my star tortoise has become weak

[akshays9]

i live in INDIA and i have two star tortoises one of them is healthy but the other one is really sick lately ... he drinks water but does not eat at all ,he can hardly walk now. hes stomach has gone in..



both of them are 10 months old,....

pls help....i dont have a reptile vet in my neighbourhood..so i'm really tensed

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Akshays9:

I'm sorry to hear that your tortoise is ill. I don't have any words of wisdom for you, I just wanted to welcome you to the forum.

 

[onarock]

Veternarian

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did I spell that right?

 

[akshays9]

Veternarian

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did I spell that right?

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???????????? ???????????????
you're not helping :|

 

[turtletania]

is it possible to get some "baytril"...... i got some of this for my star tortoises when they were sick and it worked brilliantly. Mine were about the same age. I got it from a regular vet... it was the liquid antibiotic they give to cats. I gave them 2 drops 2 times a day. They are now fighting over food.

 

[onarock]

When you say he can hardly walk, explain. Cant lift himself up, cant use his hind legs, cant use front legs, cant use all legs. When was the last time he went to the bathroom? Any muscle twitching. Is he pushing his head into his shell while leaving his front legs out, maybe straining? Have you tried blending up some foods and force feeding him. How about feeding fruit? Does he drink water regularly? Does he drink urgently? How is the coloration in his legs?
We'll start with this

 

[akshays9]

When you say he can hardly walk, explain. Cant lift himself up, cant use his hind legs, cant use front legs, cant use all legs. When was the last time he went to the bathroom? Any muscle twitching. Is he pushing his head into his shell while leaving his front legs out, maybe straining? Have you tried blending up some foods and force feeding him. How about feeding fruit? Does he drink water regularly? Does he drink urgently? How is the coloration in his legs?
We'll start with this

no he cannot lift himself up.he uses his hind legs but only when i lift him up.he pee's regularly.no muscle twitching.he is not pushing his head inside but he does it when i touch his head.i feed him different veggies evryday.i dont giv him fruits.he drinks water regularly.his legs have become pale yellow and thin...

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is it possible to get some "baytril"...... i got some of this for my star tortoises when they were sick and it worked brilliantly. Mine were about the same age. I got it from a regular vet... it was the liquid antibiotic they give to cats. I gave them 2 drops 2 times a day. They are now fighting over food.

i'll try getting it if i can...thx

 

[onarock]

He urinates reqularly. when was the last time he pooped?

 

[akshays9]

He urinates reqularly. when was the last time he pooped?

he does not poop now

 

[agiletorts]

He urinates reqularly. when was the last time he pooped?

he does not poop now

If he's stop eating, the best bet is to take your tortoise to the vet, if you can find a good one there that specializes in reptiles/herps.

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He urinates reqularly. when was the last time he pooped?

he does not poop now

If he's stop eating, the best bet is to take your tortoise to the vet, if you can find a good one there that specializes in reptiles/herps.

 

[onarock]

How are his eyes? Are they sunken in (dehydration) just because he drinks from time to time doesnt mean hes not dehydrated. Can he pull his limbs in (tuck in his legs)? Have you tried blending some greens with water and force feeding him with a syringe or a eye dropper? Sometimes tortoises can loose the movement of thier hind legs due to impaction witch is first set on by dehydration. Have you tried soaking him in warm water?

 

[mightyclyde]

Also, quarantine him if you haven't already.

 

[akshays9]

How are his eyes? Are they sunken in (dehydration) just because he drinks from time to time doesnt mean hes not dehydrated. Can he pull his limbs in (tuck in his legs)? Have you tried blending some greens with water and force feeding him with a syringe or a eye dropper? Sometimes tortoises can loose the movement of thier hind legs due to impaction witch is first set on by dehydration. Have you tried soaking him in warm water?

his eyes are good ..... no sort of infection ........yes he can pull his legs in and he streches sometimes .... i'v tried giving him some greens but not by blending ...i'll surely try that..and i soak him in warm water.

 

[Kristina]

I would set up a warm water soak like this.

You want the water to be warm to the touch, but not hot. Can you get some cooked pureed butternut squash or cooked pureed carrots, like baby food? If you can't get it already blended, cook the squash or carrots until they are soft and then blend them yourself. Let it cool, and then mix a good amount of one or both in with the warm soaking water.

The water should be deep enough to just cover the bridge between the carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell.) You can put a lamp over it or set it on a heat pad to keep it warm longer. Soak the tortoise for about 20 minutes, but don't let the water get too cold. Dry him off. You can put some little pieces of his favorite greens in the water too, to try to intice him to eat. He will absorb some of the nutrients from the squash and carrots, and if he drinks the water will get even more. The squash may help him poop if he is impacted.

I would set up a "hospital" for him. You want to keep him warm, about 5 degrees warmer than normal. Try to keep him in a warm, quiet place, by himself, not with another tortoise. Keep soaking him at least once a day, with the squash and/or carrots in the water, twice if you can.

He may have also stopped eating because the other tortoise is making him nervous or bullying him. Bullying can be mental, not always behavior that you see. I would set him up in his own home and keep him warm and hydrated and keep trying to get him to eat. Don't pick him up and move him a lot, only when you soak him.

 

[akshays9]

I would set up a warm water soak like this.

You want the water to be warm to the touch, but not hot. Can you get some cooked pureed butternut squash or cooked pureed carrots, like baby food? If you can't get it already blended, cook the squash or carrots until they are soft and then blend them yourself. Let it cool, and then mix a good amount of one or both in with the warm soaking water.

The water should be deep enough to just cover the bridge between the carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell.) You can put a lamp over it or set it on a heat pad to keep it warm longer. Soak the tortoise for about 20 minutes, but don't let the water get too cold. Dry him off. You can put some little pieces of his favorite greens in the water too, to try to intice him to eat. He will absorb some of the nutrients from the squash and carrots, and if he drinks the water will get even more. The squash may help him poop if he is impacted.

I would set up a "hospital" for him. You want to keep him warm, about 5 degrees warmer than normal. Try to keep him in a warm, quiet place, by himself, not with another tortoise. Keep soaking him at least once a day, with the squash and/or carrots in the water, twice if you can.

He may have also stopped eating because the other tortoise is making him nervous or bullying him. Bullying can be mental, not always behavior that you see. I would set him up in his own home and keep him warm and hydrated and keep trying to get him to eat. Don't pick him up and move him a lot, only when you soak him.

thanx man! i'll surely do this !
u'v been a lot of help

 

[samstar]

I do know that they sell canned vegetable juices that come in cans, that might help when you soak him, just pour a bit in.

 

[Yvonne G]

I do know that they sell canned vegetable juices that come in cans, that might help when you soak him, just pour a bit in.

I'm not sure that's a good idea unless you can find one that has no sodium.