Hi, I'm a new tortoise owner and I've noticed that Milo rubs his eyes sometimes and makes a hissing sound and pulls his head twice in a row. Like he is sneezing. Is it the bedding? I use coarse coconut fiber by Nat Geo.
Help! Allergies?
- Thread starter MilotheTort
- Start date
Bambam1989
Well-Known Member
Can we have more info please?
What kind of tort is Milo?
What types of lights are being used?
What is the humidity and temps in the enclosure?
Do you moisten the substrate?
What kind of tort is Milo?
What types of lights are being used?
What is the humidity and temps in the enclosure?
Do you moisten the substrate?
Could we see a picture of your tortoise and enclosure?
Is any mucus leaking out?
He could have just been frightened, and the “hissing” you heard could have just been him expelling air to go into his shell.
Is any mucus leaking out?
He could have just been frightened, and the “hissing” you heard could have just been him expelling air to go into his shell.
Ill send a picture as soon as I get home.
But the enclosure is glass, I know ts not the best, but Im moving him to a wooden one soon. Also this is unrelated, but is the basking bulb going to burn the wood at the bottom if put on top? Cause one time I burned the carpet...
He doesn't have any mucus, but his face is really dry. I wet the substrate almost every morning though.
He is a russian tortoise, he has a UVB bulb and a basking bulb on the other side. UVB is not a coil.
The temps are close to 90 F
But the enclosure is glass, I know ts not the best, but Im moving him to a wooden one soon. Also this is unrelated, but is the basking bulb going to burn the wood at the bottom if put on top? Cause one time I burned the carpet...
He doesn't have any mucus, but his face is really dry. I wet the substrate almost every morning though.
He is a russian tortoise, he has a UVB bulb and a basking bulb on the other side. UVB is not a coil.
The temps are close to 90 F
Your tortoise needs a minimum enclosure size of 8x4 feet. Please keep that in mind with the new enclosure.
I have also burned a hole in my carpet, lol. It shouldn’t burn the wood as long as the lamp is not directly on top.
You need a basking spot of 100 degrees.
Please make sure you read the links
Also I give him a 20-25 min soak every week.
He goes to the bathroom fine and eats well.
Urates are normal
Is Coarse Coconut Fiber a bad bedding choice?
He goes to the bathroom fine and eats well.
Urates are normal
Is Coarse Coconut Fiber a bad bedding choice?
Coconut fiber is fine
Thanks for your help,
what if the enclosure isnt really that big? I do take him out everyday and let him roam around my room. Though, he doesnt really roam much. (Is that Normal?) He sometimes just sits there. Also I dont think my 100 W basking bulb only goes up to around 85-90.
Im probably being a bit paranoid but I want him to be super healthy and happy.
You should never, ever let them roam your room. It’s much too cold, and so many bad things happen.
Yes, it needs to be that big. Tortoises roam miles in days in the wild, and they need to be able to exercise and walk to properly digest their food. It’s harmful to their health and their quality of life to stay in something much smaller.
You need to get a new light or lower it, because that is much too cold for a basking spot.
Yes, it needs to be that big. Tortoises roam miles in days in the wild, and they need to be able to exercise and walk to properly digest their food. It’s harmful to their health and their quality of life to stay in something much smaller.
You need to get a new light or lower it, because that is much too cold for a basking spot.
ok, i got you. Ill have to plan something out for him. He always wants to sleep and burrow a lot. Is that a problem?
- Your substrate should be damp. Both for humidity and to keep the dust down.
- Nothing wrong with glass tanks for tortoises as long as they are big enough. No commonly available size glass tank is big enough for an adult russian, but there is nothing wrong with using a glass tank. That is an old incorrect myth.
- As Techno pointed out, the tortoise should never be allowed to roam on the floor. Disaster waiting to happen.
- You should be checking the temp under your bulb. If it is getting hot enough to burn through the enclosure, then it is WAYYYYYYY too hot for your tortoise. Use a thermometer to check the temp under your bulb. It should be around 95-100. Adjust the height of the fixture up or down to get the correct basking temp range.
- Tortoises and most other wild animals do not suffer from allergies and allergic reactions the way people and domestic pets sometimes do.
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