Lil Franklin update

[Liljae9263]

Today during Franklin soaks I got some cute pics and really that’s y I’m making this post. I just wanna post em hehe. But while I’m here I’ll give a lil update too!

I’ve been soaking him everyday for an hour. His pee/poop outtake has decreased the last couple of days but I hope that’s just bc he’s been going potty everyday so he doesn’t have much TO put out. He does normally get SOMETHING out still. Today he peed and it was stringy like spider web and a tinge yellow. I figured this was good for him to get out, assuming it was the bad that’s making him strain. His wee wee still comes out a little to pee but I feel like he strains less. He poops p much everyday (he didn’t today) but he has days where he doesn’t really pee (or pees clear) and days he gets some white urates out. Im hoping this is a good sign. There was one day I accidentally forgot to soak him and the next day when I did soak him he got lots out! (Which again I think just proves my he’s out of stuff to get out theory!)

My new vet appointment for him keeps getting pushed back. First by the vet and then today my work changed their minds and told me I COULDNT leave work early for it so thankfully the vet receptionist was v helpful and we got a new appointment for Wednesday that I will make if it’s the last thing I do! I plan to go in and be stern (bc I wuss out at Drs but I need to stick up for my babies health!) and get those X-rays so ik for sure what is the problem and if surgery is required! I’ll even get a poop test if I can to make sure parasites really aren’t an issue. It’ll cost me a pretty penny but I can technically afford it AND I just want the best for my baby. I NEED him to get better! I will be sure to update yall right after the appointment bc ur input last time was v helpful!

I stopped giving him the meds. Really he just stopped eating it so I stopped giving it to him and wasting his food. (I also stopped giving him calcium powder which ik he needs but he started having this peeing issue after consuming a whole cuttle bone and when I did give him calcium a couple days after he did a BIG powdery pee and strained hard so I stopped. I didn’t want to keep giving him stuff if it was gonna keep building into a bigger problem. He still gets some calcium from his pellets too. I will ask the vet about this issue when I go on wed. What do yall think?)

And then as promised the pics! Franklin seems to be enjoying his hour long baths. At first he didn’t like them but I think he’s adjusting to them. He mostly just sits still in there, vibing. Every now and then he takes a sip. Most of the time he sits with his face to the wall and rests his head on the side of the tub or just gets close to it (like in the pic) it doesn’t look comfy to me but he likes it haha. Sometimes he stretches out in it too. <3

I hope he really is doing ok and we can work this problem out soon. I don’t want to have to drive him to the vet during the colder months if I can help it (

(Also his new enclosure keeps getting put off thx to life and weather. I keep pressing my folks about it so it will be built ASAP. I’m sure once it’s up and running that should help his problem (the humidity will def help his tummy. The soaks r helping, I just think high humidity all the time will do wonders and he just can’t get that without the new enclosure which I am still waiting for . I’m really trying tho!)

I still feel bad about his predicament everyday. I have nightmares constantly about it and his health but all I can do is keeping giving him the love and care I can now and slowly work towards a better future for us both. Did anyone else have this much stress when they got their tortoise baby? Ik it really doesn’t help I have everything wrong when I started so that’s y I’m stressed trying to fix it, but just wondering if I’m alone here. Is it normal to be this frantic over a lil guy? UGH. He’s my first REAL pet (as in I take care of him all on my own. My folks don’t help with daily care or vet visits AT ALL. They r nice enough to build his new enclosure tho!) and it’s ROUGH. My folks keep telling me that’s just how it is to have a kid (they call him my child) but MAN IS IT REALLY? IM BEAT! But I do loves him .

 

[wellington]

He's beautiful! Calcium should only be given 2-3 times a week and only a very small pinch. Too much is as bad as to little. Give it a rest for a few days and then add a small pinch in and then only 2-3 times a week
Be very careful about vets advice. They know very little about tortoises if anything at all.
I don't know what the original problem was that you are wanting an X-ray, but if it was recommended in this forum, then it should be done.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

But I do loves him .

And it shows!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Did anyone else have this much stress when they got their tortoise baby? Ik it really doesn’t help I have everything wrong when I started so that’s y I’m stressed trying to fix it, but just wondering if I’m alone here. Is it normal to be this frantic over a lil guy? UGH. He’s my first REAL pet (as in I take care of him all on my own. My folks don’t help with daily care or vet visits AT ALL. They r nice enough to build his new enclosure tho!) and it’s ROUGH. My folks keep telling me that’s just how it is to have a kid (they call him my child) but MAN IS IT REALLY? IM BEAT! But I do loves him .

Thank you for the update! The decrease is likely because you have him clearing out regularly with daily soaks. Has there been any more stones passed?

If you want to refrain from calcium powder till his X-ray that won’t hurt. Keep us in the loop.

I’m glad he’s enjoying his soaks more too

lol I stress about our tortoise on the regular even though she’s completely healthy, all part and parcel of being a loving parent, you’re doing great

 

[Liljae9263]

Thank you for the update! The decrease is likely because you have him clearing out regularly with daily soaks. Has there been any more stones passed?

If you want to refrain from calcium powder till his X-ray that won’t hurt. Keep us in the loop.

I’m glad he’s enjoying his soaks more too

lol I stress about our tortoise on the regular even though she’s completely healthy, all part and parcel of being a loving parent, you’re doing great

he normally pees clear or just a couple strands of white. Today he did a big pee! At first white powder and then a big whitish lump! It was that soft spiderweb looking texture again but it was p decent sized so I congratulated him on a good job. He still tried to pee again later, his little wee wee coming out but nothing more coming out so I wonder if he still has a blockage? This is his second big lumpy pee he’s taken in the coarse of a week or two but there always feels like there’s more he needs to get out. I was being hopeful since he’s been passing things maybe he didn’t need the surgery, but idk maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s so much that he needs that help to get it out. Idk how long it’ll take him to naturally pass it if he can. I’m trying not to let myself spiral until after I get the xray results. I won’t no anything concrete till then! For now he is still going potty with his soaks, he still eats, and from what I can tell he still acts normally. No matter what his results r, I will stick with him and make sure he gets what he needs to be happy and healthy! <3

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

he normally pees clear or just a couple strands of white. Today he did a big pee! At first white powder and then a big whitish lump! It was that soft spiderweb looking texture again but it was p decent sized so I congratulated him on a good job. He still tried to pee again later, his little wee wee coming out but nothing more coming out so I wonder if he still has a blockage? This is his second big lumpy pee he’s taken in the coarse of a week or two but there always feels like there’s more he needs to get out. I was being hopeful since he’s been passing things maybe he didn’t need the surgery, but idk maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s so much that he needs that help to get it out. Idk how long it’ll take him to naturally pass it if he can. I’m trying not to let myself spiral until after I get the xray results. I won’t no anything concrete till then! For now he is still going potty with his soaks, he still eats, and from what I can tell he still acts normally. No matter what his results r, I will stick with him and make sure he gets what he needs to be happy and healthy! <3

Yeah try not to worry or overthink till you get the xray results, we’ll know for certain if there’s any blockages, he sounds like he’s doing well for now, I’m sure all this will be figured out soon, plus he’ll only improve once in a bigger set up and able to move around more

 

[COmtnLady]

Be cautious at the Vet's. They sometimes see your bringing up parasites as a way to pad the bill when it isn't necessary. These critters have evolved with parasites and sometimes the symbiotic relationship actually helps. NO vitamin shots - they are decidedly not necessary and frequently do more harm than good.

Show us the x-rays, please.

 

[Liljae9263]

Thank you for the update! The decrease is likely because you have him clearing out regularly with daily soaks. Has there been any more stones passed?

If you want to refrain from calcium powder till his X-ray that won’t hurt. Keep us in the loop.

I’m glad he’s enjoying his soaks more too

lol I stress about our tortoise on the regular even though she’s completely healthy, all part and parcel of being a loving parent, you’re doing great

So today during Franklin’s soak he peed out a worm ???

I hadn’t seen one till now and it’s p big

I stopped giving him the worm medicine as that was what was advised on this forum and i was having trouble getting him to eat it. I’m not sure what kind of worm it is or how he got it or what to do.

I put the worm in a baggy to take to the vet on Wednesday. I’ll also collect a poop sample from Franklin so they can test if they need to. Hopefully I can get the meds I need. I’m wondering if I should still get an xray if the problem is really worms (I prob still will to give myself peace of mind). Idk how this could have happened. I feel so terrible

I just want Franklin to feel better and be happy. God this month has been a roller coaster. Ugh. Plz let him be better next month.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

So today during Franklin’s soak he peed out a worm ???

I hadn’t seen one till now and it’s p big

I stopped giving him the worm medicine as that was what was advised on this forum and i was having trouble getting him to eat it. I’m not sure what kind of worm it is or how he got it or what to do.

I put the worm in a baggy to take to the vet on Wednesday. I’ll also collect a poop sample from Franklin so they can test if they need to. Hopefully I can get the meds I need. I’m wondering if I should still get an xray if the problem is really worms (I prob still will to give myself peace of mind). Idk how this could have happened. I feel so terrible

I just want Franklin to feel better and be happy. God this month has been a roller coaster. Ugh. Plz let him be better next month.

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That’s certainly a turn of events, I can see others recommend not bothering with the medication, I can understand why because technically he wasn’t presenting with any symptoms and you’d not seen him pass any. I would still get the xray because the worms shouldn’t be causing some of the symptoms he’s had. Definitely get a stool sample too though and explain to the vet you’re having trouble getting him to take the medicine, they might offer some advice in that regard.

Let me tag @zovick and @Yvonne G im curious what they think. Either way try not to panic, worms can be resolved