Is feeling nauseated a reason he would open his mouth like that? I think it's on the exhale, because he makes a whistle on the inhale.Antibiotics generally make them feel nauseated and sick...
Antibiotics only treat the symptoms. Did you ever discover the cause of the sickness and correct it.
Lewis just finished his antibiotics and he didn't really improve. Should I take him back? He's doing this mouth opening when he breathes thing and has a bit of a wheeze still. He also sleeps a LOT more now than he ever did before.
I've been keeping him between 86-88° on the hot side, most mornings when we turn his lights on he is in the middle between the warm side directly under the lamps and the cool side directly under the ceiling fan. I changed his substrate, have been keeping his humidity around 50% and have changed his diet. I've been soaking him daily and I even got a 18" uvb bulb. I don't know what could be causing it aside from the things I have already corrected.Antibiotics only treat the symptoms. Did you ever discover the cause of the sickness and correct it.
Last I remember you said the tortoise didn't like being kept at the recommended warmer temperatures.
What is the temperature on the cool side?I've been keeping him between 86-88° on the hot side, most mornings when we turn his lights on he is in the middle between the warm side directly under the lamps and the cool side directly under the ceiling fan. I changed his substrate, have been keeping his humidity around 50% and have changed his diet. I've been soaking him daily and I even got a 18" uvb bulb. I don't know what could be causing it aside from the things I have already corrected.
I've been keeping him between 86-88° on the hot side, most mornings when we turn his lights on he is in the middle between the warm side directly under the lamps and the cool side directly under the ceiling fan. I changed his substrate, have been keeping his humidity around 50% and have changed his diet. I've been soaking him daily and I even got a 18" uvb bulb. I don't know what could be causing it aside from the things I have already
Yes I am checking the temperature with a thermometer and it's at shell level. no I don't have one on the cool side. If I heat it up in there above 90' he avoids the area and slams on the sides of the enclosureWhat is the temperature on the cool side?
Are you checking that temperature with a thermometer laying oil the floor where the tortoise is?
Is there an area that gets up to 95-100 for the tortoise to warm up above ambient?
Not at shell level. On the floor where the tortoise's plastron is touching. Just lay the thermometer on its back on the floor over on the cool side.Yes I am checking the temperature with a thermometer and it's at shell level. no I don't have one on the cool side. If I heat it up in there above 90' he avoids the area and slams on the sides of the enclosure
Ok, will do. I called the vet and asked about the mycoplasma test, it's very expensive. I'm not sure what they could do for him aside from the test, and it seems no one else is as concerned about him as I am so maybe he doesn't need to go to the vet? I'm not sure. Is his behavior concerning? What should I look for before I worryNot at shell level. On the floor where the tortoise's plastron is touching. Just lay the thermometer on its back on the floor over on the cool side.
I've turned off the ceiling fan. His wheeze seems to be going away, but how much should they sleep a day? He sleeps a lot. Almost everyime I see him he's sleeping.1. If it's a mycoplasmosis, then probably, Lewis is a lifetime carrier. This means that stress and low temperatures can provoke symptoms development again. If that happens, a vet can prescribe a more effective treatment.
2. If Lewis feels better: eyes are clear, no nasal discharge, he behaves like usual and he is eating, drinking, perhaps you might skip a vet visit. Stress might do more harm when he's recovering. And proper husbandry might be more beneficial than visiting a vet.
3. Probably, you need to watch for new symptoms - any mucus or discharge from eyes and nose, behaviour changes like lethargy, loss of appetite. Negative dynamic (new symptoms, severity and persistence of existing symptoms) - is obviously a reason to worry.
You mentioned a ceiling fan in your post. And I guess, it's moving the air up to the ceiling. If it really does any effect then it messes with the humidity and warmth, sucking out humid and hot air out of the enclosure and keeping CHEs working more than expected.
It's extremely difficult for me to tell if he's sick. He just isn't acting like he used to 3+ months ago. He sleeps a lot more, he breathes extremely loud, he doesn't really rub against me anymore like he used to.I've turned off the ceiling fan. His wheeze seems to be going away, but how much should they sleep a day? He sleeps a lot. Almost everyime I see him he's sleeping.
@Tom
I recently had to do this myself, and was SO surprised...a couple of tortoises in that shed I'm so proud of stopped eating and Mary was in the sleeping box next to the pig blanket for 3 days w/out moving. So of course I hadda call Y...so she freakin right away says she's too cold...lay a thermometer on the floor right next to her...damn it! The floor has that fluffy pink insulation and I always wondered if all that Sulcata urine over the years would wreck it...anyway...ta da!!! 75 degrees. Holy Sh*t! Frankly, it freaked me out. At that time there were 3 different species of torts in the shed for the winter. 2 had stopped eating. So I did the thermometer thing to the 3 and each spot was too cold for the tort. So then it's an easy fix...but Y's answer came immediately...she makes it seem so easy while I am the chicken who lost her head...lol. So the problem was fixed by stall mats on the floor.
I've turned off the ceiling fan. His wheeze seems to be going away, but how much should they sleep a day? He sleeps a lot. Almost everyime I see him he's sleeping.
Took mine about a month to get back to normal. One month is an incredibly long time to be feeling bad. Increasing heat is what I hear helps a lot as well.
Lewis just finished his antibiotics and he didn't really improve. Should I take him back? He's doing this mouth opening when he breathes thing and has a bit of a wheeze still. He also sleeps a LOT more now than he ever did before.