Redfoot Trouble

[jasso2]

Im havin a problem with my redfoot, he seems to be dying. hes extremely light now, lost a lot of mass.....sleepy a lot, nods his head when he wakes up and opens his mouth..he always the last one to walk..so i have to put him near the food....he does eat a little, but eats none the less.....i been soaking him in water for the past weeks and seems to b drink water for a long time..........any advice before jumpin into the take him to the vet deal.....btw he been like this for 3-4weeks. he lives outside and houston weather is around 103 everyday but his pen is under a huge tree so he get plently of shade and hides under bush there too..........thanks in advance tortoise ppl

 

[Seiryu]

Im havin a problem with my redfoot, he seems to be dying. hes extremely light now, lost a lot of mass.....sleepy a lot, nods his head when he wakes up and opens his mouth..he always the last one to walk..so i have to put him near the food....he does eat a little, but eats none the less.....i been soaking him in water for the past weeks and seems to b drink water for a long time..........any advice before jumpin into the take him to the vet deal.....btw he been like this for 3-4weeks. he lives outside and houston weather is around 103 everyday but his pen is under a huge tree so he get plently of shade and hides under bush there too..........thanks in advance tortoise ppl

If he's been that way for 3-4 weeks, at this point I would take him to the vet asap

I don't have much knowledge into tortoises, but most people here take theirs to the vet if they feel something is wrong (losing weight is bad for any creature really), within just a few days or a week.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think you've waited too long. It takes quite a while for a tortoise to show outward signs that he is ill, so its been longer than 3 or 4 weeks. If it were me, I would go to the vet ASAP. He needs immediate medical help.

Yvonne

 

[jasso2]

thanks my other tortoises are fine in great shape....i wonder whats up with this one? guess i have no choice but to give the vet a visit.

 

[Isa]

Good luck & keep us updated please

 

[jasso2]

sure will, thanks for yalls concern

 

[Yvonne G]

It could be something as simple as a respiratory infection. I have two aldabran tortoises. One has always been slightly bigger than the other one. Last summer I noticed that The Bigger One (Bo) had bubbles in his mouth. The vet thought it was a respiratory infection and gave me some Baytril tablets. I was supposed to give him two a day. But they are LARGE tablets, and I couldn't fool him into eating them. I only managed to get 4 in him in two days, so I just gave up and hoped for the best. He eats and wanders the pen, but now 6 or 8 months later, I can visually see that he isn't bigger than The Smaller One (So) any more. So my point is, a respiratory infection can effect your tortoise even if all else seems ok.

Yvonne

 

[Greg T]

Do you know of a good tort vet here in Houston? I've tried to check for a few close to me on the south side, but the web lists I'm using must be out-dated.

Good luck, hope it works out for ya!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Houston Vets...

Larry N. White, DVM
Briarcrest Veterinary Clinic
1492 Wilcrest Drive
Houston, TX 77042
Tel: (713) 789-8320

Roy Cruzen, DVM
Rhonda Walter, DVM
Steeplechase Animal Hospital
9609 FM 1960 West
Houston, TX 77070
Tel: (281) 890-7257
Fax: (281) 890-8641

Dan Jordan, DVM
Animal Avian Hospital
2422 Robinhood
Houston, TX 77005
Tel: (713) 524-3800
Fax: (713) 524-8314

Natalie Antinoff, DVM
Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists
1111 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77027
Tel: (713) 693-1111
Fax: (713) 693-1110

Brenda Flores, DVM
Westbury Animal Hospital
4917 S Willow Drive
Houston, TX 77035
Tel: (713) 723-3666
Fax: (713) 723-0317

Hope that helps...if any of these aren't valid please let me know...thanks

 

[jasso2]

wow thanks maggie!

yvonne,

i think ure right because that tort hasnt grown. i had a smaller one and now the smaller one is the same size...it almost like stop growin about 6 months ago...and his old brother has gotten huge! and his younger sister has caught up already (1 yr apart but now they look the same). man, i hope he doesnt die....once they have R.D. its over for them? never will they live a happy tortoise life?

 

[Madkins007]

Ditto on the vet ASAP.

I'm thinking dehydration/heat stress. Of your torts, only the Leopards and Sulcatas are probably liking this weather- the Russians are probably stressed as well unless there is an active cooling system, like a mister, going on.

I would suspect that the habitat has limited cool, humid options and this poor tort has been blocked from them. This is common in multi-animal habitats.

Out of curiosity, what has your humidity been like lately, and if it is low, what do you do to improve it for the humidity-loving Red-foots and Hinge-backs?

 

[jasso2]

my sulcatas and leopard love this weather, they run around everyone and eat everything...russians are doing ok too....i think they might be laying eggs ...shhhhhhhhhhh.....redfoots seem ok expect for poor Rio....i soak him in water everyday and we have the sprinker system on once a day. also the redfoot pen is under a HUGE tree, with many small bush to hide under..as for the hingebacks i dont have them anymore..i should delete that...

 

[Itort]

Do you have a wading/soaking pool for them and a mud wallow will also help.

 

[jasso2]

nope but have a little pool about 12" dia and 1" in height (embedded into the soil)......but probably install an actual little pool this weekend so they take a dip easily. yesterday he ate night crawlers and he always feel a lot heavier after being soaked....with all the water he intakes..thanks!

 

[Crazy1]

I agree sounds like it may be a little too dry and hot for him. Low humidity. Is there anyway you could bring him inside and up his humidity and keep him moister than the rest? Perhaps by being inside he may also be cooler than the rest? Just a thought. Glad he is eating.

 

[jasso2]

yea i catch him last night sleeping with an earthworm jammed in his jaws....fell asleep on the food, i think im bring in inside...... thanks robyn

 

[tortoisenerd]

Looking forward to seeing what a vet has to say. Best wishes. Always good to have your tort established as a patient as a vet in case of an emergency like this.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi..Just wondering how your tort is doing? What did the vet say?
Good luck
Patsy