Advice Please!!

[sift]

The subject:
"Nor" - 8 mo. Russian tortoise

The husbandry:
Rubbermaid tub is home, 2/3 aspen chip and 1/3 soil/cocofibre mixture.
Water dish is located on the cool end (approximately 73-75F).
Warm end is approximately 80F with a basking spot of about 93-96F.
Warm bath for approximately 15 minutes every second day, water is changed as soon as I see her defecate or pass urates.

The background:
8:00am - Basking lamp comes on, light in reptile room comes on, no sign of movement or acknowledgement from Nor, things start warming up
10:00am - Brunch is delivered, typically consisting of greenleaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, fresh dandelion greens, and fresh clover (the latter are picked from our organic lawn)
12:20pm - Nor is taken outside along with her salad to get some sun time (from 20-45 minutes), she typically hangs out on the cement pad behind the house and munches for a while before venturing off into the lawn to decimate the occasional dandelion or clover patch she happens across - she is supervised at all times and typically defecates/urinates during her time outside
3:00pm - 3:45pm (when I'm home) - Nor goes outside again, this time without any prepared food, and is allowed to wander around the yard supervised by myself and her furry protector Cassius
5:00pm(ish) - Nor gets checked on, is typically sleeping buried underneath her aspen chip but is occasionally trucking around her enclosure doing tortoise things
8:00-9:00pm - Basking lights for monitors and Nor go off, geckos are fed and the rest of the reptile room lights go off

Nor went to visit the vet when she first came home. They took a stool sample, measured her cardiac rate, testing her limbs, etc., etc. and pronounced her fit and healthy.

Since that time I've noticed that she occasionally bubbles when she breathes (i.e. has a thin, watery mucous coming from her nose). She did it the first day I got her home and every now and then since then. Her stools are mostly firm with some instances of a softer fecal matter though they are never liquid and are never soft more than one day in succession.

Does anyone have any ideas about what could be causing the nose bubbles? Could it be a humidity issue? The vet said she didn't have any respiratory problems and she doesn't do any of the things that are symptomatic of RIs (other than the bubbles).

Your thoughts and advice are appreciated.

 

[Reptiking94]

Your tortoise is has basicaly the same exact schedule my Suvorov does. The bubbles could be a Respitory Infection which could be from dusty conditions (resulting in irritation of the mucus membranes), foreign bodies lodging in the nostrils, inappropriate humidity or temperature, lack of sunlight, confinement in damp grassed areas with no access to sand, overcrowding, malnutrition, and stress. From your post he dosent seem to have stress, malnutrition, overcrowding, or lack of sunlight so dont worry about those worry about the others. I would make a quick check to a exotic pet vet and have him run test on Nor's respitory system, best of luck, Reptiking

 

[tortoisenerd]

How long have you had her?

 

[sift]

How long have you had her?

Only about three weeks, I guess. It seems much longer. I can't imagine not having the little squirt any more.

She's been exhibiting the behaviour on and off since the day I got her home. I described the "bubbling" to the vet when she went for her initial visit (she wasn't doing it that day) but he didn't think it was an RI after checking in her mouth and listening to her breathing.

 

[Yvonne G]

It sometimes takes a while for them to settle in and feel at home. Moving to a new habitat is stressful. In the real world, tortoises know exactly where they are by the landmarks in their home range. You now have put your little tortoise in a new home range and he/she has to get used to it. Stress causes bubbles. I don't worry about bubbles as long as the tortoise is eating well and acting normal otherwise. If the bubbles turn to thicker mucous or they stop eating, then I take them to the vet.

Yvonne

 

[tortoisenerd]

I agree. Also keep a listen on her breathing if you can. Realize what is normal for her so you can notice what is abnormal. Keep in mind though if you get close to listen the breathing will quicken, but it should not be labored or sounds bubbly.

 

[sift]

She still chows down like the world's ending tomorrow before dinnertime so I guess I won't be overly concerned just yet. I was going to ask though.. do tortoises get "allergies" or an equivalent? Could the aspen chip be bothering her or the timothy hay that she sleeps under sometimes? Neither are particularly dusty and she has her earth/cocofibre end that keeps things a little bit more humid.

 

[Crazy1]

Also if she is having bubbleing after drinking it could be just that If you soak her and she drinks she may have bubbles. I you decide to take her back to the vet ask them to do a culture on her to see if she has any bacteria that shouldn't be there.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I know of one tort here (Hermy) that is sensitive to certain substrates. Some torts do get irritated by the aspen or similar, anything that is dusty. Any other symptoms besides the runny nose? If it is a real possibility you could try switching to something more moist (like all eco earth instead of just part). i don't know if they get allergies though.