Sick baby redfoot )=

Delilah1623

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Shell feels hard, nothing unusual there. I got her from Tortoise Supply which is highly respected on the forum so I am thinking it's something on my end. I've had him since October and he's been doing really well until about a week ago.
 

oscar

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I find my infrared thermometer to be useful in telling me the temp.. Of my tortoise and the different spots in there enclosure. I would get some sphagnum moss and put some of that over you coir I have found my red foots love to burrow on it and holds moisture. Usually get it at lowes in garden dept. do you have a top over his enclosure? Hope he is feeling better soon.
 

Delilah1623

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He still just keeps getting worse )= I have tried everything here and nothing is working. He barely moves now and when he is in the bath I worry that he's going to drown because he doesn't even have the strength to lift his head up. I don't know what else to try... I am at the point where I feel like I am being cruel by trying all these things and trying to feed him.
 

sissyofone

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Delilah hello and its nice to meet you. How often are you soaking your little one? Have you tried putting carrot baby food in the soak water? Your little one will absorb some nutrition from the baby food. What kind of light are you using? How old is your lil tort?
 

crimson_lotus

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Where did you get him? I hate to say it but it could be hatchling failure syndrome if they are started out wrong. How old is he? Do you have any coil bulb in the enclosure? This can cause eye problems and if they can't see their food, they won't eat. Is his shell soft?
 

sissyofone

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Is their mucous or bubbles coming form the eyes or nose? I wouldn't let the temps fall below about 85 degrees. What are you housing the little one in? I'm sorry for so many questions. But these things I've asked about are all very important where the little tort is concerned.
 

Delilah1623

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There were more posts on this with more details but for some reason they are not showing up. I have tried baby food soaks. Vitamin water soaks. Mineral oil.

I got him from Tortoise Supply in October.

No coil bulb. He has a reptisun 5.0 18" strip light and a CHE. Low end of the temperature range is 84 degrees.

She'll is not soft. No bubbles or anything coming from his nose.
 

sissyofone

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Was it eating and thriving when you got it in Oct.? Did you contact Tortoise Supply? I'm going to attempt to get some more experienced members over to help. @ Yvonne G. And @ N2TORTS
 

Randi

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Could it be your humidity? High heat and low humidity will cause the tort to dehydrate.

My heat was high with low humidity and mine stopped eating like her normal self for two days. I found that my temp probe was not reading properly and my basking spot was 40 degrees celcius and up!! I believe aestevation is the word - too hot and too dry so they go into preservation mode? I am not positive on that or the spelling.

Mine was also keeping her eyes shut until I corrected the humidity with a closed chamber. She is eating a lot more now and is a lot more active. I'm wondering if it's not to do with humidity.
 
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N2TORTS

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Like Sissy and others have mentioned…..
Keep your temps at a constant 86-90….during this time. Also not just “running him” under water. Let him soak for 10-15 mins in a warm shallow bath. Tortoises can absorbed water from the vent area as well as hydration thru the skin. Eating is a good sign, but don’t worry too much about diet right now. Tortoises can go many weeks without eating as long as they stay hydrated. Most RI infections will need some sort of anti-biotic from the Vet to knock the virus out.
 

Delilah1623

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Humidity is usually around 80%. Never falls below 60.

Temp does not fall below 84.

The running him under water is in addition to twice daily soaks of 30 to 45 minutes.

He hasn't eaten in about 2 weeks.

There is no open mouth breathing or nose bubbles. Could it still be a respite infection?
 

Delilah1623

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I got him in October as a hatchling. He is not very old but I am not sure on the exact age.
 

Delilah1623

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I had posted this pic a week or so ago on the thread but now it's gone so I am posting again just in case anyone notices anything that I didn't in his appearance.
 

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AmRoKo

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When you're checking the temperature are you checking it right at the substrate level?
 

Delilah1623

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Yes. I have a probe thermometer in there all the time and check it with a heat gun every few days to make sure nothing changed.
When you're checking the temperature are you checking it right at the substrate level?
 

AmRoKo

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Yes. I have a probe thermometer in there all the time and check it with a heat gun every few days to make sure nothing changed.

Okay, just making sure that your checking at substrate level and not just ambient because the substrate can be cooler/hotter than the ambient at times and that can cause problems. If I think of anything else I'll ask but it just sounds like so far that your doing all the right stuff so I don't know whats going on, it might be RI and just isn't showing the normal symptoms of runny nose/wheezing/sneezing. But I'm not positive.
 

ascott

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My baby redfoot is not doing well. He hasn't pooped in about a week and stopped eating a few days ago. The last 2 days he doesn't want to open his eyes unless I run him under warm water for a bit.

Cool end of his tank is 80. Hot end is 96. He gets baths almost every day. Humidity is tough right now because of where I live but ranges between 60 and 80%.

Diet is a mix of spring mix, mazuri and ocassional green peppers and mushrooms.

I have tried carrot food soaks the last 2 days, twice a day. He did eat a little yesterday, some mazuri and green pepper mushed up with carrot baby food. I tried to get him to eat some aloe today to see if he would poop but he wasn't interested.

Any ideas of what else to try? I am worried I am going to lose my baby )=


Is this tortoise house alone?
What type of uva/uvb bulb are you using? If Mercury Vapor Bulb, how close is the bulb to the surface of the tortoise?
The picture you show is of a tortoise that is ailing/having issues....
 

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