Emergency Fostering, I need some advice!

[Katelynn]

Hey guys,
The pet store my sister works at caught on fire and only the reptiles made it out. She asked me for help since I already have a lil Redfood. I am now temporarily fostering 5 tiny tortoises and I need some advice. I have 2 elongated, 1 cherry head, 1 leopard and a very very tiny Hermann's.
Right now I have them separated into two large tubs. I know I shouldn't mix breeds of tortoises, but I don't yet have a choice until I get to the store this evening. Right now the tiny tortoises are together (leopard, hermann's, cherryhead) and the other two are in another tub. I have the lights, substrate (coconut coir) and a couple hides for them. So here's where I need help:
1) Until I do further research and run to the store, will romaine lettuce and a pellet be okay to feed to ALL the tortoises?
2) Do I need to feed each tortoise separately? I've seen some people feed tortoises all together and in the pet store, the same type of tortoises would eat from a community bowl.
3) The baby Hermann's seems to be struggling. His eyes are white and puffy and he isn't moving around like the others are. He will stretch his head out a bit, and I can see that he's breathing, but there is no other movement. My sister said he may have gotten smoke in his lungs. What else can I do for him?
4) Until I get a couple more containers tonight, which tortoises will be "okay" together in the meantime?
5) Any other advice would be really great. I didn't realize I would be taking care of these babies or I would have prepared much more ahead of time.
Thanks for your help,
Kate

**** I apologize if I posted this in the wrong place!

 

[leigti]

In a perfect world I would put them all each in their own separate tub, even if it's not huge. Were they together at the pet store? I would get the tiny Hermann tortoise into one all by himself so that he doesn't have to compete for food. I would also try soaking him a couple times to see if that helps. They probably should all be soaked at least once a day. I think Romain lettuce is just fine for an emergency, I don't know anything about pellets.

 

[leigti]

I'm very sorry to hear about the pet store burning down, very tragic.

 

[Lyn W]

I am so sorry to her of the fire and the poor animals that didn't make it. Although I can't really help with tort questions I just wanted to say that it is so good of you to take them on and I hope they are all OK.

 

[Katelynn]

In a perfect world I would put them all each in their own separate tub, even if it's not huge. Were they together at the pet store? I would get the tiny Hermann tortoise into one all by himself so that he doesn't have to compete for food. I would also try soaking him a couple times to see if that helps. They probably should all be soaked at least once a day. I think Romain lettuce is just fine for an emergency, I don't know anything about pellets.

If I can get another container quite soon for the baby Hermann's, will the others be alright? In the pet store I would assume they were separated by species (like they should) but I can't be positive. One of the elongated tortoises was known for being food aggressive so I planned to feed him separately but I suppose my question still stands for the others. I soaked the Hermann's but since he isn't standing on his own or lifting his head very much, I was afraid he would drown if I left him in too long. The others took big long drinks in their baths and I left them each in their bath for about 15 minutes. I will do it again before bedtime.
Thank you for your help!

 

[leigti]

The Herman's probably needs vet attention. Might need some oxygen. I don't know if you are really in the position to do that, I understand if you can't. Just keep him warm and do what you can. If the one tortoise is food aggressive that he is probably aggressive in other ways and I would try to separate them if at all possible. I know it is very difficult to have five different bins. Could you put up some sort of divider to cut the big one in half?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Put one/some in the bathtub in the meantime.

 

[teresaf]

bathtubs are pretty cold. Put your hand on the metal and you'll see what I'm talking about. You arnt using the coil bulbs right? sometimes that stops them from opening their eyes and can cause eventual blindness

 

[Katelynn]

bathtubs are pretty cold. Put your hand on the metal and you'll see what I'm talking about. You arnt using the coil bulbs right? sometimes that stops them from opening their eyes and can cause eventual blindness

I'm not using coil bulbs. I use mercury vapor bulbs.

 

[Katelynn]

The Herman's probably needs vet attention. Might need some oxygen. I don't know if you are really in the position to do that, I understand if you can't. Just keep him warm and do what you can. If the one tortoise is food aggressive that he is probably aggressive in other ways and I would try to separate them if at all possible. I know it is very difficult to have five different bins. Could you put up some sort of divider to cut the big one in half?

Unfortunately at this time, I'm not able to get him to a vet. At this exact moment in time, I do not have 5 lamps to give the torts heat/light if I were to put them in separate containers. I can, however, remove the aggressive one to a smaller container. Also, I never thought about putting a divider between the species in the larger tubs - that's a good idea!

 

[Carol S]

The baby Hermann should be set up by himself and kept warm at night with a temperature of no lower than 80 degees at night and a basking spot of 95-100 degrees 12 hours a day. He should have a humid hide that is no lower than 80 degrees. I hope he and the other torts make it. You could use a plastic storage bin for his hospital tank.

 

[Katelynn]

The baby Hermann should be set up by himself and kept warm at night with a temperature of no lower than 80 degees at night and a basking spot of 95-100 degrees 12 hours a day. He should have a humid hide that is no lower than 80 degrees. I hope he and the other torts make it. You could use a plastic storage bin for his hospital tank.

Alright. I have just moved the Hermann to his own little container. I've been monitoring him very closely and will continue to do so!

 

[leigti]

Are these all babies or are the elongated ones adults?

 

[Katelynn]

Are these all babies or are the elongated ones adults?

They are all babies. The two elongated are probably about a year old (if that and based on the size of my own little redfoot) and the other three are very likely younger than that.

 

[Rachel Sobran]

are all the other pets dead? i hope not

 

[leigti]

They are all babies. The two elongated are probably about a year old (if that and based on the size of my own little redfoot) and the other three are very likely younger than that.

Well, the only good thing about that is you can get away with smaller enclosures for a little bit. Easier to keep warm.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Be sure to soak the Hermanni 2 or 3 times a day in warm strained carrots. That will give some nutrition. I'd also put him in the bathroom and use a vaporizer and try to comfort his lungs. If he's gaping, blow in his mouth when he opens it....

 

[Katelynn]

are all the other pets dead? i hope not

Sadly, all of the furry critters died, as well as all the birds and many reptiles. The little guys I have here are the only tortoises that survived. Two red slider turtles survived as well as a few other reptiles. It's absolutely awful.

Update:
I just returned from shopping for the little tortoises and have separated them by their species (except for the food-agressive Elongated. He's by himself.) For the time being, everyone except the baby Hermann is doing alright. Hermann is moving around a little bit more (he moved to the humid hide in his house) but is still not opening his eyes and isn't really responding to the baths. He isn't standing up enough for the water to stay under his nose, so his baths are basically just very small warm puddles he can lay down in. I'm really worried about his eyes - they are still white and puffy.

 

[leigti]

Can you rinse out his eyes with saline? Or clean water? Maybe they did get smoke in them and their irritated.

 

[Katelynn]

Can you rinse out his eyes with saline? Or clean water? Maybe they did get smoke in them and their irritated.

Do I just drip clean water over his head? I haven't had to rinse my Tort's eyes out before, so I don't want to hurt him. He isn't really extending his neck very far, either. Also thank you so much for your help!