Pneumonia

Hello everyone,
Recently my beloved Lou (8 year old cherry head) has been diagnosed by a vet that he has pneumonia. I have been under a dark rain cloud ever since I heard and I’m desperate to make him okay and healthy again. He will be visiting the vet every 3 days for injections to hopefully clear the pneumonia. I just wanted to see if anybody else has had experience with their tortoise having pneumonia?
Also I have been given false information in the past on how to care for him so I’m feeling like this is all my fault and maybe it’s something I’ve done wrong that’s given him this illness. His temperature under his light is between 80-90F but when it goes off at night I don’t have a nighttime heat lamp or anything, probably making it quite cold in his tank. Could this have been the issue? I’m currently looking for something, ANYTHING to improve in his living conditions so this never happens again. Also my vet advised me not to give him any soaks or provide any humidity misting in his tank while his lungs are sick. He’s a rainforest tortoise so wouldn’t this be unhealthy for him to keep him so dry?

Thanks in advance for any help given.

Kassidy

Disagree with the vet I do. (Sorry Yoda) redfoots need humidity but they need warm. Cold and wet is a perfect recipe for RI or pnemonia. Warm and humid, night time heat CHE is needed @ZEROPILOT keeps RFs in Florida

You need to keep him warm day and night, and keep the humidity level right up with the warmth day and night.
What injections is he getting?

Buy yourself a CHE. Maybe two small ones depending on your enclosure.
They will keep your enclosure warm at night after the lamps are off.
Ideally, your RF should never get colder than 77 at night. 80 would be better.
During the daytime 80 to 88.
An even 82 or 83 day AND night would be my goal.
Is there an A/C vent nearby?
How are you providing humidity?
Can you photograph or describe your enclosure, etc?
Too wet and too cool is also my thought.
But photos would help with a better guess.

dmmj said:

Disagree with the vet I do. (Sorry Yoda) redfoots need humidity but they need warm. Cold and wet is a perfect recipe for RI or pnemonia. Warm and humid, night time heat CHE is needed @ZEROPILOT keeps RFs in Florida

Click to expand...

Toronto ain't in Florida

ZEROPILOT said:

Toronto ain't in Florida

Click to expand...

My apologies

ZEROPILOT said:

Buy yourself a CHE. Maybe two small ones depending on your enclosure.
They will keep your enclosure warm at night after the lamps are off.
Ideally, your RF should never get colder than 77 at night. 80 would be better.
During the daytime 80 to 88.
An even 82 or 83 day AND night would be my goal.
Is there an A/C vent nearby?
How are you providing humidity?
Can you photograph or describe your enclosure, etc?
Too wet and too cool is also my thought.
But photos would help with a better guess.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your response. I have always wanted an automatic mister but the local pet store advised to stay away from it for some reason so I just mist his glass tank with a spray bottle once a day. I have since bought a Zoo Med nocturnal heat lamp to keep the enclosed warm at night as well. My guess is he was too wet and cold at night too and I am feeling terrible about it.
His enclosure is a glass tank with cypress mulch as bedding. I use 160W zoo med heat lamp during the day.
Could you explain what a CHE is?

Kassidy

KassidySharp said:

Thank you for your response. I have always wanted an automatic mister but the local pet store advised to stay away from it for some reason so I just mist his glass tank with a spray bottle once a day. I have since bought a Zoo Med nocturnal heat lamp to keep the enclosed warm at night as well. My guess is he was too wet and cold at night too and I am feeling terrible about it.
His enclosure is a glass tank with cypress mulch as bedding. I use 160W zoo med heat lamp during the day.
Could you explain what a CHE is?

Kassidy

Click to expand...

CHE is a ceramic heat emitter. They don't put off any light.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-is-a-che.171718/

KassidySharp said:

Thank you for your response. I have always wanted an automatic mister but the local pet store advised to stay away from it for some reason so I just mist his glass tank with a spray bottle once a day. I have since bought a Zoo Med nocturnal heat lamp to keep the enclosed warm at night as well. My guess is he was too wet and cold at night too and I am feeling terrible about it.
His enclosure is a glass tank with cypress mulch as bedding. I use 160W zoo med heat lamp during the day.
Could you explain what a CHE is?

Kassidy

Click to expand...

Too much light and too much heat in any one area isn't ideal either.
O

KassidySharp said:

Thank you for your response. I have always wanted an automatic mister but the local pet store advised to stay away from it for some reason so I just mist his glass tank with a spray bottle once a day. I have since bought a Zoo Med nocturnal heat lamp to keep the enclosed warm at night as well. My guess is he was too wet and cold at night too and I am feeling terrible about it.
His enclosure is a glass tank with cypress mulch as bedding. I use 160W zoo med heat lamp during the day.
Could you explain what a CHE is?

Kassidy

Click to expand...

Chances are that you're going to find a mister unneeded and just more of a hassle once you get your humidity dialed in.
The easiest way to do so is by closing off the top.
Search posts about "closed chamber" enclosures.
In the long run they are the best and by far the easiest.
They hold in humidity and heat.

probably told you to do away with the humidity until he's recovered as bacteria like pseudomonas thrive in warm moist soil and can survive for months in it ……..

No point in beating yourself up, what is done is done. You are learning. Go foward and provide the best life possible for your RF

Most misters put it warm too hot mist causing burns. You can find cool mist ones but that is an issue also. Stick with the Che, heat lamp, and figure out how to close up the enclosure or build a closed chamber.

KassidySharp said:

Hello everyone,
Recently my beloved Lou (8 year old cherry head) has been diagnosed by a vet that he has pneumonia. I have been under a dark rain cloud ever since I heard and I’m desperate to make him okay and healthy again. He will be visiting the vet every 3 days for injections to hopefully clear the pneumonia. I just wanted to see if anybody else has had experience with their tortoise having pneumonia?
Also I have been given false information in the past on how to care for him so I’m feeling like this is all my fault and maybe it’s something I’ve done wrong that’s given him this illness. His temperature under his light is between 80-90F but when it goes off at night I don’t have a nighttime heat lamp or anything, probably making it quite cold in his tank. Could this have been the issue? I’m currently looking for something, ANYTHING to improve in his living conditions so this never happens again. Also my vet advised me not to give him any soaks or provide any humidity misting in his tank while his lungs are sick. He’s a rainforest tortoise so wouldn’t this be unhealthy for him to keep him so dry?

Thanks in advance for any help given.

Kassidy

Click to expand...

It is a common misconception that Red-Footed tortoises inhabit deep rainforest where little light penetrates.
Rainforest is the habitat of the closely related Yellowfoot tortoise which is more sensitive to drier conditions.
Redfoots are usually found in more open areas close by forested sites.

The Cherryhead Redfoot tortoise is from the east of Brazil in and around Bahia State which is dry scrub forest habitat not rainforest.

The advice to warm him up into the mid-80s as some have suggested is advisable especially during the course of treatment.
Don't be too hard on yourself. It is clear you care deeply and are doing your very best to help him through this.
Good luck.

I want to thank everyone for your replies so far. I’ve read them all and am taking everything in. I care about Lou like a child, and all the reassurance is making me feel much better. He is acting no different, very active and aware, still eating and drinking. So I’m keeping positive thoughts that he will be okay.
He is now getting heat overnight as well and I may even move him somewhere else in my house to keep him warmer.

Thanks again everyone,
Kassidy & Lou [emoji173]️

domalle said:

It is a common misconception that Red-Footed tortoises inhabit deep rainforest where little light penetrates.
Rainforest is the habitat of the closely related Yellowfoot tortoise which is more sensitive to drier conditions.
Redfoots are usually found in more open areas close by forested sites.

The Cherryhead Redfoot tortoise is from the east of Brazil in and around Bahia State which is dry scrub forest habitat not rainforest.

The advice to warm him up into the mid-80s as some have suggested is advisable especially during the course of treatment.
Don't be too hard on yourself. It is clear you care deeply and are doing your very best to help him through this.
Good luck.

Click to expand...

I don't know much about the localities of redfoots but what I have heard from those considered to be experts here, is that they are rainforest tortoises. I dare say that some are found in denser rainforest than others, and some are found in scrubland and drier areas.
Certainly, in any case, and as I have personally experienced, and seen evidence of, the humidity and temperature levels recommended here have resulted in healthy, smooth-shelled redfoots.

The reason the vet advised against humidity right now is bc your tort needs to dry out his lungs. For only that reason. I agree with that, it’s necessary for rehabbing your tort.
When he’s better then yes, mist enclosure and keep humidity up.

First thing to note is that heat is most important. If you have a damp enclosure and there’s no heat or lack thereof, your tort will absolutely end up with an RI or PNEUMONIA. I never let any of my tort enclosures drop below 80° to air on the side of caution bc I keep my humidity at 80 (or higher in other species).

No automatic mister, unless you have the temperatures steady and an alarm set if the temperature drops. As some times bulbs go out and otherwise you have no way of knowing if it happens at night. I have alarms set on mine to avoid cold/wet environments. I do the same with my other reptiles; even ones that spend most their time in H2O.
Cold kills!

@TammyJ
Yes, Northern Redfoots can be found in rainforest areas like the Amazon.
However in general the Red-Footed tortoise frequents more open spaces or gaps in forested areas

"The Cherryhead Redfoot tortoise is from the east of Brazil in and around Bahia State which is dry scrub forest not rainforest."
I did not address humidity requirements in captive animals.

@KassidySharp seems to be on the right track with her treasured pet.. The prognosis is hopeful since the animal is eating and drinking.
I again wish her and her little guy luck.