I could hear Darwin's breathing today... nervous Redfoot dad.

jsheffield

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IMG_20200823_151547.jpgMy Redfoot Darwin is a bit more than two years old and about 1400g. Living in NH, I normally only get him out on days that are really hot and humid for us, like a day last week when it was the temp and humidity were in the 80s.

This morning when I was cleaning his enclosure, I could hear him breathing. He wasn't rasping or wheezing or gurgling or whistling, there wasn't any discharge around his eyes or nose, he was active and eating... it just made me nervous as I'd never heard it before.

His enclosure is generally 84 degrees, between 80 and 90 percent humidity and there's a basking lamp at one end that gets his basking spot about 95 degrees when it's on (I have him on a 12 hour day year round, with 15-minute dark periods done through the timer on the UV and basking bulbs).

He's been eating well, as he always does, today was pumpkin leaves and a couple of hibiscus flowers... he cleaned the tile that I feed him off of by about midday and I added another handful of leaves for him to work on through the afternoon.

After hearing the breath sounds, I bumped the baseline heat in his enclosure up to 88 degrees, and figured that I would check tomorrow, to see if there's any change up or down.

I'm open to recommendations, thoughts, warnings, advice, well-wishes.

I'm sure it's probably nothing more than a quiet day in my house, which allowed me to hear him breathing, but having read similar posts in the past, I worried.

Thanks,

Jamie
 

Pastel Tortie

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I've heard my box turtle and spotted turtles "hiss" when they rapidly pull their heads into their shells, but I've never heard them breathe otherwise. Then again, my house doesn't ever get THAT quiet.

I can only imagine what it was like. I sometimes see my boxie breathing because that part of her neck expands and contracts. (I think that's what she's doing, anyway.) Did you hear Darwin's breath on the inhale, or the exhale, or both?
 

AnnV

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My big redfoot girl is coming up to 10 years old. I could hear her breathing for many years now.
Its how I find her at night. We live in Florida now and she lives outside in a large enclosure.
I figured she is just a heavy breather. No discharge or anything.?‍♀️
 

Blackdog1714

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My leopard loves to look at me from deep inside his hide when I drop food. I can see him sniffing the air! Mazuri day is sprints day!
 

Ink

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Miss. Dexter Persimmons (new to me) was breathing loud. I did soaks with carrot baby food. The next day it was a constant whistle, no discharge. I did (for 1 week) twice a day carrot soaks, even after the whistle stopped. Then did morning carrot soaks for a few more days. He is the only tortoise I had to soak with carrots. It seems to give him a boost. He always ate but I just didn't want it to get worse. My opinion, I am not an expert.
 

wellington

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I can hear my leopards on a lot of occasions breathing. They are usually in their hide. I think I startle them where they are then sniffing the air to see what it is. Once they seem to have figured out I'm not an enemy, their breathing is not heard.
I hear them when they are smelling other things too.
I doubt it's anything to worry about.
 

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