tamzsturg

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Hi everyone, so my tortoise’s appetite decreased over the last few weeks to the point where now, he doesn’t want to eat at all. We persevere, and usually manage to get him to eat a couple of his wet pellets, a small bit of broccoli, or a tiny bit of lettuce/kale, and then he gives up and burrows/goes to sleep.
Tarquin is about 14 years old, and recently after reading the care sheet on here we upped his temps, are in the process of making him a better hide, and have given him a che bulb for night time.
My question is, after Tarquin had a seemingly poorly/limping leg, we took him to the vet. The vet treated Tarquin with medications which seemed to heal his leg (although maybe it healed on its own) but slowly after that things started to not seem right. Tarquin became a little less active, not as excited as he usually is when summer arrives and he gets to roam around outdoors in the tortoise proofed garden. We took him to the vet, with suspicions that maybe he had something wrong with him as his appetite decreased. After a few appointments, and different injections and medications, one being Baytril - which I’m now researching and feeling very worried about, Tarquin has just gotten worse and worse.
The vet wants to fit a feeding tube, he insists everyone on this forum that says he shouldn’t have one is incorrect and that they have saved some of the tortoises lives that he has given them too.
Im so conflicted. It only seems logical that the medications the vet has given him were not right and have made tarquin even more lethargic, weak, and unable to eat.
Im so scared that he will die, as the vet did blood tests on him and said his kidneys could be in danger, but they are not in full blown failure (yet). He seems to think proper feeding and hydration could fix this. But i don’t even know if I can trust him anymore after my tortoise has literally gotten worse. Im so upset.
Can anyone help and give insight into what the antibiotics could have done to Tarquin? I’ll provide a full list of them asap. We are soaking him 3 times a day, 1 of those soaks is electrolyte.
Thank you
 

wellington

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Wow so very sorry. Most vets don't have a clue when it comes to tortoises.
Add baby food carrots to his soaks also if you haven't. Some medications do make them lethargic and stop eating for a while.
If you had come here first it's likely we would have not recommended taking him to a vet, the leg would probably get better on it's own as long as there was nothing noticeable hurting it.
I can only tell you what I would do. You have to make your own decisions.
I would start the baby food soaks and keep doing the electrolytes for about a week. Bump up his temps to never lower then 85 while he is sick only, and I would give it at least a week to see if this helps and then reassess at the end of that week.
 

tamzsturg

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Wow so very sorry. Most vets don't have a clue when it comes to tortoises.
Add baby food carrots to his soaks also if you haven't. Some medications do make them lethargic and stop eating for a while.
If you had come here first it's likely we would have not recommended taking him to a vet, the leg would probably get better on it's own as long as there was nothing noticeable hurting it.
I can only tell you what I would do. You have to make your own decisions.
I would start the baby food soaks and keep doing the electrolytes for about a week. Bump up his temps to never lower then 85 while he is sick only, and I would give it at least a week to see if this helps and then reassess at the end of that week.
 

tamzsturg

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Okay thank you, he doesn’t seem to be getting any better at the moment, but i wll keep on persistent, he’s going to get through this! I’m so annoyed at myself for not finding this forum sooner. How do baby food carrots help in the soaks?
 

wellington

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Its mainly used when there is an eye problem.
However, I have recommended it for those that won't eat. It seems to help in encouraging them to eat. They also get some nutrients from it. Many have reported that their torts seem to be getting better when this is used. I don't remember all the end results but many seem to improve and it can't hurt.
Btw, there are a whole bunch of us that wished they found this forum way before they had. You are not alone.
Keep us updated and we will try to help the best we can without having hands on.
 

tamzsturg

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Its mainly used when there is an eye problem.
However, I have recommended it for those that won't eat. It seems to help in encouraging them to eat. They also get some nutrients from it. Many have reported that their torts seem to be getting better when this is used. I don't remember all the end results but many seem to improve and it can't hurt.
Btw, there are a whole bunch of us that wished they found this forum way before they had. You are not alone.
Keep us updated and we will try to help the best we can without having hands on.
How much of the carrot baby food should we mix in with his soaks, about a teaspoon, more? I will keep you updated! I also have the full list of all the medicines the vet gave him, not sure if they would mean anything to you but i can upload them
 

zolasmum

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How much of the carrot baby food should we mix in with his soaks, about a teaspoon, more? I will keep you updated! I also have the full list of all the medicines the vet gave him, not sure if they would mean anything to you but i can upload them
I'm so sorry about your tortoise. I think the baby food soaks involve mixing carrot baby food puree and warm water half and half , and let the tortoise sit in it for quite a while, warming it up regularly - the idea being that they can take in nutrition through the vent, and their skin, as well as maybe drinking a bit.And do it as often as you can
Angie
 

Yvonne G

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You use the baby food carrot soaks for a tortoise that isn't eating. I mix it 50/50 with warm water, and you want it to come up to the middle of his sides.

Your tortoise should be offered dark, leafy greens, not pellets and broccoli. Try to find escarole, endive, turnip greens, broad leaf edible weeds from outside, etc.

The most common reason for a tortoise to not eat is because he's not warm enough. A tortoise needs to be able to get his core temperature up to at least 80F degrees, so double check the temperatures inside his enclosure.
 

tamzsturg

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I'm so sorry about your tortoise. I think the baby food soaks involve mixing carrot baby food puree and warm water half and half , and let the tortoise sit in it for quite a while, warming it up regularly - the idea being that they can take in nutrition through the vent, and their skin, as well as maybe drinking a bit.And do it as often as you t
I'm so sorry about your tortoise. I think the baby food soaks involve mixing carrot baby food puree and warm water half and half , and let the tortoise sit in it for quite a while, warming it up regularly - the idea being that they can take in nutrition through the vent, and their skin, as well as maybe
I'm so sorry about your tortoise. I think the baby food soaks involve mixing carrot baby food puree and warm water half and half , and let the tortoise sit in it for quite a while, warming it up regularly - the idea being that they can take in nutrition through the vent, and their skin, as well as maybe drinking a bit.And do it as often as you can
Angie
Thank you, what do you mean by half and half? He soaks in about 1.5-2l of water, surely not a litre of baby food in with the water??sorry if im being dumb here!
 

zolasmum

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Thank you, what do you mean by half and half? He soaks in about 1.5-2l of water, surely not a litre of baby food in with the water??sorry if im being dumb here!
I'm sorry -I haven't actually actually done this myself, but this is what Yvonne recommends,as you see from her message straight after mine, and she is the greatest tortoise expert ever -so even though it might seem a lot, I think that would be what you need to try- or perhaps try it a bit more diluted to start, and see how Tarquin reacts.And only up to his midline - maybe his normal soaks are deeper than that.
You can see she also suggests you get his heat up to at least 80F, and to try him with some other foods.( I presume you could use the soak water more than once -unless he poops in it, perhaps !)
I really hope Tarquin feels better soon.
Angie
 

tamzsturg

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Location (City and/or State)
Midlands, UK
You use the baby food carrot soaks for a tortoise that isn't eating. I mix it 50/50 with warm water, and you want it to come up to the middle of his sides.

Your tortoise should be offered dark, leafy greens, not pellets and broccoli. Try to find escarole, endive, turnip greens, broad leaf edible weeds from outside, etc.

The most common reason for a tortoise to not eat is because he's not warm enough. A tortoise needs to be able to get his core temperature up to at least 80F degrees, so double check the temperatures inside his enclosure.
His heat lamp is reaching 31°, hes been having electrolyte baths and he usually eats leafy greens and dandelion leaves but now that he doesn’t have an appetite it’s hard to get him to eat anything. I really don’t know what to do.
 
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