Help there's something wrong with my tortoise

[sherlock15]

So I had tin foil on half until a few hours ago. I had to move the lights around but now I don't have any more foil can I cover it up with something else ?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

So I had tin foil on half until a few hours ago. I had to move the lights around but now I don't have any more foil can I cover it up with something else ?

Aluminum foil is the most likely thing you'd have that would fit - I'd run out to the store and get more if I were you. Depending on the shape of your enclosure/lamp placement, you could cover it with glass or acrylic, but that I imagine you may not have on hand right now.

 

[teresaf]

For now, anything plastic to help with humidity. Plastic wrap wrapped around the screen on one side then maybe a notebook on top to insulate for heat? Please don't burn your tort up.... Don't put anything flamable under the lamp...Actually raising HEAT is more important than humidity. If your tort is sick with an ri you'll probably want to lower the humidity a bit to help combat the sickness. just until he's better.

 

[sherlock15]

The store closed at 8 but in the past hour he's seems to have gotten better. His plastron also filled out more too. He also opened one of his eyes for me. And started moving in my hand. Hopefully he's getting better.

 

[sherlock15]

I took him out of his enclosure for a few minutes and he opened both eyes and flaired in my hand. He did stick his head out and take a few steps. It seems like he is not strong enough to lift himself up. Could this be part of the ri?

 

[teresaf]

@Yvonne G may be of more help.

 

[teresaf]

Are you really watching his temperatures In his home? anytime you make a change is going to make it hotter or colder in the container

 

[Anyfoot]

I'm not really experienced enough on this. But if it was me I would make sure all temps are between 85 and 90f. Cover the enclosure to keep humidity and heat in. But I would not be happy having a soft plastron on moist substrate. So make sure your substrate is not too moist. What substrate is it. Can you post a photo of your enclosure please. If anyone disagrees with me that's fine. Just trying to help.

 

[teresaf]

I'm not really experienced enough on this. But if it was me I would make sure all temps are between 85 and 90f. Cover the enclosure to keep humidity and heat in. But I would not be happy having a soft plastron on moist substrate. So make sure your substrate is not too moist. What substrate is it. Can you post a photo of your enclosure please. If anyone disagrees with me that's fine. Just trying to help.

Nope I agree. I would lower humidity and keep temps there too.

 

[Anyfoot]

Sorry, just read back and you r using repti bark for substrate. @yvonne. Is it right to drop the humidity. Mine are at 90%. Anyone.

 

[sherlock15]

Sorry, just read back and you r using repti bark for substrate. @yvonne. Is it right to drop the humidity. Mine are at 90%. Anyone.

I just dropped the humidity because I thought he might have a ri. Before his humidity was very high.

 

[sherlock15]

I'm not really experienced enough on this. But if it was me I would make sure all temps are between 85 and 90f. Cover the enclosure to keep humidity and heat in. But I would not be happy having a soft plastron on moist substrate. So make sure your substrate is not too moist. What substrate is it. Can you post a photo of your enclosure please. If anyone disagrees with me that's fine. Just trying to help.

His plastron was always soft and I thought that was because he was still healing. But earlier today it was sunken in. Now it's back to normal though.

 

[sherlock15]

I read something that said if they have swollen eyes it could be a sign if vitamin a deficiency. Could this be part of the problem?

 

[Anyfoot]

His plastron was always soft and I thought that was because he was still healing. But earlier today it was sunken in. Now it's back to normal though.

OK. If your temps were too low before with high humidity, this is a bad mix. Get your temps up to 90f. Even 95f. I just read a very good post under the health section. Posted by tortadise about uri. Have you read this. Some of your symptoms show this. Basically it's saying keep warm, keep soaking preferably with carrot juice and don't let that get cold. Also to keep humidity up don't spray substrate. Because your substrate will go cold until the ambient raises the temp again. I'd put a few water dishes in filled with Luke warm water. Think the key is to keep him warmer than usual with humidity. But as you apply humidity don't let the temps drop. Hope that made sense. You need a uvb strip light. Calcium is no good without uv. D3 comes from uv and without d3 calcium passes straight through the system. Dandilions are high in calcium, can you feed them. How old is your tort.

 

[Anyfoot]

I read something that said if they have swollen eyes it could be a sign if vitamin a deficiency. Could this be part of the problem?

This tallies up with tortadise saying bathe in carrot juice. The torts body will absorb vitamin through its skip. I had this happen to 2 baby hermanns about 15yr ago. Sunken plastron too. Husbandry advice back then was totally wrong. I kept them dry as u was told. Also I don't think my uv was low enough. My uvb strip niw is within 10" of the substrate. So about 8" from the torts carapace.

 

[sherlock15]

OK. If your temps were too low before with high humidity, this is a bad mix. Get your temps up to 90f. Even 95f. I just read a very good post under the health section. Posted by tortadise about uri. Have you read this. Some of your symptoms show this. Basically it's saying keep warm, keep soaking preferably with carrot juice and don't let that get cold. Also to keep humidity up don't spray substrate. Because your substrate will go cold until the ambient raises the temp again. I'd put a few water dishes in filled with Luke warm water. Think the key is to keep him warmer than usual with humidity. But as you apply humidity don't let the temps drop. Hope that made sense. You need a uvb strip light. Calcium is no good without uv. D3 comes from uv and without d3 calcium passes straight through the system. Dandilions are high in calcium, can you feed them. How old is your tort.

My tort is about 8 months- ish. On Wednesday I'm going to be able to get a new mvb and night bulb. I will do warm soaks with carrot juice and do the water dishes with warm water instead of spraying. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Anyfoot]

My tort is about 8 months- ish. On Wednesday I'm going to be able to get a new mvb and night bulb. I will do warm soaks with carrot juice and do the water dishes with warm water instead of spraying. Thanks for all your help.

Can you show me your setup please? In my setup I have a CHE at one end on a stat set to 88f. At this same end I have a uvb strip bulb. So this end is warm and lit up. The opposite end is darkish and at 80f. I have no basking spot as such. Reds need an ambient temp idealy with a gradient temp change across your enclosure so they can find there own thermal body temp required. Very bright light is not good IMO.

 

[sherlock15]

This was his set up earlier today before I changed his substrate.

 

[Anyfoot]

This was his set up earlier today before I changed his substrate. View attachment 144734View attachment 144735

Sorry to be a pain. Can you show us a photo so we can see the heat and light source please.

 

[sherlock15]

I dont have any previous pictures so i took one now.