Nose whistle?

[Mandysaur]

My tort has what is best described as a nose whistle. No snot or drainage of any kind, seems like normal self. He is inside right now because of a major ice storm so I might just have become hyper aware of his breathing. Do your torts get nose whistles? Can you hear them inhale?

 

[Yvonne G]

You can take him into a very bright light and take a look into the nostrils to make sure there's nothing in there.

 

[MEEJogja]

The question of 'can you hear them inhale?', has been on my mind all day.

One of mine came out for a scavenge while I was sat on the grass tinkering with something earlier. She trotted up to me excitedly and was making very loud breathing noises as her throat was expanding and contacting.
The respiratory infection alarm bells started ringing and I decided the best course of action was to load her up with food and monitor things.
Her breathing was silent during her entire 3 course meal as well as while she was waddling back to her hide and later on when I checked on her. I had to conclude that she was just sniffing the air. I saw another of mine doing this the day he arrived and then never again, so concluded it was stress related. He may also just have been sniffing his new surroundings.
I'll monitor the situation but I think tortoises do have periods of excited and sometimes loud breathing while smelling their surroundings. Normally however mine at least breathe silently, which is why this was so concerning.

 

[Mandysaur]

The question of 'can you hear them inhale?', has been on my mind all day.

One of mine came out for a scavenge while I was sat on the grass tinkering with something earlier. She trotted up to me excitedly and was making very loud breathing noises as her throat was expanding and contacting.
The respiratory infection alarm bells started ringing and I decided the best course of action was to load her up with food and monitor things.
Her breathing was silent during her entire 3 course meal as well as while she was waddling back to her hide and later on when I checked on her. I had to conclude that she was just sniffing the air. I saw another of mine doing this the day he arrived and then never again, so concluded it was stress related. He may also just have been sniffing his new surroundings.
I'll monitor the situation but I think tortoises do have periods of excited and sometimes loud breathing while smelling their surroundings. Normally however mine at least breathe silently, which is why this was so concerning.

Yea! I can’t decide if I’m being paranoid or if something is wrong!

 

[Mandysaur]

You can take him into a very bright light and take a look into the nostrils to make sure there's nothing in there.

I’ll check! Hadn’t considered this.

 

[MsBijou]

My Hermann’s has a nose whistle. He only does it when he sees me or if someone new comes in the house and he’s trying to smell them. Oh, also if we are preparing or eating food. I took him to my vet (a herpetology vet) and he was extremely concerned until he found nothing on exam or tests. We both think that he was injured at some point before I got him or has something inside his nose but he found nothing. He said it’s never normal for a tortoise to make breathing sounds but couldn’t find anything wrong. So we both concluded that it’s likely an old injury or something. He certainly isn’t sick at all.

🚨THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT SOMEONE SHOULD ASSUME THAT NOTHING IS WRONG IF THEY HEAR WHISTLING FROM THEIR TORTOISE. But sometimes it happens. He doesn’t make any sound at all until he smells me or sees me or thinks someone has food.