Help-I think my red foot tortoise overheated

[Gizzie]

I had my four year old red foot in it's outdoor enclosure. I had a white five gallon bucket laying down in the enclosure and she got trapped in it during an 90 degree day. I think she overheated. When I found her she was standing in her own diarrhea, her mouth was foaming and her eyes watery. I took her to her inside enclosure that stays about 80% humidity and 80 degrees on one side and about 73 degrees on the other. She has not ate anything and I haven't see her drink since the incident which has been about 4 days. There are no vet that are familiar with tortoise as I live in a very rural area. Any ideas on what I can do?

 

[dmmj]

yes foaming at the moutb is a sign of overheating they do that as a last ditch attempt to cool down.honestly there isn't much to do but wait and see.

 

[Jodie]

I would give her a nice long soak if you haven't. Hope she's going to be ok.

 

[stojanovski92113]

How's your tortoise???

 

[Gillian M]

I would give her a nice long soak if you haven't. Hope she's going to be ok.

Hi. Oh yes those nice long soaks did Oli a lot of good during the two heat waves this country went through.

 

[Gillian M]

I had my four year old red foot in it's outdoor enclosure. I had a white five gallon bucket laying down in the enclosure and she got trapped in it during an 90 degree day. I think she overheated. When I found her she was standing in her own diarrhea, her mouth was foaming and her eyes watery. I took her to her inside enclosure that stays about 80% humidity and 80 degrees on one side and about 73 degrees on the other. She has not ate anything and I haven't see her drink since the incident which has been about 4 days. There are no vet that are familiar with tortoise as I live in a very rural area. Any ideas on what I can do?

Sorry to hear that your tort is overheated. Soaks, soaks soaks. Would you post pics of him/her please?

And a very warm welcome to the forum.

 

[Gizzie]

How's your tortoise???

Still not doing well. The only thing she will eat is a worm and ate about one worm a week since then. Today she started dragging one of her back legs. I have been soaking her daily and encouraging her to eat. I have not seen any stools since it happened. There are new vets here that know anything about tortoises. Would antibiotics or anything else help?

 

[dmmj]

if its brain damage which I suspect it is I don't think anything will help maybe time but beyond that nothing I know of

 

[wellington]

Keep soaking her. Maybe add baby food carrots and piedialyte to the soaks also. I agree with dmmj, it sounds like she might have some kind of damage, with the dragging of the legs, but if she can survive, that may come back or something can be rigged up so its not damaged by dragging. I would soak at least twice a day.

 

[Gizzie]

Thanks for your advice. How much piedialyte per 1/2 gallon of water and how much baby food carrots should I use per 1/2 gallon on water. Also, all she has done is stay in her hide the last 3 weeks unless I move her to soak her or try to get her to eat. At first I thought it was good to let her rest, but now Iam thinking that I should try to get her to move around some. What are your thoughts?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

You can't overdose on Pedialite. Even straight and undiluted would work. Though expensive.
Good luck to you.
Let her rest.
Tortoises. Redfooted tortoises have an amazing capacity for healing.

 

[Gizzie]

Thanks!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Any new news?

 

[Gizzie]

no, just will eat a little, like one worm or two pellets, about every 3 days. I can't get her to eat any fruits or vegs and I haven't seen any stools. Very lethargic.