Nose Clogged on Baby Sulcata

Pahtli23

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Oct 8, 2020
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Los Ángeles
Hi everyone I like some advice on my baby Sulcata BBY Yolli . I got him 17 days ago from a pest store in East LA. My housemate got one too, hers seems to be a little older as it is still a baby but much bigger. I notice in the past 4 day that BBY Yolli would make squeaking noises during soaking a little bit after. I've been following all the post on here like a hawk and I've mad adjustments to the water temperature to make sure its warm enough at 85-90 degrees . My morning routine with the bby Yolli is I wake up around 7 am to give them fresh water and food, a variety of food, kale spinach, nopal and tortoise food mixed with calcium (the calcium every few days.) Yolli always eats his appetite is always healthy. But this morning he had noticeable babas ( dried snot from his nose) I could literally see them as hard crust that seem to be a dry bubble of snot. Of course I was worried and got a warm paper towel and try to delicately clean them off. I got them off but I believe the snot dried in his nose as now I cant see his nostrils. He isn't gasping for air and is pooping eating and walking around. After I cleaned his nose he did squeak once ( but maybe he was scared from me touching him and was a little freaked out? ) I work 9am to 3pm and come home around 4pm where I would take him outside to walk a little. He moves fast and eats clovers as well as explores. I then take him to bathe. Today when I bathe him he had his eyes close and would put his head underwater then come up, wipe his face with his arms, then squeak. He did bubble once even though the water was very shallow. Other moments when I would watch him he would just have his eyes close while under water. I cant tell if he enjoys it or not or is he also trying to clear his nose? A big factor I want to mention too is that he lives with the other tortoise. Ive read the threads and am taking measures to separate them as the bigger one tends to lay her body on the food sometimes preventing BBY Yolli from eating and has been acting some what territorial. Also they have a hide they both really like so I can imagine that they probably get territorial in there as well. I have a vet appointment scheduled for Monday. Humidity can defiantly be better as we have one of those large tanks with screen on top so the humidity is definitely escaping I cover it with a towel at night with the lamp set at 80 . The other baby sulcata seems fine and is not stressed at all.

Any advice?? Sorry for the long post. Im just very concern this little guy means the world to me.
 

KarenSoCal

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It sounds like your baby has an RI (respiratory infection). You need to cover the top day and night to keep the heat and humidity in the tank. Raise the temp in the tank to 85°F minimum at night. During the day, let the temp go up to 90°. The humidity needs to be above 80% day and night.

The 2 tortoises should be separated now. Don't be surprised if the other one gets sick also.

Is the vet an exotics vet? If he is a "regular" vet, he probably won't know as much as you do in regards to tortoise care. Even if he is an exotics vet, you need to be firm in what you allow to be done. If the vet wants to give any vitamin shots, refuse them, and find a different vet. Vitamin shots, usually vitamin A, are not necessary and can do harm.

He may want to prescribe antibiotic shots. They may or may not be necessary. But if he insists, tell him you want Fortaz. You do not want Baytril. Baytril is caustic...it is extremely painful for the tortoise (like having acid injected). And it often causes the skin at the injection site to die and slough off. You want Fortaz (Ceftazidime).

Then, make sure he uses the front end legs or neck area to inject. Tortoises back legs should never be used for injection sites due to the renal-portal system.

Usually, because often vets do more damage than help, we advise keepers to hold off on going to the vet for an RI. Frequently raising the heat and humidity is enough to get the baby through the infection. You already have an appointment. The choice is yours.

There are some drops you can use to help, but you need a vet to prescribe them for you. You would put one drop in each eye and each nostril 2x/day for 7-10 days. Here's a pic of the bottle.
Notes_201024_011125_b68.jpg
 

Pahtli23

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Oct 8, 2020
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Location (City and/or State)
Los Ángeles
Thank you so much for this, this is very helpful. I will try and hold off . The good thing is he is still eating and he did a good poop yesterday. Poor guy is definitely a little sick. Does warm bath help them at all? also I was able to see one little nostril today which was better than yesterday Although he has been opening his mouth making a little smacking nose here and there . I plan to observe him all day today Any tips on cheaper enclosures that keep humidity in? I will spend the cash I need to but if I can save some money and get a good enclosure that is ideal . Also the person I found is a specialist.
 

KarenSoCal

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I'm very glad you've found a specialist. Hopefully he will be up-to-date on the best care.

Keep soaking him daily. Be extra careful to make sure the water does not cool off.

Do you have a CHE for nighttime heat? It should be dark at night, so the CHE would provide heat, but no light. It requires a thermostat to control it. If you have lots to buy, I have links to the products you need. Just let me know.

This is a post I did a while back on closed chambers. It gives several options for them.

Here is some help on understanding heating/lighting.
4 elements of heating: By Tom
There are four elements to heating and lighting:

Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.

Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.

Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.

UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
 

OogwaytheTortoise

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Joined
Nov 10, 2022
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Fort Worth/Tx
It sounds like your baby has an RI (respiratory infection). You need to cover the top day and night to keep the heat and humidity in the tank. Raise the temp in the tank to 85°F minimum at night. During the day, let the temp go up to 90°. The humidity needs to be above 80% day and night.

The 2 tortoises should be separated now. Don't be surprised if the other one gets sick also.

Is the vet an exotics vet? If he is a "regular" vet, he probably won't know as much as you do in regards to tortoise care. Even if he is an exotics vet, you need to be firm in what you allow to be done. If the vet wants to give any vitamin shots, refuse them, and find a different vet. Vitamin shots, usually vitamin A, are not necessary and can do harm.

He may want to prescribe antibiotic shots. They may or may not be necessary. But if he insists, tell him you want Fortaz. You do not want Baytril. Baytril is caustic...it is extremely painful for the tortoise (like having acid injected). And it often causes the skin at the injection site to die and slough off. You want Fortaz (Ceftazidime).

Then, make sure he uses the front end legs or neck area to inject. Tortoises back legs should never be used for injection sites due to the renal-portal system.

Usually, because often vets do more damage than help, we advise keepers to hold off on going to the vet for an RI. Frequently raising the heat and humidity is enough to get the baby through the infection. You already have an appointment. The choice is yours.

There are some drops you can use to help, but you need a vet to prescribe them for you. You would put one drop in each eye and each nostril 2x/day for 7-10 days. Here's a pic of the bottle.
View attachment 309697
Thank you for this post! Me and my husband recently bought 2 baby Sulcata's. They both came with a RI. We set up an enclosure with high humidity and heat and they seem to be doing alot better. Thank you again 💚
 

Tom

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Thank you for this post! Me and my husband recently bought 2 baby Sulcata's. They both came with a RI. We set up an enclosure with high humidity and heat and they seem to be doing alot better. Thank you again 💚
You need two enclosures. They should never live in pairs. Here is the current and correct care info:
 

KarenSoCal

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Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
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Joined
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Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Thank you for this post! Me and my husband recently bought 2 baby Sulcata's. They both came with a RI. We set up an enclosure with high humidity and heat and they seem to be doing alot better. Thank you again 💚
I'm so glad to hear that the babies are on the mend! Keep them in the hot humid environment for a minimum of 2 weeks after all symptoms have disappeared.
 

OogwaytheTortoise

New Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2022
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Fort Worth/Tx
You need two enclosures. They should never live in pairs. Here is the current and correct care info:
You need two enclosures. They should never live in pairs. Here is the current and correct care info:
Okay thank you. One is my mother-in laws we are watching for a few days. So they will have their own enclosures in 4 days I hope that's okay
 

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