New on here

[Brit]

Hi all-
I've had my sulcata since he was a baby for about 5 years. All has been well in our tortoise world. He is a normal bulldozer and grass eating machine. He is about 25 lbs. And for the past 2 1/2 years hes been outside during the day and brought inside to sleep under a lamp most nights. (sometimes he's dug himself in too far under a bush to fetch him out)
Anywho my little buddy is sick. For the past 2ish weeks. Not eating and lots of watery diarrea. We've been to the vet a few times. Had an x-ray and as far as we can tell there is nothing stuck in him. We gave him some med for possible parisites and still had watery diarrea and barely appetite. The vet suggested to do a feeding tube and while he was under for the procedure also get some blood work to see what we could find out from that. the results came back suggesting dehydration, which could be from all the diarrea or something more serious with kidney. (I admit I don't soak him everyday, but I do at least 2 times a week and there is a low bowl of water to drink from that is usually spilt from one way or another with the daily roaming) I'm curious what you all think about tortoises getting kidney disease and how common is that? And any suggestions of what else I can do right now??
Currently we are using the feeding tube with the prescribed amount of special powder/water food the vet sent me home with and an antibiotic. He's still not interested in eating or drinking on his own.
I apologize, this is all a summed up version.

 

[G-stars]

Did the vet do a stool same to check for parasites before he prescribed the medication? I've heard the medication can cause a loss of appetite. You might want to try 2x daily soaks for about 30 mins since he's having diarrhea.


— Gus

 

[Brit]

Hey Gus!
Thankyou. I will do that. Ya he checked his stool first. And treated him for protozoan diarrhea.

 

[G-stars]

I've also heard of people soaking them in gerber or Gatorade. To add nutrients. Just a suggestion.


— Gus

 

[bouaboua]

Hello and Welcome. Good to have you here. Welcome.

 

[Jabuticaba]

Welcome. I'm sorry to hear your sully is sick. I hope he gets well soon.


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[tortadise]

Welcome

 

[tortdad]

Welcome. Hope you tort starts feeling better soon.


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[pam]

Welcome Hows he doing?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Brit, and welcome to the Forum!

Since the tortoise has a feeding tube inserted, you can also add a bit of water. After you've fed him, add just a tiny bit of water through the tube to flush it out and help hydrate him.

The most common cause of a tortoise not eating is that he isn't warm enough. Is your tortoise outside or indoors? While he's sick it would help if you were to set him up in a smaller hospital habitat with lights and heat where he will stay at least 80F degrees all the time. Warmer is even better, but be careful to not cook him.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum!!! hope you tort gets better!!!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Brit welcome to the TFO from AZ. Hope your tort is doing better , have a great tort day !


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[Tyanna]

Hope all turns out well, and welcome!

 

[Evy]

Welcome and I hope your sully gets better soon!



London my lovely Sulcata tortoise :0))

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Brit]

Thank you for the welcomes and encouragment guys. It means alot. Also my little buddy's name is Ralphie.

Right now we are waiting to get 2nd bloodwork back to help us determine if it is in fact kindeys or if there is an impaction that we couldn't see in the first xray. Friday was the last time I've fed him through the tube. He threw up everything and peed out seemed like everything in him. It was awful. So the vet suggested to wait a few days. Yesterday and today have just been water through the tube. I've been soaking him 2 times a day the last week but he isn't really into it. And isn't into eating food put in front of him or the grass when I put him outside on the lawn for a bit. Good news is that he still has energy. Not a ton but more than he did 2 weeks ago.

Yvonne thank you so much for your suggestions. After each tube feeding I do give water through that as well to clear the tube and hydrate him. I've set up a spot in my house with a 5 ft round kiddy pool to keep him contained, and have his lamps set up. I just put a temp gauge on his heated side and its about 90 degrees. Should I move my lamp back? He doesn't seem to mind. And sometimes he might just have his head or tush by it.. Our usual routine is to put him outside in the morning and bring him inside at night. During the summers though he has his old wood crate from when he was smaller that I've converted to his outside house and he likes to sleep in that.

I will keep you guys posted, I should hear back from the vet today. Thank you for all your support!