HELP!!! Is my tortoise sick!?!

[tortoise007]

Hello. I think one of my baby desert torts is sick He has a runny nose and makes little sneezing sounds sometimes I was reading and the forum said to increase temps and give him a long bath every day.
I think it might be because the past few nights it got down to 60...oops!
One other reason might be from stress, they just got moved to a new enclosure I covered the cooler part with a towel and lowered to heating lamp a little bit. Please give my tips on how to get him back into health. I DO NOT want to pay for a vet(I'm only a kid).

 

[theelectraco]

Are you not using something for night time heat? You also need to make sure that if your giving long soaks that the water temp is consistently warm.

 

[tortoise007]

I'm ordering a heating pad for 24/7 heat TODAY. I am making sure the water is nice and warm.

 

[theelectraco]

You need to make sure your temps dont get below about 75 minimum, preferably higher. Temperature is key, and make sure it continues eating.

 

[tortoise007]

I'll keep that in mind. How should I keep it that temp at night? What area should the heating pad go?

 

[theelectraco]

What are you using for night time heat? You need to figure something out until your heating pad gets there! Why dont you get a CHE instead?

 

[tortoise007]

I'm using a space heater right now. (whats a CHE)

 

[mainey34]

Just keep him warm, bump your temps up. Warm baths, about 20 min. If. He stops eating do baby food soaks...

 

[tortoise007]

I heard about baby food soaks...sort of. What do you do in a baby food soak?

 

[theelectraco]

A space heater? Do you even know what your temps are at? CHE= ceramic heat emitter.

 

[tortoise007]

Yes I do know my temps are at.The basking spot is 95 and the rest of it is 75-85.
The space heater is just in the room with the tortoise enclosure about 7 feet away on a low seting.

 

[Shannon and Jason]

Your a kid I understand a lil scared needing help. You need to get your parents to take you to pick up a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) you can find them at any pet store or order one off line. Get your temp in the enclosure to 80 degrees until the tortoise is well. warm soaks twice a day. heating pad can help but you will need the CHE. Is there anyway for you to post a pic of your enclosure so maybe we can give you further advise on keeping the heat up.

 

[theelectraco]

What are you doing to increase your temps for the sick tort? Maybe someone else will chime in on this and let me know if Im wrong, but you might want to keep your day basking bulb on at night until you get your UTH to keep your temps high. Can you post a pic of your new enclosure?

 

[tortoise007]

Guys, Don't laugh at the first enclosure on this thread. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-64135.html
It's post 25

 

[theelectraco]

Make a lid somehow to trap in heat and humidity. Looks much better then ur original enclosure

 

[Shannon and Jason]

I heard about baby food soaks...sort of. What do you do in a baby food soak?

Put a jar of organic baby food ex: carrot in with warm water and place you tort in let him soak. I would use a small container just big enough for him to fit in and have him in a shallow soak don't wanna have it so he is stretching to keep his head above water.

 

[tortoise007]

I agree it does looks MUCH better. I put a towel over the cooler half so now it's 80

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

A ceramic heat emitter will work much better than a space heater. Also I bet the space heater makes things a lot dryer than the CHE would.

 

[tortoise007]

How humid should it be in there?

 

[Shannon and Jason]

I keep it 80% in my enclosure............I noticed you have 3 lil ones in the same enclosure if one is sick he should be removed from the others until he is better. But if you can not do that just make sure you keep your temps bumped up. Covering the enclosure top should help you maintain the heat.