Really worried-Is he choking or worse

[katfinlou]

My hermanns is getting worse. He's even refused his favourite dandelions this morning. He hasn't eaten properly for a while and is much worse since his beak was trimmed. He took a bite of dandelion then seemed to struggle to swallow it when usually he will much up an entire leaf in one go. He keeps breathing with his mouth open and letting out hard breaths like air brakes going off. I don't know what to do and im really worried. We were doing great and now it's looking bad. He isn't even sitting under his light anymore, he's staying half way between the warm and cool end.

 

[tortdad]

What are his 4 temps and humidity levels? Have you noticed any bubbles from the noise? How old is it? What you are describing sounds like a respiratory infection to me. If that's true then the beak trimming has nothing to do with it. Someone smarter than me will show up soon but for now post pictures of your guy and the enclosure, let us know temps, lighting, substraight, diet and anything else you can think of.

I would also bump the daytime temps to 90 and soak your guy in a 50/50 mix of warm water and baby food (carrot or squash) for a vitamin A bath.

 

[katfinlou]

Ive just ordered 2 thermometers and am waiting delivery. He has a powersun bulb. He had a ceramic heat emitter when I had a coiled bulb but I don't use that with the power sun bulb incase i make him too hot. He is on an organic soil substrate that i moisten (but don't soak) every day. He gets geranium flowers, some geranium leaves, dandelion, rocket, romaine, lambs lettuce, lollo rossi and green and red multi leaf lettuce from the ASDA herb salad mixed bags when the dandelions run out. He also gets a few Komodo pellets once a week (reducing them gradually as I thought a sudden diet change would be bad for him). He has the vitamin powder sprinkled on to food and a cuttle bone too. He gets soaked every other day. There are no bubbles. It just seems like since the beak trim he can't bite through leaves properly, he goes to bite them but keeps missing, then if I can get him to hand feed he just swallows the lot without breaking the leaf up. For the last two days he hasn't eaten apart from one dandelion leaf i hand fed him just now. He ate it, dropped his head, lifted it up with his mouth open, gasped a few times then closed his eyes and hasn't moved since!

 

[katfinlou]

His eyes aren't sunken/swollen or shut. He looks to all intents and purposes normal. He responds when I talk to him, he knows when i approach his table. He just isn't interested in eating. Is there anything totally irresistible to a Hermanns that will tempt him that I don't know about? It used to be his dandelions

 

[katfinlou]

Using my new water thermometer to get a crude reading under his basking bulb, it's about 82.

 

[wellington]

@Yvonne G might be able to offer some help. Hopefully all will be fine. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[katfinlou]

Seems so unfair that for 5 years he was thought to be a girl, kept in a cold dark outhouse, no uv lighting, fed only Komodo pellets, never soaked and gets along ok, then he comes to me and I try to get everything right by him and he seems to be getting ill. The person who gave me him thinks it's hilarious that im "fussing" over him when they didn't... To me pets are no less important than my children and deserve the same level of love and care

 

[tortdad]

I'm still thinking your temps are too low which led to a RI. Post some pics of that beak so we can see and bump the heat up

 

[katfinlou]

Ive just put the ceramic heater on and he's moved straight away from it... Here are some pics of his beak...

 

[phebe121]

Sorry to hear he mite be sick but hes just a cutie

 

[katfinlou]

No puréed carrot where I live. Will making my own be ok?

 

[Tom]

Who did the beak trim?

Do you not know your four temps?

If he is trying to hibernate, then moving away from heat sources would make sense.

The CHE should be set on a thermostat. Is difficult to correctly control your temperatures by just having it on or off.

I suspect your current issues have a lot to do with the prior owners lack of "fussing". Tortoises can take a long time to get sick and show signs of illness.

 

[Tom]

No puréed carrot where I live. Will making my own be ok?

They don't sell little jars of baby food at your grocery store?

 

[katfinlou]

Yeah they do baby food like grandpas Sunday roast, baby's bolognese, baby lasagne, beef bourguignon, sweet potato and lamb casserole etc. basically every concoction known to man except puréed carrot!

 

[Yvonne G]

Sweet potato will be a fine substitute.

This tortoise needs to see a vet ASAP.

 

[katfinlou]

Sweet potato with lamb? I thought it just had to be the veg on its own

 

[Yvonne G]

Sorry...I missed that part. Any of the vegetables that are red/orange - carrots, sweet potato, squash. But just veg, not mixed with meat.

 

[katfinlou]

My vet did the beak trim and was very happy with him and the care i am giving him. He asked all about what i fed him, how he is housed heated and lighted etc and he said he wished more of his pet owners researched and learned about their pets needs like I have. Im stunned he's just stopped eating like this

 

[katfinlou]

He is supposed to be 5 years old. He's was supposed to be a girl. Im honestly surprised the previous owners knew it was a tortoise...

 

[katfinlou]

I will purée some carrots myself. I currently have my dog poorly at the moment too: he is recovering from an op this morning that cost £120 so the earliest i will be able to get tort to the vet is next Tuesday when I have some cash again...