Advice. (off his food)

[Montyc]

Hi
I am new to the group and am looking for a bit of advice please.
our horse field tortoise has been of his food lately and is finding it hard to open one of his eyes when I bathe it with waiter it opens... it is as if there is a film of skin over it. He also isn't walking much and just sleeping. And when I'm checked on him earlier its as if he trying to breathe through his mouth.
Does anyone know what could be wrong with him or if he needs vets.

Thank you

 

[MarginatedMooney]

Hi, welcome to the forum!
That doesn't sound good. I'm not an expert, but it sounds like it could be a respiratory infection to me.

The experts will need more information to give you good advice. What are the temps like in your enclosure (basking, cool side, overnight)? What is the humidity? What kind of enclosure do you have and what kind of bulbs are you using for temperature and UVB? Pictures also help.

This is the most up to date care sheet for your tortoise:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[Montyc]

Hi, welcome to the forum!
That doesn't sound good. I'm not an expert, but it sounds like it could be a respiratory infection to me.

The experts will need more information to give you good advice. What are the temps like in your enclosure (basking, cool side, overnight)? What is the humidity? What kind of enclosure do you have and what kind of bulbs are you using for temperature and UVB? Pictures also help.

This is the most up to date care sheet for your tortoise:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Hi, welcome to the forum!
That doesn't sound good. I'm not an expert, but it sounds like it could be a respiratory infection to me.

The experts will need more information to give you good advice. What are the temps like in your enclosure (basking, cool side, overnight)? What is the humidity? What kind of enclosure do you have and what kind of bulbs are you using for temperature and UVB? Pictures also help.

This is the most up to date care sheet for your tortoise:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Hi
I am new to the group and am looking for a bit of advice please.
our horse field tortoise has been of his food lately and is finding it hard to open one of his eyes when I bathe it with waiter it opens... it is as if there is a film of skin over it. He also isn't walking much and just sleeping. And when I'm checked on him earlier its as if he trying to breathe through his mouth.
Does anyone know what could be wrong with him or if he needs vets.

Thank you

Hi, welcome to the forum!
That doesn't sound good. I'm not an expert, but it sounds like it could be a respiratory infection to me.

The experts will need more information to give you good advice. What are the temps like in your enclosure (basking, cool side, overnight)? What is the humidity? What kind of enclosure do you have and what kind of bulbs are you using for temperature and UVB? Pictures also help.

This is the most up to date care sheet for your tortoise:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Hi

He lives in a vivarium that I had to purchase when I bought him. One.side is the day light bulb and the other is the heat lamp. It's all what I had from the reptile centre . The guy set the thermostat at between 76 and 80 f..we have only had him a year he is a baby?
Il send you some pics now
Thanks for replying. I been worried.x

 

[Montyc]

Hi

He lives in a vivarium that I had to purchase when I bought him. One.side is the day light bulb and the other is the heat lamp. It's all what I had from the reptile centre . The guy set the thermostat at between 76 and 80 f..we have only had him a year he is a baby?
Il send you some pics now
Thanks for replying. I been worried.x

 

[Tom]

Hi

He lives in a vivarium that I had to purchase when I bought him. One.side is the day light bulb and the other is the heat lamp. It's all what I had from the reptile centre . The guy set the thermostat at between 76 and 80 f..we have only had him a year he is a baby?
Il send you some pics now
Thanks for replying. I been worried.x

You've gotten the usual terrible pet shop advice and wrong products. Wrong bulbs, wrong substrate and wrong size enclosure. Most of whatever else they told you was likely wrong too. Read the care sheet and make adjustments. Get rid of both of those bulbs.

Ask questions. We will help you. You are going to have to re-do some stuff.

 

[Montyc]

You've gotten the usual terrible pet shop advice and wrong products. Wrong bulbs, wrong substrate and wrong size enclosure. Most of whatever else they told you was likely wrong too. Read the care sheet and make adjustments. Get rid of both of those bulbs.

Ask questions. We will help you. You are going to have to re-do some stuff.

Ah never that's awful they have given the wrong advice poor monty I feel terrible now.
It wasn't cheap either.
I will read the care sheet.
Do you think if I change things he will come better?

Thanks

 

[Montyc]

Ah never that's awful they have given the wrong advice poor monty I feel terrible now.
It wasn't cheap either.
I will read the care sheet.
Do you think if I change things he will come better?

Thanks

What bulbs and substrate do you recommend?

 

[Yvonne G]

While you're waiting to make the necessary changes soak him in warm water daily for about 15 minutes. The water should be in a bowl he can't climb out of and should come up to the middle of his sides, so it's not had for him to keep his head above water.

What foods do you feed him?

 

[wellington]

If you change things he most likely will be better. If you dont change things though its likely he will get worse.
Follow the caresheet asap and keep temps no lower then 80 until he starts to act normal.
That disc temp/humidity gauge is very unreliable. I'm betting things are much colder then it says. Get a digital one from the hardware store or a home depot. Also that coil light, even though you have it hanging correctly, I'm guessing that's the eye problem.

 

[Montyc]

If you change things he most likely will be better. If you dont change things though its likely he will get worse.
Follow the caresheet asap and keep temps no lower then 80 until he starts to act normal.
That disc temp/humidity gauge is very unreliable. I'm betting things are much colder then it says. Get a digital one from the hardware store or a home depot. Also that coil light, even though you have it hanging correctly, I'm guessing that's the eye problem.

What bulbs do you suggest I will go straight away and get them. I had that substrate from pets at home. What is the best one.
Thanks for advice.

 

[wellington]

For uvb get a tube florescent unless you can get him outside 3-4 times a week for sun and for basking get a incandescent flood bulb from a regular store like home depot etc.
If you need night heat, get a che. Night temps should not be below 60. Humidity should be 50-80%, 80% better.
Orchid bark for substrate.
Don't feel bad, you aren't the only one to start out with bad advice, most of us have.

 

[Montyc]

For uvb get a tube florescent unless you can get him outside 3-4 times a week for sun and for basking get a incandescent flood bulb from a regular store like home depot etc.
If you need night heat, get a che. Night temps should not be below 60. Humidity should be 50-80%, 80% better.
Orchid bark for substrate.
Don't feel bad, you aren't the only one to start out with bad advice, most of us have.

Thank you

 

[Montyc]

Update on monty.... I took him to vets today as I was really worried and I was glad I did. He is very unwell and has a respiratory infection. He is on a fortnight's injections. So hopefully ?he will getter better soon.

 

[MarginatedMooney]

Poor little guy. I hope he gets better soon!

 

[Lyn W]

How is Monty doing?

 

[Montyc]

How is Monty doing?

Ah he passed away on Thursday night. we are so devastated and heartbroken. The vet said he had a good chance of getting better aswell. ?
So it was a massive shock when I went to check on him.

 

[Lyn W]

Oh no!
I am so sorry for your loss, I was hoping he would make it.

Take care

 

[Jan A]

Ah he passed away on Thursday night. we are so devastated and heartbroken. The vet said he had a good chance of getting better aswell. ?
So it was a massive shock when I went to check on him.

So very sorry. Big hugs to you & your family.

 

[Montyc]

Thank you.x

 

[TheTattooedTortoise]

That's awful, so sorry for your loss ?