- Joined
- Oct 23, 2012
- Messages
- 6
Hi all!
I'm new to this forum and to owning a tortoise! I bought a four month old cherry head at an expo weekend before last and I believe he has a plastron fungus. It was like that when I got him but didn't realize it was a problem until late last night (and couldn't run to the store). I thought I'd done enough research before purchasing him, but I guess not ): Here is the situation:
I got him on Saturday, October 13 at an expo. He wasn't opening his eyes but we put him on a table, sprayed him, and put food in front of him and he opened his eyes and started eating. A couple days later he hadn't opened his eyes again so I soaked him and they opened and he ate again (yay)! Since then I've been unable to get him to open his eyes or eat even with soaking so I started to do some research and found pictures of tortoises with plastron fungus and he looks exactly the same. His plastron is also a bit soft when I press but I thought it was hinges when I first got him (do redfoots even have plastron hinges?). So...
I plan on getting him Betadine, 1% Clotrimazole. Is it correct to put the Betadine on a soft toothbrush, wash the infected area, then apply the Clotrimazole? Is it okay to put him back in his enclosure the same as it was, or do I need to change the substrate.
For a quick check on my husbandry, my ambient temps are low 80's, my basking temp is just below 90 and my humidity is usually between 50 and 60. I have cypress mulch and a shallow water dish and his food is on a little plastic tray (with calcium sprinkles). He also has a UVB light on him for about twelve hours a day.
Sorry for the giant post! I'm very concerned about him and will take him to the vet in a couple days, but in the meantime I would like to start some sort of treatment.
I'm new to this forum and to owning a tortoise! I bought a four month old cherry head at an expo weekend before last and I believe he has a plastron fungus. It was like that when I got him but didn't realize it was a problem until late last night (and couldn't run to the store). I thought I'd done enough research before purchasing him, but I guess not ): Here is the situation:
I got him on Saturday, October 13 at an expo. He wasn't opening his eyes but we put him on a table, sprayed him, and put food in front of him and he opened his eyes and started eating. A couple days later he hadn't opened his eyes again so I soaked him and they opened and he ate again (yay)! Since then I've been unable to get him to open his eyes or eat even with soaking so I started to do some research and found pictures of tortoises with plastron fungus and he looks exactly the same. His plastron is also a bit soft when I press but I thought it was hinges when I first got him (do redfoots even have plastron hinges?). So...
I plan on getting him Betadine, 1% Clotrimazole. Is it correct to put the Betadine on a soft toothbrush, wash the infected area, then apply the Clotrimazole? Is it okay to put him back in his enclosure the same as it was, or do I need to change the substrate.
For a quick check on my husbandry, my ambient temps are low 80's, my basking temp is just below 90 and my humidity is usually between 50 and 60. I have cypress mulch and a shallow water dish and his food is on a little plastic tray (with calcium sprinkles). He also has a UVB light on him for about twelve hours a day.
Sorry for the giant post! I'm very concerned about him and will take him to the vet in a couple days, but in the meantime I would like to start some sort of treatment.