EMERGENCY tortoise isn’t eating

User2848829386

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Hi my other tortoise kiwi is doing a weird thing where she puts her neck out and then pulls it back in and opens her mouth. Is it a respatory infection or is it just an itch Please help. Also it would be great if you could find out her age.
 

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User2848829386

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Hi my other tortoise kiwi is doing a weird thing where she puts her neck out and then pulls it back in and opens her mouth. Is it a respatory infection or is it just an itch Please help. Also it would be great if you could find out her age.
 

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User2848829386

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There is a screen top and I turned off the uh bulbs. He is opening his eyes and is still rubbing them
 

User2848829386

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Have you done any of the things I suggested in post # 18? You keep asking for help, but you haven't said you've made changes.

Please post some pictures of his enclosure and the lights you are using. We need to see the bulbs themselves.

If you are using any screw in UVB bulb, TURN IT OFF!

Tell us what you have done to help this tortoise?
The soak water mixture seems to make his eyes worse. Also I turned off the Uv lights. He still isn’t eating but has his eyes open
 

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KarenSoCal

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I'm glad to see his eyes open! Throw away those bulbs. They should not be used with tortoises.

A screen top will not hold in heat and humidity, and your tortoise needs both. Please use one of the methods I gave you in post # 18 to close off the top.

Posts can get really confusing when more than one tort is being discussed. It would be best if you made a new thread for Kiwi. I don't know why she is doing that with her head...have you examined her neck area to see if something might be stuck somewhere under her shell? Others will respond if you start a new thread.

Back to your Russian...you want his age. Where did you get him? Was he a baby or the size he is now? If you bought him at a Petco or a Petsmart, then he is a wild caught tortoise that is 5-10 years old, and maybe older. That's the closest guess, and no way to know for sure.
 

User2848829386

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I'm glad to see his eyes open! Throw away those bulbs. They should not be used with tortoises.

A screen top will not hold in heat and humidity, and your tortoise needs both. Please use one of the methods I gave you in post # 18 to close off the top.

Posts can get really confusing when more than one tort is being discussed. It would be best if you made a new thread for Kiwi. I don't know why she is doing that with her head...have you examined her neck area to see if something might be stuck somewhere under her shell? Others will respond if you start a new thread.

Back to your Russian...you want his age. Where did you get him? Was he a baby or the size he is now? If you bought him at a Petco or a Petsmart, then he is a wild caught tortoise that is 5-10 years old, and maybe older. That's the closest guess, and no way to know for sure.
Update: Kiwi is normal and she is behaving normally. I got Sherman from a reptile expo in 2018. He has gotten worse and struggles to keep his eyes open. He barely is moving and won’t eat anything. I cannot afford enough baby food to make a 50/50 mix for him so I just put a few spoonfuls in. He still isn’t eating at all and won’t move. It takes up to 10 minutes to get his eyes semi open and he won’t even make an attempt at his food. Is it possible that I could ship him to you and you could nurture him back to health? I know it seems a lot to ask but I don’t know what to do.
 

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Yvonne G

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If you can't afford a dollar for a jar of baby food, then you certainly can't afford the $60 it takes to ship a tortoise. I promise - if you soak faithfully in 50/50 water/carrot baby food his eyes will be open in three days.
 

Yvonne G

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I use a small bowl with tall sides and only use a half jar of baby food per soak.
 

KarenSoCal

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Update: Kiwi is normal and she is behaving normally. I got Sherman from a reptile expo in 2018. He has gotten worse and struggles to keep his eyes open. He barely is moving and won’t eat anything. I cannot afford enough baby food to make a 50/50 mix for him so I just put a few spoonfuls in. He still isn’t eating at all and won’t move. It takes up to 10 minutes to get his eyes semi open and he won’t even make an attempt at his food. Is it possible that I could ship him to you and you could nurture him back to health? I know it seems a lot to ask but I don’t know what to do.

I'm glad Kiwi is doing well.

I wish I knew what is making Sherman so sick. But since I don't, all I can do is go back over all the basics. So, first, have you covered the top of the tank? It must be covered so heat and humidity stays in the tank.

2nd: are you measuring the temps in the tank with a thermometer? What is the temp directly under his basking lamp? What is the temp in the coolest place in the tank? What is the lowest temp at night? We need to know this info. If he is too cold he cannot digest food. He knows this, so he doesn't eat. One thing I thought of...if his tank is on the floor, get it up onto a table, and away from any windows.

Do you measure the humidity in the tank? Do you use a hygrometer to actually measure it? You can buy a combination thermometer/hygrometer at Walmart for about $10-$12. I know you're short on money, but find a way. Maybe a neighbor needs a chore done for $12.

I appreciate that you would entrust Sherman's care to me. But the reality is that I don't have a set up for him, or the space to put it. I have my own tortoise to think about too, and have no way to quarantine Sherman so there's no cross contact. And finally, sadly it sounds like Sherman is so ill he may not survive the trip.

You said you don't know what to do...I don't either. But I do know that basic care must be done, and basic care for a sick tortoise is heat and humidity. Heat first, then humidity.

I'm going to ask for some help. Maybe someone will have an idea.

@zovick
@Tom
@GMDVM
 

User2848829386

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I'm glad Kiwi is doing well.

I wish I knew what is making Sherman so sick. But since I don't, all I can do is go back over all the basics. So, first, have you covered the top of the tank? It must be covered so heat and humidity stays in the tank.

2nd: are you measuring the temps in the tank with a thermometer? What is the temp directly under his basking lamp? What is the temp in the coolest place in the tank? What is the lowest temp at night? We need to know this info. If he is too cold he cannot digest food. He knows this, so he doesn't eat. One thing I thought of...if his tank is on the floor, get it up onto a table, and away from any windows.

Do you measure the humidity in the tank? Do you use a hygrometer to actually measure it? You can buy a combination thermometer/hygrometer at Walmart for about $10-$12. I know you're short on money, but find a way. Maybe a neighbor needs a chore done for $12.

I appreciate that you would entrust Sherman's care to me. But the reality is that I don't have a set up for him, or the space to put it. I have my own tortoise to think about too, and have no way to quarantine Sherman so there's no cross contact. And finally, sadly it sounds like Sherman is so ill he may not survive the trip.

You said you don't know what to do...I don't either. But I do know that basic care must be done, and basic care for a sick tortoise is heat and humidity. Heat first, then humidity.

I'm going to ask for some help. Maybe someone will have an idea.

@zovick
@Tom
@GMDVM
I allready have a thermometer/ hydrometer combo. The temp at night is 60-70 and the temp in the basking is 80-90 in the hide it is 60-70 and the humidity is 60-65. I put sphagnum moss there so that it could be more moist. Is there a way to force feed him???
 

Yvonne G

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Is there a way to feed him ?
Tortoises can go a long time without eating. Before you worry about his not eating, you need to correct the perameters of his enclosure. Please read the care sheet and make any adjustments to his enclosure that are required.
 

KarenSoCal

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I allready have a thermometer/ hydrometer combo. The temp at night is 60-70 and the temp in the basking is 80-90 in the hide it is 60-70 and the humidity is 60-65. I put sphagnum moss there so that it could be more moist. Is there a way to force feed him???

Look at post # 12! That was over a month ago! All this lost time because you didn't do this! ?

Your tortoise is dying...cover the top of the tank and get the temp up. Never below 85°, day or night, anywhere in the tank. He is not going to eat until he is warm.

If you DO IT NOW, maybe he can still be saved.
 

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