Russian Tortoise has snot bubbles!?

[Mandy Armesto]

Hi there! My Russian tortoise just had snot bubbles. This is the first time I've seen her with this. She's been more active, eating more, and awake more. I think she's fine but I'm a new RT mom and wanted to check. Thanks all!

Hi everyone! My RT stretches her neck and opens her mouth a lot. I thought she was choking but she's been doing it for about 2 weeks straight. I don't know if it's a quirky thing she does or if something is wrong. She also makes little noises, almost like she's talking. Anyone else experience this?

Hi everyone! My RT stretches her neck and opens her mouth a lot. I thought she was choking but she's been doing it for about 2 weeks straight. I don't know if it's a quirky thing she does or if something is wrong. She also makes little noises, almost like she's talking. Anyone else experience this?

I found this in another thread

Hi there! My Russian tortoise just had snot bubbles. This is the first time I've seen her with this. She's been more active, eating more, and awake more. I think she's fine but I'm a new RT mom and wanted to check. Thanks all!

The two together suggest Respiratory Infection.

The first advice is to get your tortoise to a vet experienced with tortoises as your tort is quite likely to be needing antibiotics. A general vet could do more harm than good - be careful to ask specifically if the vet has experience with tortoises.

Next you need to fix the cause. This is usually a problem with the enclosure and temperatures.

Photos of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you. We also need to know the four important temperatures: warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum.

I recommend you read the TFO care guides if you haven't already

They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Russian Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Mandy Armesto]

Hi there! My Russian tortoise just had snot bubbles. This is the first time I've seen her with this. She's been more active, eating more, and awake more. I think she's fine but I'm a new RT mom and wanted to check. Thanks all!

Hi everyone! My RT stretches her neck and opens her mouth a lot. I thought she was choking but she's been doing it for about 2 weeks straight. I don't know if it's a quirky thing she does or if something is wrong. She also makes little noises, almost like she's talking. Anyone else experience this?



I found this in another thread


The two together suggest Respiratory Infection.

The first advice is to get your tortoise to a vet experienced with tortoises as your tort is quite likely to be needing antibiotics. A general vet could do more harm than good - be careful to ask specifically if the vet has experience with tortoises.

Next you need to fix the cause. This is usually a problem with the enclosure and temperatures.

Photos of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you. We also need to know the four important temperatures: warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum.

I recommend you read the TFO care guides if you haven't already

They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Russian Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Thank you so much for your help! I spoke with a reptile shop manager and he recommended a reptile vile to take her to. Unfortunately it was past business hours and I will have to take her tomorrow. He suggested a humidifier to help with her breathing and I got drops from petco to help with her eyes. She'll have her doc appointment tomorrow. Thank you again!

 

[Mandy Armesto]

This is her new home. She had a 30 gallon aquarium and this was what was suggested for her instead, as air flow isn't good in the aquarium. I'm getting a new UVB tomorrow because I was told that UVB lamps can have the tendency to irritate their eyes. I'm getting new thermostats as the other one is in the aquarium.

 

[JoesMum]

Mandy, before you buy anything else please stop and read the links you have been given and then ignore the pet store. Pet stores rarely have expertise in tortoises - they are there to sell things.

What I say below is only going to highlight a few things - you need to follow those guides to get everything right.

I find it hard to judge the size of your Russian, but it looks pretty small. For those roughly 3" (8cm) or less a closed chamber (vivarium/aquarium) is better than an open table. Young Russians need high humidity to be healthy.

As for UVB: The compact CFL bulbs can harm eyes (they look like low energy light bulbs). Tube UVB and MVB (Mercury Vapour Bulb that provides both basking heat and UVB in one lamp) are both fine.

Your basking bulb needs to hang from a lamp stand. Those clamps are not safe. They have a habit of slipping and they are a serious fire risk. Your basking lamp also needs to hang vertically so you have 95-100F (35-37C) directly underneath it... you cannot achieve this when it's at an angle.

Those temperatures - warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum - must be measured accurately. Let us us know them. A temperature gun type thermometer is inexpensive from Amazon or a hardware store. Like this:


Your substrate looks too dry. You need to mix substrate with water (tipped in with a jug) so that it is all evenly damp. A more earth like substrate such as coco coir or fine grade orchid bark is better for this.

Finally, please remove those balls. Tortoises don't play. They actually stress about removing other torts from their territory. To your tort those balls are just that (they're not very bright) and they push balls to get them out.

Provide enrichment with live plants in pots sunk into the substrate that your tort can eat and hide under.

 

[Mandy Armesto]

I'm sorry I'm so late. We've been going through a lot with our little RT. I took her to a reptile specialist and told me there is about an 85% chance of her dying before the week is over. My heart is so broken. We're literally watching her suffer and die. I was told it's past the point of helping.

 

[Mandy Armesto]

He mentioned that she was sick from the pet store I purchased her from. We've only had her 16 days and these signs starting showing last week. It's so sad. I hear her little gasps and it breaks my heart.

 

[JoesMum]

I'm sorry I'm so late. We've been going through a lot with our little RT. I took her to a reptile specialist and told me there is about an 85% chance of her dying before the week is over. My heart is so broken. We're literally watching her suffer and die. I was told it's past the point of helping.

He mentioned that she was sick from the pet store I purchased her from. We've only had her 16 days and these signs starting showing last week. It's so sad. I hear her little gasps and it breaks my heart.

I am so sorry to here this. It sounds like your tort is very sick indeed. All you can do is keep her warm. Has she had antibiotics?

 

[daniellenc]

I'm so sorry I hope they're trying meds and offered euthanasia is she becomes worse.

 

[Mandy Armesto]

I am so sorry to here this. It sounds like your tort is very sick indeed. All you can do is keep her warm. Has she had antibiotics?[/QUOTE

Thank you
I was told that she's pretty much past the point of antibiotics helping