure he has a respiratory infection.
He had the same symptom about 2 weeks ago, and I needed to wait until to see a doctor.
So I gave him a tiny bit of "Doxycycline" in his water, and he drank some, and he was recovering.
I still took him to see a doctor. When I took him to the vet, he almost recovered, and Doc took his x-ray, and nothing came up.
So she did not give me any medicine for him. However, now he is sick again :(
I'm so worried about this tiny baby.
Could you please recommend a good doctor who knows about "RED FOOT TORTOISE" very well?
There are two good exotics vets in Marietta, Brad Wilson and Justin Oguni. They both practice at The Veterinary Clinic West on Old Dallas Rd. Here is a link: https://www.theveterinaryclinic.net/

You could also go to the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital to see Dr. Steven Divers, but that is in Athens which would be further away from you. https://vet.uga.edu/hospital-and-primary-care/hospital/

Whichever place you decide upon, tell them that I referred you (Dr. William H. Zovickian).
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
Hi guys!

My hatchling red foot tortoise is pretty sick=(
I'm sure he has a respiratory infection.
He had the same symptom about 2 weeks ago, and I needed to wait until to see a doctor.
So I gave him a tiny bit of "Doxycycline" in his water, and he drank some, and he was recovering.
I still took him to see a doctor. When I took him to the vet, he almost recovered, and Doc took his x-ray, and nothing came up.
So she did not give me any medicine for him. However, now he is sick again :(
I'm so worried about this tiny baby.
Could you please recommend a good doctor who knows about "RED FOOT TORTOISE" very well?
What symptoms does the tortoise have that makes you think it's sick? Is the tortoise eating? Welcome to the forum, im a neighbor in Gwinnett.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
What symptoms does the tortoise have that makes you think it's sick? Is the tortoise eating? Welcome to the forum, im a neighbor in Gwinnett.
There are several things that can distress a RF tortoise.
Unless you have a lot of experience as a keeper, you may be overlooking something
 

stina92

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Atlanta
There are two good exotics vets in Marietta, Brad Wilson and Justin Oguni. They both practice at The Veterinary Clinic West on Old Dallas Rd. Here is a link: https://www.theveterinaryclinic.net/

You could also go to the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital to see Dr. Steven Divers, but that is in Athens which would be further away from you. https://vet.uga.edu/hospital-and-primary-care/hospital/

Whichever place you decide upon, tell them that I referred you (Dr. William H. Zovickian).
Wow thank you so so much!
 

stina92

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Atlanta
What symptoms does the tortoise have that makes you think it's sick? Is the tortoise eating? Welcome to the forum, im a neighbor in Gwinnett.
Heyy thank you for welcoming. He keeps sneezing, rubbing his eyes, making bubbles thru his nosals, yawning and gasping a lot:( He eats well but not much. I researched a lot about tortoise's respiratory infection from here and it is very critical issue to them so im very worried about him?
What symptoms does the tortoise have that makes you think it's sick? Is the tortoise eating? Welcome to the forum, im a neighbor in Gwinnett.
 

stina92

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Atlanta
There are several things that can distress a RF tortoise.
Unless you have a lot of experience as a keeper, you may be overlooking something
Can you tell us more about your setup? what are your temperatures within his enclosure? Can you post pictures?
I hope im just overthinking. I got him a month ago so i do not have any knowledge about red foot tortoise. I took big mistake first week when i got him, i didnt make warm enough at night and made the coconut fiber too wet. So i got ceramic heater as the doctor's advice.

Based on my research, Pingping has a respiratory infection. He seems like he is having a hard time to breathe (runny nose, gasping, yawning, sneezing and stretching his neck to breath thru mouth) ???

Also, i want to ask you guys, how do you keep high humidity in enclosure? It is really hard to keep it above 70%. I cant spray the water all the time since i am not at home almost half of day.

I also attached his poop(im so soooory), he has either watery poop or undigested poop. Is it related with parasite...? I feed him everyday one or two times with greens and fruits 50/50.

Thank you for reading and all of your concerns❤️?
 

Attachments

  • AFACCE12-29CF-4545-9782-6D169577C60D.jpeg
    AFACCE12-29CF-4545-9782-6D169577C60D.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 15
  • C3C2A2D7-51FE-42E9-8395-8774C6FFF134.jpeg
    C3C2A2D7-51FE-42E9-8395-8774C6FFF134.jpeg
    852.5 KB · Views: 15

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
We use something called a CLOSED CHAMBER ENCLOSURE.
It's a mostly sealed system.
The substrate is Orchid Bark.
You pour a little water into the bark and it gives of humidity as it evaporates.
You need humidity of 70%+.
Heat needs to be 80 to 86.
You'll need a UVB source either provided by actual outside time. Or with a T5 strip florescent 5.0 or 6% lamp.
Do not buy any UVB source that screws in to a socket.
No bright lights.
What lights are in that double hood?
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
I hope im just overthinking. I got him a month ago so i do not have any knowledge about red foot tortoise. I took big mistake first week when i got him, i didnt make warm enough at night and made the coconut fiber too wet. So i got ceramic heater as the doctor's advice.

Based on my research, Pingping has a respiratory infection. He seems like he is having a hard time to breathe (runny nose, gasping, yawning, sneezing and stretching his neck to breath thru mouth) ???

Also, i want to ask you guys, how do you keep high humidity in enclosure? It is really hard to keep it above 70%. I cant spray the water all the time since i am not at home almost half of day.

I also attached his poop(im so soooory), he has either watery poop or undigested poop. Is it related with parasite...? I feed him everyday one or two times with greens and fruits 50/50.

Thank you for reading and all of your concerns❤️?
You are NOT overthinking. Your tortoise is quite sick. You really need to get it to a good exotic vet for the proper treatment(s).
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
You are NOT overthinking. Your tortoise is quite sick. You really need to get it to a good exotic vet for the proper treatment(s).
Agreed
By the time a tortoise shows signs of being sick. It's often very sick.
Nothing that you mentioned rules out a case of URI.
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
Heyy thank you for welcoming. He keeps sneezing, rubbing his eyes, making bubbles thru his nosals, yawning and gasping a lot:( He eats well but not much. I researched a lot about tortoise's respiratory infection from here and it is very critical issue to them so im very worried about him?
Veterinary school at UGA would be your best option. Good luck
 

Redfoot mom

New Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
28
I hope im just overthinking. I got him a month ago so i do not have any knowledge about red foot tortoise. I took big mistake first week when i got him, i didnt make warm enough at night and made the coconut fiber too wet. So i got ceramic heater as the doctor's advice.

Based on my research, Pingping has a respiratory infection. He seems like he is having a hard time to breathe (runny nose, gasping, yawning, sneezing and stretching his neck to breath thru mouth) ???

Also, i want to ask you guys, how do you keep high humidity in enclosure? It is really hard to keep it above 70%. I cant spray the water all the time since i am not at home almost half of day.

I also attached his poop(im so soooory), he has either watery poop or undigested poop. Is it related with parasite...? I feed him everyday one or two times with greens and fruits 50/50.

Thank you for reading and all of your concerns❤️?
Looks like parasites. I'm no expert but my tortoise has never had poop like that.
 

jcase

Well-Known Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
402
Location (City and/or State)
Pittsboro, NC
There are two good exotics vets in Marietta, Brad Wilson and Justin Oguni. They both practice at The Veterinary Clinic West on Old Dallas Rd. Here is a link: https://www.theveterinaryclinic.net/

You could also go to the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital to see Dr. Steven Divers, but that is in Athens which would be further away from you. https://vet.uga.edu/hospital-and-primary-care/hospital/

Whichever place you decide upon, tell them that I referred you (Dr. William H. Zovickian).
Seconded for Divers. I haven't had anything treated by him, but he is very helpful over email, and I have some of the text books he contributed to. Really nice guy, and knows his stuff. I'm headed his way hopefully next year.
 
Top