Sick baby hermanns

[Avery1623]

Hello Everyone,

I have had turtle and tortoises for years and have started doing a little rescue work as well. Today I was given a baby hermanns tortoise who is not doing well. His owners meant well but were given bad advice at the pet store and had been using coil bulbs, had low humidity and low temps. He was also being housed with a leopard tortoise about twice the size of him.

The baby is very, very lethargic. His eyes are swollen and he won't open them. He did pass some urates today but no poop and he didn't eat (although I just picked him up this afternoon.)

So far I have moved him to his own enclosure. Given him a 10.0 18" strip UVB light. Done a carrot juice soak. And put the Zoo Med turtle drops in his eyes. He now has a basking spot of approx. 102 and the low end is seems to be staying around 72. Substrate is cypress bark over coconut coir and humidity holding between 60-80%. He has a water dish he can soak in and a humid hide with spagham moss.

I do plan on taking him to the vet in a day or two of he does not perk up but I wanted to see if anyone else had any additional suggestions for me.

Also the back half of his shell isn't rounded and is kind of soft. I know I'm older tortoises the slope on the back half of the shell can be a sign of MDB so I am thinking this may be an issue for this guy as well.

Please let me know if you can think of anything else or anything I should have the vet check for. Thank you!

 

[Kasia]

Hello Everyone,

I have had turtle and tortoises for years and have started doing a little rescue work as well. Today I was given a baby hermanns tortoise who is not doing well. His owners meant well but were given bad advice at the pet store and had been using coil bulbs, had low humidity and low temps. He was also being housed with a leopard tortoise about twice the size of him.

The baby is very, very lethargic. His eyes are swollen and he won't open them. He did pass some urates today but no poop and he didn't eat (although I just picked him up this afternoon.)

So far I have moved him to his own enclosure. Given him a 10.0 18" strip UVB light. Done a carrot juice soak. And put the Zoo Med turtle drops in his eyes. He now has a basking spot of approx. 102 and the low end is seems to be staying around 72. Substrate is cypress bark over coconut coir and humidity holding between 60-80%. He has a water dish he can soak in and a humid hide with spagham moss.

I do plan on taking him to the vet in a day or two of he does not perk up but I wanted to see if anyone else had any additional suggestions for me.

Also the back half of his shell isn't rounded and is kind of soft. I know I'm older tortoises the slope on the back half of the shell can be a sign of MDB so I am thinking this may be an issue for this guy as well.

Please let me know if you can think of anything else or anything I should have the vet check for. Thank you!

His not pooping (probably not eating as well) but that could be caused by parasite load. If everything other is ok, mayby deworming and right supplementation will do the trick. For sure consult with a good reptile Vet.

Warm thoughts for You and the little one

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

His eyes are pretty sunken (dehydration). I would have the whole habitat at least 80F while you're trying to get him well. You can have a warm side/cool side later, after he has recovered and is healthy again. Soak him daily in warm water, and leave him in there for at least a half hour.

 

[Avery1623]

Thank you! I did soak him in carrot juice for an hour this morning and will do so again this evening. I will see if I can bump up the temps a bit.

I made a vet appointment for him Thursday with a vet who is somewhat experienced with tortoises but I want to be educated before I go in because I know some vets do more harm than good when it comes to exotics.

On the plus side he was wandering around on this own this morning with his eyes open just a crack. And it seemed like he may have been drinking a little bit in his soak.

The leopard is in much better shape but also dehydrated with the dip in his shell but he is active and alert.

 

[Kori5]

Your doing a great job, they are lucky to have you. With good care, they'll get better .

 

[Avery1623]

So I have a vet appointment set up for tomorrow morning. He does seem to be getting strong (walking around, opening his eyes a crack, peed all over my arm yesterday).

I am in WI and our high temperature for tomorrow is 23.... Is it worth the risk taking him out in that kind of cold or also long as he seems to be slowly improving do you think it might do more harm than good? He is tiny, less than a 2" shell. I wish I could post videos of him from sunday when I got him and this morning for opinions but it says the file type isn't supported. I'll try to post a few pics.

The picture of him on my hand is from Sunday.. Not holding himself up, not opening his eyes.

The picture in the bath is from the morning.

 

[Kori5]

I wouldn't take him out, keep soaking him and try hand feeding, a little dandelions or raddichio . He is cute and looks better.