Baby tort taking antibiotic shots?

[mamameg]

I got the paste. She really loves fruit and meat, so I figured it would be safe to put it on those and she will eat it. If my plan fails, I'll get the powder. I will look at the old posts about TFO- from what you have described I think she is (currently) in the clear, but it will be helpful to know for the future. Thank you for all of your advice! By any chance, do you use/have frog moss? I recently added it to her habitat and put it around her water dish. It is amazing at how quickly the moss absorbs the water! I bathe Loretta twice a day anyway (one in the morning for 10 minutes, once at night for 5) but it seems that I have to refill her water numerous times a day. Kinda annoying, but the moss looks nice and is already rooted and I don't want to take it out.

Did you order the Benebac powder or the paste? I like the powder best for small tortoises. I just dust all of the food offered with it on the day I want the tortoise to have it. That way, if it eats anything, it is getting the benefit of the Benebac. The paste is more easily given to larger tortoises in my experience. If there is a dab of paste on a single food item, and a small tortoise doesn't like the paste, they just eat around it.

All you can do to keep the tortoise's kidneys and liver healthy are to keep the tortoise very well hydrated so it can excrete the the antibiotic and its by-products in its urine and/or stools

You asked about warning signs of kidney trouble. There are several posts on TFO where the OP states that their tortoise looks "swollen" or "puffy" around its leg sockets and sometimes even the neck skin. This is a sign of kidney failure. The animal cannot produce urine, hence the body begins to swell from excess water that it is retaining. Usually ones that look like that do not make it.

Did you order the Benebac powder or the paste? I like the powder best for small tortoises. I just dust all of the food offered with it on the day I want the tortoise to have it. That way, if it eats anything, it is getting the benefit of the Benebac. The paste is more easily given to larger tortoises in my experience. If there is a dab of paste on a single food item, and a small tortoise doesn't like the paste, they just eat around it.

All you can do to keep the tortoise's kidneys and liver healthy are to keep the tortoise very well hydrated so it can excrete the the antibiotic and its by-products in its urine and/or stools

You asked about warning signs of kidney trouble. There are several posts on TFO where the OP states that their tortoise looks "swollen" or "puffy" around its leg sockets and sometimes even the neck skin. This is a sign of kidney failure. The animal cannot produce urine, hence the body begins to swell from excess water that it is retaining. Usually ones that look like that do not make it.

 

[mamameg]

I am glad that you are getting so much support and advice here!

Me too! I am so glad I found this forum.

 

[zovick]

I got the paste. She really loves fruit and meat, so I figured it would be safe to put it on those and she will eat it. If my plan fails, I'll get the powder. I will look at the old posts about TFO- from what you have described I think she is (currently) in the clear, but it will be helpful to know for the future. Thank you for all of your advice! By any chance, do you use/have frog moss? I recently added it to her habitat and put it around her water dish. It is amazing at how quickly the moss absorbs the water! I bathe Loretta twice a day anyway (one in the morning for 10 minutes, once at night for 5) but it seems that I have to refill her water numerous times a day. Kinda annoying, but the moss looks nice and is already rooted and I don't want to take it out.

Don't know if the question about frog moss was specifically directed at me or was to all the readers in general. At any rate, I do not use it. I only keep Radiated Tortoises, and they are not kept in a enclosures which would support moss growth.

Also, I would recommend that you soak your tortoise once daily for 15-20 minutes. The reason being that I am unsure is whether a 10 minute soak is long enough to fully hydrate the tortoise and keep the stools moving, etc. Also, I don't believe that the two separate times of 10 minutes and 5 minutes are cumulative. Maybe you could do a 15-20 minute soak in the AM and another optional 5 minute one in the evening if you still want to do it twice daily.

 

[Gillian M]

Thank you too.
I can imagine how you feel, but it is not your fault that she`s got sick. Please don`t punish yourself.

One cannot help it at times.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi @mamameg . How's cute little Loretta today? Sincerely hope she's totally recovered.

Please keep us updated.

By the way, I love her enclosure.

 

[mamameg]

Don't know if the question about frog moss was specifically directed at me or was to all the readers in general. At any rate, I do not use it. I only keep Radiated Tortoises, and they are not kept in a enclosures which would support moss growth.

Also, I would recommend that you soak your tortoise once daily for 15-20 minutes. The reason being that I am unsure is whether a 10 minute soak is long enough to fully hydrate the tortoise and keep the stools moving, etc. Also, I don't believe that the two separate times of 10 minutes and 5 minutes are cumulative. Maybe you could do a 15-20 minute soak in the AM and another optional 5 minute one in the evening if you still want to do it twice daily.

I guess the moss question is for all. Any input from anyone would be helpful! Since she has multiple soaks a day she doesn't really drink her habitat water too much, but I like keeping it in there for the plants and the humidity. I will keep in mind the need for a longer morning soak. I usually do not take her out of her water until I see her soil in it.

Update on benebac: I chose a very ripe mango topping for her greens and put a pea sized amount only on the mango piece (about a dime size). She devoured it completely! Tonight I will give her her second dose and then repeat on Friday.

 

[mamameg]

Hi @mamameg . How's cute little Loretta today? Sincerely hope she's totally recovered.

Please keep us updated.

By the way, I love her enclosure.

Thank you @Gillian Moore! Loretta was up at 6:15 munching on last night's leftovers before her bath and fresh breakfast! We go to the vet this afternoon and fingers crossed will be free of antibiotics! Thank you for your kind words- on her health and habitat.

 

[Gillian M]

Thank you @Gillian Moore! Loretta was up at 6:15 munching on last night's leftovers before her bath and fresh breakfast! We go to the vet this afternoon and fingers crossed will be free of antibiotics! Thank you for your kind words- on her health and habitat.

So, have you taken Loretta to the vet?

If so, please let us know what you were told. If not I wish Loretta the BEST of luck. Fingers crossed; and hope to hear good news.

 

[mamameg]

So, have you taken Loretta to the vet?

If so, please let us know what you were told. If not I wish Loretta the BEST of luck. Fingers crossed; and hope to hear good news.

Not yet- she goes at 5. I will post right after!

 

[Gillian M]

Not yet- she goes at 5. I will post right after!

Good luck Loretta.

Look forward to "hearing" positive news.

 

[mamameg]

Good luck Loretta.

Look forward to "hearing" positive news.

We are officially off antibiotics! Although he thinks there is more improvement needed, he was very happy to see her progress the last two weeks.

 

[Gillian M]

We are officially off antibiotics! Although he thinks there is more improvement needed, he was very happy to see her progress the last two weeks.

Great! Please keep it up Loretta.

 

[mamameg]

Bene bac question: @zovick Today at morning soak Loretta didn't poop. Odd, but not entirely uncommon. Sometimes when she wakes up early she goes in her home before her soak. Tonight at night soak, she did not poop. I started rubbing her head and her shell, which can cause her to go. She finally did poop, but it was runny (it's usually solid) and she went 3-4 times (common). She did also pee so that makes me happy about kidney and liver health. Let me know what you think. Caused by bene-bac? Fluke? Diet has not changed, except we did decrease her vitamin soak to once a day.

 

[zovick]

Bene bac question: @zovick Today at morning soak Loretta didn't poop. Odd, but not entirely uncommon. Sometimes when she wakes up early she goes in her home before her soak. Tonight at night soak, she did not poop. I started rubbing her head and her shell, which can cause her to go. She finally did poop, but it was runny (it's usually solid) and she went 3-4 times (common). She did also pee so that makes me happy about kidney and liver health. Let me know what you think. Caused by bene-bac? Fluke? Diet has not changed, except we did decrease her vitamin soak to once a day.

A day or two of Benebac would not cause loose stools. It is most likely that the antibiotics have caused the loose stools by killing the normal gut flora and the Benebac has not had time to work to reverse that yet. The Benebac is supposed to counteract the stool-loosening effects of antibiotics by restoring the normal gut flora and thus make things more normal, not less normal.

 

[mamameg]

A day or two of Benebac would not cause loose stools. It is most likely that the antibiotics have caused the loose stools by killing the normal gut flora and the Benebac has not had time to work to reverse that yet. The Benebac is supposed to counteract the stool-loosening effects of antibiotics by restoring the normal gut flora and thus make things more normal, not less normal.

After going through her day I realized I actually did make a diet change. I gave her prickly pear pads for the first time in quite awhile for breakfast. Not sure how I forgot that! She ate a lot of it. Thought they were good for redfoots though. Have you heard different? She ate a lot again at dinner (this time just weeds and mixed greens) and is still gaining weight.

 

[zovick]

After going through her day I realized I actually did make a diet change. I gave her prickly pear pads for the first time in quite awhile for breakfast. Not sure how I forgot that! She ate a lot of it. Thought they were good for redfoots though. Have you heard different? She ate a lot again at dinner (this time just weeds and mixed greens) and is still gaining weight.

Cactus pads are a good tortoise food, but that doesn't mean that eating a lot of them won't cause loose stools. Combine that with long term antibiotic treatment and you have a good cause for the loose stools you noticed.

 

[mamameg]

Cactus pads are a good tortoise food, but that doesn't mean that eating a lot of them won't cause loose stools. Combine that with long term antibiotic treatment and you have a good cause for the loose stools you noticed.

Yep you're right the pads are what did it! Her stools were much firmer today.

 

[mamameg]

I'm worried we're not out of the woods just yet. Loretta has been losing weight the last few days. She was at 72 grams and then fluxiated between 67 and 65. She is currently down to 63. Still eating and drinking and pooping, but sleeping a tad bit more? Can their weight do this? Is this normal?! Ugh I was so done with the weight loss!

 

[Bee62]

I am sorry to read about these up and down of Loretta, but as long she is good eating I would wait and do nothing. She must live without antibiotics now.
I have a redfoot tortoise too that do not thrive and he only gains very slowly in weight. He is eating every day but he do not really grow.
I got him from a Craiglist. I think he was kept wrong, too dry by his previous owner.

 

[mamameg]

I am sorry to read about these up and down of Loretta, but as long she is good eating I would wait and do nothing. She must live without antibiotics now.
I have a redfoot tortoise too that do not thrive and he only gains very slowly in weight. He is eating every day but he do not really grow.
I got him from a Craiglist. I think he was kept wrong, too dry by his previous owner.

I agree she must learn to live without antibiotics. I'm just ready for her to be better! After her nighttime soak she was back up to 65 grams.

I'm sorry to hear about your redfoot. I hope he can recover from his previous situation. Best of luck to you! Keep me updated!