I'm glad you guys are here

[iota]

I've had my tortoise a week. When I picked her out, she was active, dry eyed, and didn't shy away from us. Prior to buying her I asked you all questions, browsed the forums and learned a lot.

On Thursday I came home from work and put her in her soak tub. I heard her whistling. I called the herp vet I have been using for the last 20 years and got an appointment for today. I caught an early upper respiratory infection. By that point she had watery eyes, but no gunk, and the whistles.

Now it's shots in the rear every other day for a few days! I might have ignored the whistles if it weren't for all the posts here. So.. thanks!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

It's great news to hear that some of the information on this site and some of the members were of help to you.
They will all be delighted to hear this (not that the tort is ill, obviously!) and will no doubt all wish your tortoise a speedy recovery

 

[Jacqui]

Glad it worked out. Just for a general reminder to others who might read this, while in this case the whistling was from a respiratory issue, it can also be other things like stress or low humidity problems.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Do you know the cause of the RI?

It's good you caught it early... Just wondering if you discovered/fixed the cause.

 

[bouaboua]

We are glad you are here also.

Learn something here everyday! ! !

 

[iota]

Do you know the cause of the RI?

It's good you caught it early... Just wondering if you discovered/fixed the cause.

I suspect the RI came from, the reptile show I purchased her from, the vendor, or going outside multiple times on a 40 degree day (the day I bought her). I bought her Sunday, and Thursday evening she was whistling.

Her habitat is brand new. I had just built and set it up. It is current half coco mulch and half dirt for the time being. I seeded white clover where the dirt is. I expect it will start germinating any day now. I found an amazing greenhouse close by that has absolutely everything I need.

I've been keeping the temperature on the warm side around 90, and on the cool side it is at 72. Can't get it any cooler, the house is 72. Her humidity has not been below 70% since she has been here. I made some modifications to the top to allow me to get it to 85%.

She had a florescent (long) UVB light for the first 3 days I had her, until the MVB bulbs I ordered from Amazon came in. (No way I am paying petstore prices for those things. $75.00 a bulb is a lil nuts.)

 

[crimson_lotus]

I would personally bump up the cool side temps to 80, especially while she's sick, as high humidity and low temps can cause respiratory illness. Do you have anything for night time heat? I use a ceramic heat emitter, it emits no light but does a great job heating up the enclosure.

 

[iota]

It is funny you asked that... I was just letting it drop to room temperature (72), and my husband was just asking me about the night temperature in there. He was worried about her getting too cool at night.

I've seen the ceramic heat emitters. I'll have to grab one.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

My favorite way to use a CHE (the ceramic heat emitter) is with a thermostat. I've done it with leopards but it'll suit a Redfoots needs too.
Thermostats will cost $30-40 or so but they are worth every penny!

Plug the CHE into the thermostat, plug the thermostat into the wall outlet. Set the temperature for..say 80F, and walk away. Well, obviously you have to put the CHE over one side of the enclosure and the thermostats probe near the sub subtrate on the opposite side.. But literally, that's it. You're done. It will automatically maintain the temps for you. Too cold, it clicks on. Too hot, it clicks off. Love it!

 

[deadheadvet]

You said shots in the rear, Never give any injections in the rear portion of a tortoise. Front legs or pectoral muscles only. Tortoises have a renal-portal system which means everything goes directly to the kidneys first if anything given in the rear part of the tortoise.