My CDT Crazy Eyes Funky Scutes came out of brumation on a very slow go. Nothing like years past. In SoCal, we had a weird winter. We actually were allowed rain.
My sweet boy seemed to have a good sleep. Did come out on his own a few times to check out the rain, stroll, be all bad. And went back in.
He came out for good later than his usual end of March but rather 10 days into April. And, horrors, with respiratory like symptoms. The runny nose, a loudish, to me, wheeze when I put my ear real close to his head. I know it has been said that sometimes the same symptoms can be due to stress, dust, pollen, dry. But he also was not eating like his usual ready to get go nom nom self. I did soak him daily, with carrot baby food and alternately, squash. But he was ultra sluggish.
Before making an appointment and taking him to the vet, I had a whim to use a vapo rub I used for myself a few months ago when I caught a winter time head cold. It's a healthier version of vaporub. No petroleum jelly in it. It contains instead ...
Active Ingredients: Natural Menthol USP 2.6%
Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Vera; Organic Arnica Montana Extract; Camphor; Coconut Oil; Eucalyptus Globulus; Soybean Oil; White Beeswax
It's called Zim's but there are other brands at the health food store or Trader Joe's perhaps. Natural stuff, no petroleum for me or my torties. The baby section at health food store, and some drug stores, also has some more organic, natural versions.
I put dabs on his shell, on the vertebral scutes, away from eyes or being able to rub it into his eyes, and on his plastron, in the middle. I also put some on the base of his back feet.
On us humans, vaporub on your feet, with socks before bed can help stop night time coughing. So can fresh pineapple, or pineapple juice. Works better than cough syrups, I think.
I then put my beloved boy in a cardboard box for the night and put some dabs of the stuff on the cardboard before closing. After first night, huge improvement. Oh.em.gee. He actually ate half his salad, whereas for 10 days before he would walk away. No smell, no eat I surmised. Second night, again with the dab of mentholly goop. Morning after, more good results. And all his food eaten.
I did this a 3rd night, to be sure. And done. Heeeeeee's baaaaaack. To his jolly self.
I did wash the remedy off during the day because I was still going to soak him. I used a little Dawn original blue dish soap, because they use it for wildlife after oil spills. A good rinse, prior to soaking him. We do not want to get the menthol, or other ingredients into the water where it can then go in eyes, or be ingested. So word of caution to remember that.
Sharing as my March for Science, uncompromised, home edition, with evidence based results. Any experts commenting, yay or hey knucklehead, are welcomed, of course. Whatever helps our tortoises.
My sweet boy seemed to have a good sleep. Did come out on his own a few times to check out the rain, stroll, be all bad. And went back in.
He came out for good later than his usual end of March but rather 10 days into April. And, horrors, with respiratory like symptoms. The runny nose, a loudish, to me, wheeze when I put my ear real close to his head. I know it has been said that sometimes the same symptoms can be due to stress, dust, pollen, dry. But he also was not eating like his usual ready to get go nom nom self. I did soak him daily, with carrot baby food and alternately, squash. But he was ultra sluggish.
Before making an appointment and taking him to the vet, I had a whim to use a vapo rub I used for myself a few months ago when I caught a winter time head cold. It's a healthier version of vaporub. No petroleum jelly in it. It contains instead ...
Active Ingredients: Natural Menthol USP 2.6%
Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Vera; Organic Arnica Montana Extract; Camphor; Coconut Oil; Eucalyptus Globulus; Soybean Oil; White Beeswax
It's called Zim's but there are other brands at the health food store or Trader Joe's perhaps. Natural stuff, no petroleum for me or my torties. The baby section at health food store, and some drug stores, also has some more organic, natural versions.
I put dabs on his shell, on the vertebral scutes, away from eyes or being able to rub it into his eyes, and on his plastron, in the middle. I also put some on the base of his back feet.
On us humans, vaporub on your feet, with socks before bed can help stop night time coughing. So can fresh pineapple, or pineapple juice. Works better than cough syrups, I think.
I then put my beloved boy in a cardboard box for the night and put some dabs of the stuff on the cardboard before closing. After first night, huge improvement. Oh.em.gee. He actually ate half his salad, whereas for 10 days before he would walk away. No smell, no eat I surmised. Second night, again with the dab of mentholly goop. Morning after, more good results. And all his food eaten.
I did this a 3rd night, to be sure. And done. Heeeeeee's baaaaaack. To his jolly self.
I did wash the remedy off during the day because I was still going to soak him. I used a little Dawn original blue dish soap, because they use it for wildlife after oil spills. A good rinse, prior to soaking him. We do not want to get the menthol, or other ingredients into the water where it can then go in eyes, or be ingested. So word of caution to remember that.
Sharing as my March for Science, uncompromised, home edition, with evidence based results. Any experts commenting, yay or hey knucklehead, are welcomed, of course. Whatever helps our tortoises.
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