HELP!!!!! Respiratory infection

Thomas tortoise

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I dont have time to explain right now but my baby sulcata tortoise has respiratory infection one of my baby tortoises already died from it and the other one is on the verge of death and he is not eating !what can I do!!!!???
 

Thomas tortoise

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Take him to a good tortoise or herp vet. If you cannot, then warm up his enclosure to 90f and make the vet appointment.
I got some help from a friend a little bit ago and right now i am giving him a bath in some kind of electrolyte liquid to get his strength back up and I also boosted up his enclosure to 90F and we dont have any reptile vets near me so I am wondering if there is some kind of plant or thing I can feed him that will make him a lot more better.
 

Maro2Bear

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A RI in Arkansas in late June? Sorry, but something is way wrong here. You must not be providing overnight heating? It’s 95 plus here in Maryland during the day BUT high 60’s at night = night time heating is required in our Sully’s night box.

So. Whats your enclosure like? Inside outside temps?
 

wellington

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I agree with Maro2Bear.
What aren't you doing? Babies should be in a closed chamber with 80 temps all over day and night. 95-100 basking and 80% humidity. They should only go outside when its 80 at their ground level for a short time, 30 minutes then back to the closed chamber.
Get a temp gun and digital temp and humidity gauge for inside the chamber.
Soaks should be in warm water and always kept warm.
This time of year your tort should not be getting an RI!
 

Thomas tortoise

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I agree with Maro2Bear.
What aren't you doing? Babies should be in a closed chamber with 80 temps all over day and night. 95-100 basking and 80% humidity. They should only go outside when its 80 at their ground level for a short time, 30 minutes then back to the closed chamber.
Get a temp gun and digital temp and humidity gauge for inside the chamber.
Soaks should be in warm water and always kept warm.
This time of year your tort should not be getting an RI!
I had a problem and my CHE went out and the night temps got to low for a few days. Now I have three extras so it does not happen again. He wont eat or drink. Cause he is to weak to open his mouth and I called the vet near us and they dont do tortoises so with the price of gas it would be about 300 dollars to get him to a vet and pay for the vet. I dont know what to do!!!!😭😭😭 It was a big mistake getting three sulcatas!😭😢 I tried force feeding him with a syringe but I cant get his tiny head in my fingers so that I can open his mounth! I got some electrolytes down him today but I cant get him to eat!!! I boosted his temp to 90.F. day and night and the basking spot is a tad more hotter than before. What can I do
 

TammyJ

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This is too bad and I can only say, keep up the warm soaks and warm temperatures and hope he will recover. Since the vet is not an option.
 

wellington

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Again I agree with Maro2Bear do not force feed. Add the piediyte to his warm water soaks. I would even add pureed baby food carrots won't hurt.
For the future with babies daily check of temps and that everything is working is important. Once they are bigger it's not needed quite so often unless temps are dropping then double checks of temps and everything working is needed.
Are you using ceramic sockets for the che? I never had one die yet. The cheap ones don't get as hot as the better brand ones but still they last forever. All heating bulbs/che's should be in a proper watt ceramic socket.
 

Cathie G

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Just my thoughts. Try not to project your stress on him too much. I know that's hard. Just do the things stated here and observe as much as you can make yourself do without checking every 5 seconds. Best hopes and sending prayers 🙏 🤗
 

Tom

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What did your overnight temp drop to, and what symptoms are you seeing that tell you it is a respiratory infection?
 

Thomas tortoise

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It is a closed chamber. I made a lot of mistakes in this post cause im really stressed out.😅
Very soft shell and gunky eys also loss of appetite and he became a lot more lazy. But he passed away yesterday morning. I asked the tortoise farmer who is an hour away from us if respiratory infection is contagious he said no so I put my little tortoise with my bigger tortoise to see what would happen cause I noticed once I sperated the little tortoises they stopped eating so I put the little one with the bigger one and was watching them and the little one was eating! But then he stopped and passed away so is respiratory infection contagious?
What did your overnight temp drop to, and what symptoms are you seeing that tell you it is a respiratory infection?
 

zovick

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Very soft shell and gunky eys also loss of appetite and he became a lot more lazy. But he passed away yesterday morning. I asked the tortoise farmer who is an hour away from us if respiratory infection is contagious he said no so I put my little tortoise with my bigger tortoise to see what would happen cause I noticed once I sperated the little tortoises they stopped eating so I put the little one with the bigger one and was watching them and the little one was eating! But then he stopped and passed away so is respiratory infection contagious?
Sorry to hear that the tortoise died, but I have to disagree with your "tortoise farmer" regarding respiratory infections. Many of them ARE indeed contagious.

I would never put a healthy tortoise in with a sick one for any reason.
 

MenagerieGrl

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I agree with @zovick, even, EVEN if it was not contagious, why would you chance it.
I would separate sick tort's.
That being said, Thomas, I'm so'oo sorry for the lost of your Tort, I've been there, and it ain't easy.
 

TammyJ

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Very soft shell and gunky eys also loss of appetite and he became a lot more lazy. But he passed away yesterday morning. I asked the tortoise farmer who is an hour away from us if respiratory infection is contagious he said no so I put my little tortoise with my bigger tortoise to see what would happen cause I noticed once I sperated the little tortoises they stopped eating so I put the little one with the bigger one and was watching them and the little one was eating! But then he stopped and passed away so is respiratory infection contagious?
This is too bad. But over and over on this site it is stressed that tortoises should be kept separated ideally, especially different sizes and species, but specifically, sick ones! Such a shame this happened. I don't understand the reasoning. Very sorry he died. Tortoise farmer??? Some expert.
 

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