My DT may be sick I need advice ASAP... please

[LBSKUNK]

Hi, ok so my 2 DT's (Calvin and Andre) have been awake since late March. They are still sleepy and not walking around much yet but they have eaten danelions and assorted weeds from the grazing mix I've been growing and have been drinking water. However, I noticed yesterday the Andre has a sticky, clear discharge coming out of his eyes. It's not a lot, but it is still not normal. I rinsed him off with water and when he opens his eyes they look ok, but when he closes them they are slightly sunken in. I took that as a sign of dehydration but I've been soaking them so I'm not sure at all as to what may be wrong. Please give me some advice.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

That is just one reason why I don't hibernate my animals... but if he is eating and drinking that puts him ahead of the game. Have you given him a long warm soak? Can you put some ointment in his eyes? Possibly there is nothing at all wrong with him, if he lost weight during hibernation his eyes would look sunken.
If he were mine I would bring him in and set him up and warm him up. I'd keep him in for a few days with a hot light and feed him and soak him and see what happens. I would also give him sub q fluids...
But I don't understand why they are still 'sleepy' if they have been up for a few weeks. Is it warm where you are? Is this the time when they would normally wake up?
I'm sorry I am not more help, but I saw that no one had answered you yet...I am sure someone will soon...Robin or Yvonne will chime in if they can tear themselves away from watching the soaps...

 

[LBSKUNK]

Thank you so much for responding Maggie. yes they usually wake up late March or early April and are lethargic from hibernation until about late April. I gave them a 2 hour soak in the sun yesterday. He did lose weight during hibernation so that may be why his eyes are sunken in as you said. I will follow your advice and put him inside for a few days with a hot light and nurse him. I thought about feeding him lettuce just to keep him hydrated... I know iceburg and romaine are no-no's as far as nutrition goes, but they do contain lots of water and would keep him extra hydrated. I can mix it with dandelions and other grazing greens. What type of eye ointment are you talking about? I hope I don't sound dumb but I won't know without asking, would visine help? And what are sub q fluids and where would I get it?
I'm in southern California so it has been warm but we have also had several chilly/rainy days (more than usual). I'm sure they run around more during the day while I am at work. I'm thinking next year I won't hibernate them.

 

[Crazy1]

Now Maggie, I don't have the luxury of watching soaps yet, not for a year or two, I'm at work all day long .

Hi LBskunk welcome to the forum.
Its my lunch break so I can chime in. LBskunk do you by chance live in Long Beach CA? If so,
the weather here has been rather up and down lately. My two DT came out of hibernation in March and it has gotten fairly cold for them especially at night. I have been bringing them inside at night and putting a heat lamp on them. Days when it is warm they are out in their pens (Anything above 60). If it rains they stay inside and I must say they don't like it much at all. Their pens are very small inside, but better a little cramped than sick. On colder days I place mine outside when I get home from work for an hour or two before they come back inside. I agree with Maggie try and warm them a bit more. If you can place a warming lamp outside for them great, if not bring them inside at night in a tote big enough for them to turn around in. I like to make sure mine are above 50 at night and preferably about 60 degrees at night, 70s or above in the daytime.

When you placed them into hibernation did you weigh them first? This makes it easy to see how much they have lost during hibernation (which can cause the eyes to look sunken, as well as dehydration). I would keep hydrating him with warm soaks and make sure he is drinking (I had to take mine outside on a warm day and put the sprinklers on him to get him to drink.) You can even dampen his greens if you feed him or give him a bit of cucumber it has lots of water in it but very few nutrients so go easy on this you don’t want to fill him up with it. Use the eye ointment that has been suggested and keep him warm enough to digest his food.

 

[LBSKUNK]

Hi Robyn, Thank you. Yes we live in Long Beach and yes the weather has been up and down. Ok I will place them inside at night until it starts to get warmer. I will also slice a little bit of cucumber and try to feed him that.... and as soon as I get home everyday from work I will soak them for a good hour in warm water. What type of eye ointment do you suggest? Can I buy it over the counter?

 

[Crazy1]

you can find the eye ointment here, some feed and grain places carry it also.
http://www.nextag.com/terramycin-ophthalmic-ointment/products-html

 

[LBSKUNK]

Thank you so much!!!!!! I appreciate the responses, I will keep everyone posted on Andre's eye health in the next few days.

 

[LBSKUNK]

I just called my local feed and grain store and they carry terramycin-ophathalmic ointment for tortoises. I'm on my way right now! Thanks again!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Didn't I read something just recently that said their body temperature needs to be 90 to 95 degrees for them to be able to metabolize their food? I wish I had a memory system... Could that be the problem? I know I keep my tortoises 80 degrees and warmer...

 

[Yvonne G]

Thank you so much!!!!!! I appreciate the responses, I will keep everyone posted on Andre's eye health in the next few days.

NO!! Don't tell me....is your desert tortoise's name "Andre Agassizii"??? LOL!!!

Its not unusual for a hibernating tortoise to actually GAIN weight during hibernation. I would do what has been suggested and set him up in an indoor habitat with lights and heat and don't worry about putting him back outside until the weather settles down and is constantly warm for him.

Yvonne

 

[LBSKUNK]

Good Afternoon!
Ok I just returned from my lunch date with Calvin & Andre. It has been cold here in Long beach so I have been keeping them inside our warm house as advised, until today I went back home and placed them outside in our sunny yard. Andre is doing a lot better after only 2 days of the eye ointment and a couple warm soaks. His eyes aren't as sunken in as they were monday and there is way less clear, sticky discharge coming out of his eyes. I picked some dandelions, crimson clovers, wheat grass, geraniums, hibiscus and some other random grasses from their grazing mix garden and they both grubbed like crazy. I haven't actually seen them drink any water for a few days, but who knows how much they have had to drink when I'm at work. But they look good and were super active today. I left them outside to bask in the sun until I get home and then I will put them back inside to keep them warm.

 

[Laura]

When outside. run a garden hose.. make a puddle.. mine LOVE to drink that way...

 

[Weloveourtortoise]

So glad to hear they are doing better!

 

[Crazy1]

I too am glad to hear they are doing better. the garden hose or a sprinkler on a warm day may work wonders to stimulate them to drink. This weekend is suppose to be warm and next week up to the 90s in the IE. How about LBs temps?

 

[LBSKUNK]

Hi everyone! It's only been 4 days and Andre doesn't have anymore sticky stuff coming out of his eyes. His eyes are still sunken in but they do not look sick anymore. I've been trying to get him to drink more water by putting him under the sprinklers. His appetite is good. I've been keeping them inside at night because it has been very cold at night here in Southern Cali. Then I put them outside during the day so they can go about their business. The temps in Long Beach are supposed to be nice and hot! High 80's So I expect them to be running around all over the place tomorrow.

P.S.
Should I just give Andre a big chunk of iceburg lettuce? I know it's a no no because it has zero nutrients and I never feed it to them....... but I know for sure Andre will grub it down right away. Iceburg contains a lot of water so it might boost his hydration.....

 

[Yvonne G]

Do you know how to give sub-Q fluids? Maybe you can get a lesson from your vet. Sometimes soaking just isn't enough and they need the fluids via an injection.

Yvonne

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It's not a good idea to use iceburg lettuce as a staple in their diet simply because there are, as you stated, no nutrition in it...but to use it for hydration or any other reason is fine.
I went to my Vet and was taught how to give sub q fluids. It's easy...I bought a bag of lactated ringer's and when I have a tort who needs fluids I can give them without having to pay for a Vet visit..

 

[desertsss]

Glad to hear Andre is doing better. This sub q's re-hydrating thing, is this an injection? What are the signs of a DT that is dehydrated?