Sick baby

[Hope Cox]

Hey there. I have a baby Greek tortoise who is sick. I originally took him to the vet last week because I suspected a URI. He was acting sluggish, not eating, and had bubbles out of his nose. They out him on antibiotics, orally. I have tried and tried to get the antibiotics in him, but it is hard considering he won't eat or open his eyes noe. On Monday of this week he began not eating. By Wednesday his eyes were shut and he would not open them during soaks or anything. I began baby carrot food with water soaks (he has had four soaks in all, two soaks a day.) He is still not opening his eyes or eating. I have raised my temps to 95- 100 on the hot side and around 85 on the cool side. Humidity levels are around 60-70. I am at a loss of what to do next. It seems like he has gotten worse since yesterday. This is my first baby and I'm worried that I'm not doing enough. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated . I have attached pictures of my tortoise table and of him.

 

[Hope Cox]

Hey there. I have a baby Greek tortoise who is sick. I originally took him to the vet last week because I suspected a URI. He was acting sluggish, not eating, and had bubbles out of his nose. They out him on antibiotics, orally. I have tried and tried to get the antibiotics in him, but it is hard considering he won't eat or open his eyes noe. On Monday of this week he began not eating. By Wednesday his eyes were shut and he would not open them during soaks or anything. I began baby carrot food with water soaks (he has had four soaks in all, two soaks a day.) He is still not opening his eyes or eating. I have raised my temps to 95- 100 on the hot side and around 85 on the cool side. Humidity levels are around 60-70. I am at a loss of what to do next. It seems like he has gotten worse since yesterday. This is my first baby and I'm worried that I'm not doing enough. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated . I have attached pictures of my tortoise table and of him.

 

[Bee62]

Hello. Sorry to hear that your cute baby tort is so sick.

Antibiotics work better when given by shots. I would ask the VET to do this. But AB treatment often makes tortoises stop eating.

How are your night temps ? Do you run a CHE at night ? Night times should not drop below 85 F for a sick baby.
You have an open top enclosure. It is very difficult to have the right temps and humidity there. I would asap cover the enclosure so that warmth and humidity must stay in.

A respiration infect is very dangerous for a baby tort. I am not sure that you can safe your baby.
Keep on soaking twice a day in 102 F warm water. Make sure that the water stays warm during the soaks. Add baby carrot food to the water.
Cover your enclosure and make it warm and humid for your sick baby day and night. Ask the VET for AB shots, but don`t let him give your baby any vitamin shots.
Good luck for your baby.

 

[Hope Cox]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will continue the soaks, and get the top covered. I have been leaving all lights on throughout the night to keep the temperatures up. I am a nurse and work long hours so I have ordered a reptile fogger so I can be sure humidity stays up. The vet is supposed to be calling me back soon hopefully he will agree to doing an injection! I know it is very dangerpus, but I'm hoping I can help him through this. It breaks my heart seeing him sick.

 

[Bee62]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will continue the soaks, and get the top covered. I have been leaving all lights on throughout the night to keep the temperatures up. I am a nurse and work long hours so I have ordered a reptile fogger so I can be sure humidity stays up. The vet is supposed to be calling me back soon hopefully he will agree to doing an injection! I know it is very dangerpus, but I'm hoping I can help him through this. It breaks my heart seeing him sick.

I am so sorry that you have to go trough this. How long do you have your baby ? Sometimes hatchlings are given sick to new owners.

 

[Hope Cox]

I am so sorry that you have to go trough this. How long do you have your baby ? Sometimes hatchlings are given sick to new owners.

I've had him since the end of December, which is why I feel like it is my fault that he is sick. I think the humidity has been too low at some times throughout the day.

 

[Bee62]

I've had him since the end of December, which is why I feel like it is my fault that he is sick. I think the humidity has been too low at some times throughout the day.

From low humidity they don`t get really sick, but from too low temps. Have you run your lights all nights trough ?
A ceramic heat emitter is a better solution. I makes heat but no light because tortoises must sleep in darkness.

 

[Hope Cox]

From low humidity they don`t get really sick, but from too low temps. Have you run your lights all nights trough ?
A ceramic heat emitter is a better solution. I makes heat but no light because tortoises must sleep in darkness.

Oh ok! I haven't run all the lights the whole time, my night temps got down to 75 but never lower. I will look into a CHE.

 

[Hope Cox]

From low humidity they don`t get really sick, but from too low temps. Have you run your lights all nights trough ?
A ceramic heat emitter is a better solution. I makes heat but no light because tortoises must sleep in darkness.

So I can buy the CHE bulb and put into one of my light fixtures and just run one of those at night? I hadn't even though about no lights at all and just a CHE. I had gotten mixed feelings from other posts that I had read but I think that may be the best solution to help Ralf get better and for any other tortoises in the future. Thank you so much!

 

[Bee62]

Oh ok! I haven't run all the lights the whole time, my night temps got down to 75 but never lower. I will look into a CHE.

There is no place on earth where it is never dark .....
Where do you measure the temps ? At the floor of the enclosure where your baby sits ? Could it be that is was colder there ?

 

[Hope Cox]

There is no place on earth where it is never dark .....
Where do you measure the temps ? At the floor of the enclosure where your baby sits ? Could it be that is was colder there ?

It may be. I measure at the floor where he is.

 

[Bee62]

So I can buy the CHE bulb and put into one of my light fixtures and just run one of those at night? I hadn't even though about no lights at all and just a CHE. I had gotten mixed feelings from other posts that I had read but I think that may be the best solution to help Ralf get better and for any other tortoises in the future. Thank you so much!

My pleasure. That`s what this forum is for: to help other tortoise keepers.

 

[Hope Cox]

My pleasure. That`s what this forum is for: to help other tortoise keepers.

I'm sure I'll have a million other questions soon. I will work on gettingbhim enclosure covered and getting my night temps up!

 

[Bee62]

It may be. I measure at the floor where he is.

Baby torts needs higher temps than adults. When humidity is high temps must be high too or a tort can easily get a RI.

 

[Bee62]

I'm sure I'll have a million other questions soon. I will work on gettingbhim enclosure covered and getting my night temps up!

Ask all questions you have and be careful when topping your enclosure that there is no danger for fire. The heat bulbs are so hot.

 

[Hope Cox]

I have raised my humidity levels higher to 80-90 as my temps were raised to 95-100. He still won't open his eyes or eat. I took him for an AB injection Saturday morning and have resumed trying the oral antibiotics since yesterday.

 

[TammyJ]

How is he now?

 

[Hope Cox]

Spoke with UT veterinarian hospital and spoke with an expert. She recommended what needed to be done to my vet, so my vet is continuing the injections of Baytril every 72 hours for a total of 7 injections. He's still the same and still won't open his eyes. I'm just not giving up on my little guy.

 

[mark1]

if it hasn't been tried , sub q fluids sometimes will perk them up .......

 

[Hope Cox]

Ok thank you! I think that is the next step if he doesn't start responding to the injections. I'm doing 20 minute warm soaks 2-3 times a day to help with hydration.