My leopard is sick:(

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turtlelady80

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My poor girl is in isolation away from the rest of the group. What I don't understand is HOW it happened. She was fine one day (outside) then when I went to check on her she had bubbles coming out of her nose. I immediately soaked her and have been twice a day. She is still eating but very little and not eagerly like she did just days before. Now her eyes look kind of pink and sore and all she does is sleep. I have her in her old room in her own enclosure where its nice and warm with a heat bulb for her to sit under. It's been 3 days now and she doesn't seem any better. What could of went wrong? On the days she went downhill I know it got REALLY hot outside (almost 100 degrees)
And I thought they didn't like humidity so I never spray them down because it just makes their pen all soggy and spikes up the humidity. I'm not sure what happened. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why she is sick?? :(
 

dmmj

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While over heating is a possibility,, it tends to kill tortoises not injure them. Bubbles out of the nose is not usually a sign of heat stroke ( for lack of a better word) bubbles or foaming out of the mouth is usually a sign. The only thing I can think of is maybe the heat caused some damage and it is slowly dying.
 

yagyujubei

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It sounds to me that she may have picked up a respiratory infection. I would consider a vet visit.
 

wellington

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Not sure how you haven't found on this site, that the higher humidity is important to raising them smooth. Read Toms threads below. They are all good for leopards as well as sulcatas. Hope all goes well.
 

turtlelady80

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My leo is 10 years old and as smooth as can be as well as both my sulcatas that are now 8 years old. I have a stack of books and personally know Richard Fife about how leopards hate high humidity. (exception for the youngsters that need it for proper shell growth) I don't think humidity has anything to do with it either. There is just sooo much crap you read, you don't know what to believe because everything contradicts itself. But I guess I was just trying to figure out what could of went wrong considering she was in perfect form just days ago. We are going to the vet! Thinkin it's RI...
 

ascott

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May we see a pic of her face please?

The first thing that came to mind when you said you had her out...it is absolutely possible that sudden bubbles are a sign of overheating...however, once bubbles happen the tort has sustained great discomfort and possible harm....I do not know where you live, but I know that most places this summer are having crazy high temps that are not normal....I would suspect she may have overheated....I would decrease her temps (not a lot but to the lower end of the scale) and offer her soaks and I would also feed her romaine, red leaf, green leaf lettuces and also offer her some watermelon....the watermelon and lettuces will give her a jump in hydration from the inside out....and I would absolutely absolutely soak her for a minimum of an hour in tepid water (not normal warm but a touch less in temp) and I would allow her to have fresh air flow.....

A sudden bubbling (not over night) is not normally what occurs when a RI is in play....

Hydrate--by soaking and high water food consumption---a touch cooler hiding spots offered and some quiet time---but don't let her sleep herself away.....

Please keep us up on how she progresses...and I hope you can catch her in time and she recovers quickly...it is doable....:D
 

TortieLuver

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Hi! I'm not sure how your outdoor setup is but mine stay outdoors 24/7 here in Arizona and it was just 111 a coupledays ago. With the right setup, they won't overheat and I agree that overheating is usually more bubbles from the mouth. Could be RI. Is there anyway she could have eaten something harmful? Just trying to figure out her decline and not eating as well. Most torts with an initial RI don't decline that fast and not want to eat. Please keep us posted on the vet visit. Has she ever had an RI and if so does her behavior mimic before?
 

Neal

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Good luck with the vet.

Hopefully you can find out what it is and why it happened so you can prevent any other illnesses.
 

turtlelady80

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Thank you so much for that great help guys! She is bubbling from the mouth not so much the nose. She doesn't sound raspy in her lungs so that is a good sign. I will go get some watermelon tomorrow first thing and have her munch on that. I appreciate the more positive advice rather than "she could be slowly dying". It keeps me positive and have some hope even if the worst happens. At least I can hope she will get through it right? I thank you for the tips on hydration. I'm feeling good about this. She is going to get through it!
 

ascott

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I house CDTs outdoors 24/7 (except for winter brumation indoors due to the unpredictable weather here in the high desert)....and the temps get over 100 here on a constant basis during the peak of summer...

If the bubbles are no longer coming from her nose but rather now more from her mouth...then absolutely yes, something could have bitten her and or she could have been grazing and while doing so been bite or eaten something while chomping the plants....even a bee sting in the mouth can cause bubbling...also would cause irritation and sensitivity...perhaps she simply is working through something....however, I would still up her hydration, give her a cooler place she can retreat to if she chooses (but not a wet cooler place) and keep a close eye on her behavior ...again, I would not pester her but I would certainly make sure she remains in the groove so to speak so she is motivated (even if by force :D) to get back in the groove.... :D
 

TortieLuver

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Please keep us posted and we will be thinking happy thoughts for her recovery:) let us know if she gobbles the watermelon down tomorrow for the 4th.is it possible something could have bit her like even a bee as ascott suggested? I think its important to hopefullykniw the cause so we all can learn from this.
 

turtlelady80

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I soaked her for about an hour last night. I had her soaking this morning and she seemed a little more squirmy and had more energy. Her eyes didn't look as bad either. Her nose was dry but had saliva/bubbles around her mouth. I took her outside today to get some exercise and she was wandering all over. She hasn't eaten her watermelon or romaine yet for today. She is now sleeping in the cooler side of her enclosure. Hoping she will make her way over to her food when she wakes up.
 

turtlelady80

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I forgot to mention, the evening that I noticed bubbles was when I had been watching her earlier in the day drinking and there were a lot of bees in and around their water bowl. The bees (yellow jackets) seem to drink out of it too. Never thought anything of it considering the bugs are out everywhere flying around. They are just really annoying. Just a thought, maybe she DID get stung:( poor girl. We are working through it together. Seems a bit better today:)
 

ascott

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Just a thought, maybe she DID get stung

Yellow Jackets (wasps) are carnivorous and eat aphids...they will land on bushes to eat the aphids...I could see her perhaps getting into a tangle with one this way by error on both the tort and the wasp....usually in the water dishes the wasp is in the clear open air and move quickly away from the water when disturbed....
 

TortieLuver

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Glad to hear she is a bit better today:) I'm sure you feel a little more relieved? Did she end up eating her 4 th of July watermelon?
 

turtlelady80

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She hasn't eaten:( I tried a strawberry tonight and no luck. I'm nervous now. I soaked her an hour this am and she hasn't moved from her spot all day. I just got done soaking her in Vita Drops and water for about an hour, tried the strawberry again and nothing. It's so frustrating. I mixed up Benevac, romaine and strawberry in a blender and got some in her mouth using a dropper thingy. I think that stressed her out more than it helped. She's mad at me now and I don't blame her. She is now back in her home for the night. I hope she's not giving up!
 
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