Runny nose:/

[mcory]

Need help for my girls runny nose! Noticed tonight. I plan too do 2 soaks daily... Any thing I should add? She is a leopard , 3 yrs old , and 5 inches. Been less active last week. She did eat lest night, first time in 4 days.

 

[wellington]

Double check temps with a reliable gauge. Then bump them up five degrees, to 85 day and night, still giving a basking spot and see if that clears her up and a few days.

 

[mcory]

Thank you!

 

[TortieLuver]

Yes I agree about raising he temps and keeping her warm. Is the runny nose clear?

 

[mcory]

It is clear. Should I soak her in anything other than water?

 

[mcory]

Any more thoughts too help my baby?!?can I flush her nose with saline? Soaking every day 20-30 minutes. She still is only eating very small amounts every 3-5 days(( please help. I do not have the finances to take her to vet right now and I'm worried!!

 

[TortieLuver]

You can try the saline for the nose and bump up the heat. If the runny nose is clear and they are eating and acting normal, they are generally fine. Temps help boost that immune system. However, if your tortoise has a RI, it usually will only get worse, the roof of the mouth will become red/inflamed, and medication/shots will need to be administered. Is the small amounts of food less than what your tortoise was eating before? Do you see anything like grass in nose? Have you changed/added anything different in setup...sometimes even something dusty can cause it. Has there been any extra stress to the environment.

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You can try the baby food soak route and see if she can get some nutrients that way...squash/carrot baby food

 

[ascott]

One thing you need to remember is that clear runny nose can be a symptom of stress....and not necessarily a sign of RI.

Did you ever get the temp up for the humid hide? I recall you having issue with it rising to appropriate temp? If that hide is humid or the enclosure is humid and you are not keeping the temps at least 80+ then you will end up with a tort that is stressed because they can not get comfortable...as well as if the humidity is up but not the temp this can eventually lead to some type of RI....

What type of enclosure is your tort set up in? Substrate, hiding spots that still allow tort to remain warm but hidden?, diet?, heating source for day and night? Lighting for uva and uvb? How long have you had the tort and where did you acquire it from? These types of things are valuable in helping us to offer you up suggestions...

Also, if you find that your enclosure is spot on....then perhaps stop fussing with the tort and let it have some "tort self time" Folks do dig their tort buddies and sometimes they can forget that torts are "generally" a solo type critter and seem to thrive on some down time to enjoy their own company....lol

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In other words, HUMANS can create stress in an other wise normal tort....I would step back a bit and go down "your" husbandry list and make sure all necessary points are met...if yes, go into observation mode and not pester mode (I don't mean this in a mean way so please don't take it as some type of put down, promise.) and just keep a mental log of what is normal for this tort....

Also, handling and forcing an unnatural activity on the tort can lead to stress....so unless the animal is truly acting lethargic, mucus coming from the nose--I would not automatically jump to paranoid just yet...

 

[Tom]

What are your four temps and what are you using for night heat? Can we see a pic of the enclosure?

 

[mcory]

First off you guys rock! All this started after I hard to take an emergency trip out of state, so I know our normal tort routine did not get followed so I am hoping stress since the mucus is clear! My substrate is the coco coir that you soak in water, temps are 80 at night and 90-95 during the day with humidity at 80. I did have put in a new hide that is working much better the other got too small. So husbandry wise I feel good about. She eats a mix of greens... Dandelion, kale, mustard greens, arugula, watercress ... What is available! She was eating a nice amount daily now it's very small amount with many days I no eating :/ I know dandelion. Is her favorite but been unable to get any lately. I have had her for about 2 months now and got her from a pet store who did not have her housed properly:/