PLEASE RESPOND QUICKLY (a drinking question)

[Daisukin]

My sulcata tortoise was drinking out of his water bowl 9 minutes ago then he started to make a very loud squeak noise and a bubble came out of his nose. Here is a picture of my sulcata Franklin he did the squeak sound and he closed one of his eyes and it was red and went back to normal. I'm really worried so if you can please respond quickly

 

[Daisukin]

He just made a loud noise and opened his mouth I'm really scared

 

[Pearly]

Welcome to the Forum! I haven't seen your threads before so don't know how you keep your baby tort (lights/heat/humidity) but the substrate stands out right away. Any of the members here will tell you not to use woos shavings. What are your temperatures/ humidity? What do you feed this baby? Do you soak him daily in warm (not hot! Warm!) water?

 

[Yvonne G]

It's probably nothing to worry about. Tortoises submerge their faces in the water and drink through their nostrils.

 

[Daisukin]

It's probably nothing to worry about. Tortoises submerge their faces in the water and drink through their nostrils.

Thank you! It happend after he was drinking but after 5 minutes the very loud noise happend. I'm a noobie at this so that's why I was so worried

 

[Daisukin]

Welcome to the Forum! I haven't seen your threads before so don't know how you keep your baby tort (lights/heat/humidity) but the substrate stands out right away. Any of the members here will tell you not to use woos shavings. What are your temperatures/ humidity? What do you feed this baby? Do you soak him daily in warm (not hot! Warm!) water?

I feed him kale sometimes arugula and rarely romaine. I soak him in warm water almost everyday. The humid side is in the 70s and I think the heat is 89 or 90. I also give him tomato every 3 days as a treat. I looked up aspen shavings maybe 6 days ago and people said it was fine I wish I knew that before I got a huge bag of them... xD

 

[Pearly]

It seems like one of our sulcata experts should point out some good reading to you on sulcata diet and enclosures. I keep RF torts, mine can eat a lot more then herbivorous species that yours is. I do know that sugar is not good for them and that you should stock up on all kinds of chemical free weeds and grasses. For store bought greens you can sometimes find the dandelion greens for like 1.99$ per big bunch depending on where you are, or just go outside and pick some but only from places you are 100% sure that haven't been sprayed with chemicals. Dandelions, collard greens, escarole and endive lettuces, radicchio, and don't forget about opuntia cactus pads! If you don't have wild patch of weeds to harvest that are safe for your tort and have to rely in your local grocery stores that the stuff listed above will be a good choice for your tort. I'd also try adding little commercial herbivorous tortoise pelleted food. First soak it and then mash it up and mix with your chopped greens and finely diced cactus. Hibiscus leaves and flowers, grape leaves, mulberry leaves and many many many others which our sulcata keepers will point out to you. I will only add that kale should not be used on daily bases, same goes for broccoli greens and spinach. The other greens listed above are much healthier for your tort and safer fir daily use. Whatever you do though please do rotate the diet! Make it as diverse as possible. Let your tort have little bit of everything over a week or 2. You know, just like us humans: we are supposed to eat "rainbow of colors" every day. Maybe @Tom would be kind enough to give you best links to sulcata info. There are many others on here who are great resource I just can't think of any user names at the moment

 

[Pearly]

I feed him kale sometimes arugula and rarely romaine. I soak him in warm water almost everyday. The humid side is in the 70s and I think the heat is 89 or 90. I also give him tomato every 3 days as a treat. I looked up aspen shavings maybe 6 days ago and people said it was fine I wish I knew that before I got a huge bag of them... xD

Another thing is how do you measure temps and humidity in your enclosure? What device do you use? You really need to know your exact temp, and not "guessing". Temps and lighting are crucial to your babies health, growth and development

 

[Pearly]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Pearly's-tips-to-feed-picky-eater.139381/ thus is a link to my old feeding thread if you'd like to at least look at the pictures perhaps you get some ideas you can used. Now again mine are the Redfoots, they do eat fruit and animal protein, so very different diet but thank the "greens part" and cactus can totally apply to your tort.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome - you will find this useful
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
If you look back through the sulcate threads there is also a sulcata diet sheet.

 

[Tom]

My sulcata tortoise was drinking out of his water bowl 9 minutes ago then he started to make a very loud squeak noise and a bubble came out of his nose. Here is a picture of my sulcata Franklin he did the squeak sound and he closed one of his eyes and it was red and went back to normal. I'm really worried so if you can please respond quickly

Hello and welcome.

If he only made that noise once, then I would not worry too much. But if you start to see excessive yawning and hear that noise or a squeaking noise again, then you might have an issue.

Please read these for current sulcata care and feeding. They need warm temps day and night.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Come back with all your questions when you are done.

 

[Daisukin]

He or she is fine now thanks.