Question. (occasionally opening mouth)

Fit4Tort

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Galveston, TX
I’m about to get a new Hermann Tortoise. The one I’m looking at is a couple years old, but when I’m holding him, he opens his mouth a little while breathing and does it over and over ever few seconds. Almost like when you would taste the air or your tongue to the roof your mouth and open it a bit. Hard to explain. I guess I want to be sure he is ok and not getting a RI. I’ve never seen any tortoise do that. Thoughts? I’ve included a picture. I was a bit worried about pyramiding on the top of the shell. I’d love to get some thoughts.
0C7CCA84-D2F9-4783-820C-20D5B7328EF7.jpeg
Thanks in advance
 

LaLaP

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I'm no expert but that could be an RI. There is some pyramiding but it's not terrible. Sounds like he needs some TLC. Is he from a pet shop or breeder? Any chance you could point out that this tort is poosibly sick and offer to take him with a money back guarantee if he dies? If you did some simple (and inexpensive) things to treat him for RI he'd have a good chance of recovery. Maybe it's just me but I'd feel compelled to help this tort.
 

Fit4Tort

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It’s a pet store. I’ve reached to several breeders in the last two weeks and I can’t get one to call me back. So I’ve reverted to a pet store. I wanted to talk to a breeder and make sure that I got the right tortoise for my situation but it’s crazy how I can’t a good breeder to spend 5 mins on the phone.

This tortoise is at a Petsmart and has a lot of personality, I just get very attached very fast and if something happened I’d be devastated. I know anything could happen but just saying. I went though cancer recently and it’s gotten worse.

Anyway, I mentioned it to them but they told me the shell is right and there was not a RI present but I’m worried.
 

LaLaP

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
959
Location (City and/or State)
Portland, OR
It’s a pet store. I’ve reached to several breeders in the last two weeks and I can’t get one to call me back. So I’ve reverted to a pet store. I wanted to talk to a breeder and make sure that I got the right tortoise for my situation but it’s crazy how I can’t a good breeder to spend 5 mins on the phone.

This tortoise is at a Petsmart and has a lot of personality, I just get very attached very fast and if something happened I’d be devastated. I know anything could happen but just saying. I went though cancer recently and it’s gotten worse.

Anyway, I mentioned it to them but they told me the shell is right and there was not a RI present but I’m worried.
That's a tough situation. Pet stores are usually awful and if you buy a tort they just get another poor creature... but it's so hard to not help them. Sigh. I don't know the right answer but it sounds like you've been through a lot with your own illness. Perhaps it's not the best time to take on a sick animal? That's a tough one.
 

Tom

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Pyramiding is just cosmetic. This is a very mild case and it wouldn't give me any concern at all.

Don't know about the open mouth thing. I'd have to see the tortoise for myself to evaluate its apparent health.

Breeders aren't calling you back because they don't have anything to offer. Wrong time of year. Spring and summer are the best time to call looking for advice and babies to purchase. A pet store is just not the way to go. You will likely regret that decision, and be lucky if you don't regret it. They will also give you all sorts of bad advice and sell you the wrong products while selling you an animal that hasn't been raised or cared for properly.
 
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