Does Charley look ok?

[CharleytheTort]

This is Charley and he has a slightly green mouth from grazing today. But I haven't noticed before but to
Me his right side looks fatter than the left. Does anyone one else have uneven faces on their tortoise?

 

[wellington]

It looks a little swelled. Maybe a bug bite? Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get worse.

 

[Pawciorc]

And pyramiding.

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum!

Please give your cute little tort daily soaks in warm water: Pawciorc is right: your tort is beginning to pyramid.

 

[Yvonne G]

No, that's not normal. Could be like Barb said, or could be he was stuck by some sort of pointed object. Try to pry his mouth open and look inside to see if there's anything in there. Keep an eye on it and go to the vet if you think that may be warranted.

 

[CharleytheTort]

Thanks. He continues to eat like nothin is wrong and his mood and movement hasn't slowed. He will let me touch it and it's hard. Doesn't seem to bother him. He is smoking everyday. When I first got him "my profile pic" he was pyramiding very bad, I've had him almost four months and we soak him a lot. He's gotten smoother than he used to. A guy had him and said "he's a desert tort. You don't soak him". But I soak him a lot. He enjoys it. He has a cage 18x24 with aspen pellets soaked until they are soft then dried back out and I mist them. He often lays out sunning and has actually become more active since I switched to that. He has a hide and a food plate made of slate and a low dish to get in. His uvb bulb is set up to where he can get anywhere from 8-16 inches away from it in height. He seems to be more active with this layout. I also have taken a kiddie pool and grew him organic grass and he goes out in it and grazes at least three times a week as well. Or he gets to free roam in the yard on warm days.
He has also grazed in prickly pear about three weeks ago. And I cut the prickles off. Maybe that was it?

 

[Pawciorc]

Its Sulcata and pyramiding, no signs of smooth growth. Sorry

 

[CharleytheTort]

Yes I know he's a sulcata. And I noticed he has signs of pyramiding. I'm trying to stop it. He wasn't properly cared for when I got him. I'm trying to make him better.

 

[TammyJ]

I would take him to the vet.

 

[Speedy-1]

I agree with a Vet check . Here is Speedy's mug to compare !

 

[CharleytheTort]

thanks. Like I stated before. He wasn't cared for properly before. So I'm trying to do the best I can with the pyramiding.

 

[Speedy-1]

thanks. Like I stated before. He wasn't cared for properly before. So I'm trying to do the best I can with the pyramiding.

Actually I was referring to his face and jaw for comparison . I am sure the pyramiding will get better with his new home !

 

[CharleytheTort]

Thanks for your responses and time. I found a three with the exact same thing happening to her Sulcata. She said the lump eventually popped off after a few days and healed up. But I do have a vet check for him at the end of the week. That's the soonest anyone could make it. But Charley is very active and acts very happy and no personality changes. I check/soak/handle/feed him everyday and this just appeared overnight. Hopefully it will heal

Actually I was referring to his face and jaw for comparison . I am sure the pyramiding will get better with his new home !

 

[CharleytheTort]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/baby-sulcata-had-growth-on-face-now-a-crater.60309/ This is the post the images match mine exactly

 

[CharleytheTort]

Here is his two habitats. A grazing pen in the pool which is outdoors. And his habitat for night is the tote with aspen shavings.

 

[Big Charlie]

Have you considered covering the tote to keep the humidity in? Those clamps that come on the lamps aren't very reliable; sometimes they can slip off. You can cover the tote, cutting a hole in the lid for the light. That isn't a red light, is it? Red light is confusing to them. For night, you are better off with a ceramic heat emitter, that gives off heat without light. They last a lot longer than bulbs too.

 

[CharleytheTort]

Thank you. It is a red light. I do have the title covered 3/4 of the way. It was removed for the picture. I actually cut the lid across so the light fills one side! I will look into getting another light! Thank you

 

[TammyJ]

I am glad that you are going to take him to the vet, I don't like the look of his face. Please keep us posted!

 

[CharleytheTort]

Here's an update on Charley. The vet said until I bring him in on Friday evening to continue to soak him twice a day. Dry him real well and rub antibiotic ointment on him. I have been using a low strength triple antibiotic ointment and a qtip on the outside of the jaw and cheek. He seems to enjoy that. Immediately after the first heavy soak I seen a good bit of swelling go down. His attitude and appetite have not slowed. Always roaming and eating. The redness is gone and I can tell a change in size! Things are looking better!

 

[CharleytheTort]

This is going to be graphic the vet called and said they could see Charlie tonight so we went to the vet it turns out Charlie has some sort of abscess and they got it scraped out and rinse it really well I'm to keep putting triple antibiotic ornament on the outside of his Jaw and cheek and monitor it for the next few days hopefully they have it fixed you can see the swelling in his face almost went down completely right after they finished with them