Doug the leopard

[ashleyb1996]

my leopard tort, has a swollen eye, he also has runny poo's, not really eating on drinking unless I hold food infront of his face, or pop him in his water.
I got him on the 19th Aug, he was sent back to the reptile shop I got him from on the Monday after ( as this was the problem, he should have been carefully watched and never been sold in his state) they convinced me that he was perfectly fine, I got him back Monday just gone and he is just not okay! (I've filed a complaint) all I know what to do with him is what the shop have told me, and some google searching! He's roughly 8-9 months, he lives in a tortoise table, I use the uv heat lamp 125w, his temp is between 25-31 basking spot is 34-36, night time falls no less then 22, he substrate is soil https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...+substrate&dpPl=1&dpID=51ZRprrxteL&ref=plSrch this is what the lady told me to use, he use to have hemp for his bedding ( apparently his eye was caused from this so it was removed) he gets fresh water every day, I've offered food every day such as dandelion leaves, a very small amount of lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, fennel! ( I know he's not ment to have a lot of stuff but ts been offered to see if he will eat) he's eaten mostly dandelion, and a small amount of cucumber and lettuce ( litterally a bite and stuck his nose up at it) I've been bathing him everyday for the last 4 days I've had him, I've put him in the garden everytime the sun comes out for atleast half an hour, I don't handle him much even though I really want to!!!! his light comes on at 7.50am I'd set up his meal and water give him half an hour and wake him ( as I left him on Tuesday and he slept all day until I got home) see if he will eat and place him in his water! And leave him until I'm home from work and id wake him again for his bath, I've been using boiled water and cotton buds to clean his eye ( left to cool down of course) his swelling on his eye seems to be going down although he won't open it for a good 10-15 minutes after his been woken up, his is going to a reptile vet tomorrow so he can be checked!
I'm so sorry this is so long, I'm just really worried about him, all he does is sleep! Am I doing this right? Is there anything I should change? What would be the best food I should give him? I have a very large garden with loads of different flowers ( which I don't think his actually allowed to eat) .. I'm willing to get dirty and plant some things for him, I'd just rather know what other people's leopards love to eat before I go spending loads of money on plants he would hate aha! Any help would be great! Also his wee'd have been clear until last night they was yellow?! is this something to be worried about? Again I'm really sorry it's so long xo

 

[wellington]

Read the care sheets in the leopards section. Closed chamber high humidity, 80% and temps no lower then 80F . I'm not familiar with the substrate. If it's a type of coconut coir then it's fine.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Ashley

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Ashley, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Doug.
Sorry to hear about your Leopard and the disgraceful behaviour of the pet shop. (though not entirely surprised).
Carrot or pumpkin baby food mixed in his water will help give him some needed nutrients.
I don't keep Leopards, but http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/
as well as http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-tortoise-care-sheet.63792/
should be of help to you. Oh, and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/ maybe.
Your substrate is designed for 'arid' environment tortoises such as Russians and Greeks, according to the manufacturer, but I wouldn't use it anyway as it contains sand, which can cause impaction and limestone bits to eat, which encourages substrate eating. Bad in my opinion.
For plants check out.http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp for a good basic guide of what's safe.
Most broad leafed garden weeds are safe, but check.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Ashley , hope that Vet can help Doug ! You might still want to check those links and make some changes !

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Ashley!

What kind of light are you using? If it's a coil-shaped bulb you might try turning that off to see if he gets better. Those have been known to burn baby tortoise's eyes.

In the meantime, soak him in Gerber carrot baby food, mixed half and half with warm water. This helps him to get the needed vitamin A that they miss out on when they're not eating well.

 

[ashleyb1996]

Thankyou for all the advise really means a lot, i will read up on all them links, it's a lot of reading in one go though aha! I'm using the Mercury vapour lamp, it's clamped onto his table, the lady in the shop said it would be ideal for him because it's a table top, I've also read on the internet that there very good but maybe it's too high watts? As I said before its 125w? I personally don't think his eye is due to anything I have done as he came home with it from the shop? He has his vets today so I'm hoping they could tell me something! I just want him to be happy and healthy! His got such a great personality and I know there's just so much more to get out of him once he's better!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thankyou for all the advise really means a lot, i will read up on all them links, it's a lot of reading in one go though aha! I'm using the Mercury vapour lamp, it's clamped onto his table, the lady in the shop said it would be ideal for him because it's a table top, I've also read on the internet that there very good but maybe it's too high watts? As I said before its 125w? I personally don't think his eye is due to anything I have done as he came home with it from the shop? He has his vets today so I'm hoping they could tell me something! I just want him to be happy and healthy! His got such a great personality and I know there's just so much more to get out of him once he's better!

The wattage is not important, it's the temperature produced in your enclosure that counts.
Be very careful of those clamps, they have been known to fail and cause fires. The fitting should be fixed securely.
The bulb sounds good, but what are your 4 temperatures: basking spot ; warm side; cool side and night time low ?

 

[ashleyb1996]

Oh I see, okay so basking spot 34-36 warm side is between 28-31, cool side is around 25 -27 night time goes no lower then 22, his cool side is his bed/hide, his only been there once to sleep for the night he hasn't gone back there, maybe it's too cold for him? He's only really active when his in the garden? Maybe he thinks he can get away from me there haha

 

[Gillian M]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the forum.

 

[PJay]

Welcome! How did the trip to the vet go?

 

[ashleyb1996]

Welcome! How did the trip to the vet go?

Thankyou, it turns out he has stomatitis but since I've taken him to the vets he's gone down hill, he went a week without eating then ate a tiny bit of grass, He won't use his water so I've been bathing him twice a day, I think he might even have symptoms to rns, I've seen so many bubbles come from his nose yesterday when I bathed him I tipped him downwards and wiped his nose it looked like water but it was quite snotty? His eyes seem to swell up and bulge out but then seem to to be fine when I get someone to look? It's like he's doing it all only to me to make me even more worried! He got given anti biotics (baytil) which he's only had two loads of three force feeding it to him but the second time really stressed him out he seems to be fine on it, no allergic reaction which I got really paranoid about after reading about it, we took him back to the vets and they couldnt get him out of his shell to check on him and said to leave the antibiotics for a few days and no we have another appointment today! I'm so worried about him poor little thing

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Sounds terrifying, Poor little mite.
Wishing you all the best at the vets today and hoping he makes a full and quick recovery.

 

[PJay]

I'm so sorry to hear how difficult this has been for you and Doug. Best wishes for good results with the vet.

 

[Katy1986]

Hopefully he lets the vets look next time and he gets well soon.

 

[ashleyb1996]

Thank you guys, he's lost some weight which I thought would happen and he's refusing his antibiotics! he's so tiny I can't get his head out of his shell! His also breathing with his mouth open ( it's not constantly open, only when he breathes out) so I'm taking him somewhere else! Although the vets were great and so helpful, he doesn't seem to be getting what he needs from them, I've been recomended a specialist who is quite amazing! fingers crossed for him! He must be so stressed!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thank you guys, he's lost some weight which I thought would happen and he's refusing his antibiotics! he's so tiny I can't get his head out of his shell! His also breathing with his mouth open ( it's not constantly open, only when he breathes out) so I'm taking him somewhere else! Although the vets were great and so helpful, he doesn't seem to be getting what he needs from them, I've been recomended a specialist who is quite amazing! fingers crossed for him! He must be so stressed!

Indeed, wishing you both all the best.