sick little guy (Lethargic and mouth discharge)

[Gtphale]

Well I have a Russian that has something wrong. Until 5 days ago she ate fine and acted totally normal. Nothing in their enclosure has changed. But all of a sudden she won't open her mouth, sleeps with her head and leg out of the shell. Her eyes are very tired and sick looking.She has clear liquid substance coming out of her mouth now. I made a vet appointment last week but their tortoise expert isn't in till today. So I have an appointment set at 230 today. So this isn't a case of I can't afford to bring her in. Just wondering if anyone else has experianced this problem and what it was. To maybe help my little Russian out. She is female and about 5 inches long, had her for almost 2 years now.

Here is a video of their habitat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuD0L-vvAwk

Thanks for any input.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: sick little guy

Hi Stephen:

I'm sorry, I don't have any words of wisdom for you because your tortoise's symptoms don't fit anything in my memory bank, but I would like to offer a bit of advice on something else in the enclosure...well, a couple of somethings.

First of all, and I mean this in the most constructive and friendly way, how do you expect such a small, stiff-bodied (not flexible) tortoise to get any water out of that dog water bowl? Ditch that and buy instead a 6" or 8" plastic plant saucer, and sink it down into the substrate so all the tortoise has to do is dip his head in to drink.

Secondly, having two Russian tortoises in one habitat seldom works indoors. There is outright, visible bullying, and then there is a more subtle, not-easy-to-see sort of bullying. In the second instance, the meeker tortoise will eventually just stay hiding in a corner and stop eating. The more aggressive tortoise is telling the meeker one to get out of his territory, but the meeker tortoise has nowhere to go so he makes himself invisible by staying out of the other tortoise's way.

Good luck at the vet's. I hope they can help you.

 

[wellington]

Totally agree with Yvonne. Get a dish they can actually drink and soak in and separate them. Good luck at the vets, let us know what happens.

 

[Gtphale]

I have changed out the water bowl for a terra cotta plant dish. With only a 1 inch lip. I'll have to try and come up with something for seperating them. Was hoping a bigger enclosure like that would help with keeping them together. I might have to put a divider in that would work. they would have a 2 foot by 4 foot run each then with a seperate house box.

 

[Gtphale]

Oh and for the vet today, not much help yet. Waiting on some cultures to come back. She got a big vitamin shot and I have some antibiotics to start her on. Vet took an educated guess on what is going on. So hopefully its the right meds. We will find out in a couple days. We have never seen any bullying going on. If anyone was the bully it would be the sick tortoise, she used to eat like a horse. I also have to try and force feed her today, we shall see how that works.

 

[Yvonne G]

ugh! vitamin shot!!!

Ok, now you have to be very alert and watch for skin problems on that tortoise. So many vets will give the vitamin injection (A,D,E) without really understanding the correct dosage for a tortoise with a hard shell, and the tortoise ends up with oozing, peeling skin from too much vitamin A. Be attentive to your tortoise's condition.

 

[Gtphale]

I will keep an eye on her. I got the stool sample results back and to no surprise pinworm. With her being sick should I treat? Guess it could be an overload problem with her. Can't get sample from her as she hasn't ate so no poop. Wasn't a big dose in the healthy tort and she said normally wouldn't treat, but with being sick she recommends it.

 

[lynnedit]

Her symptoms would not be caused by pinworm, unless her poo was riddled with them. I would not treat for this until you figure out what is wrong.

It doesn't sound as if she is egg bound, but I worry about a bladder stone, or bowel obstruction, or something stuck in her upper airway. Did the vet do an xray? If not, ask for one.

Make sure you separate them if at all possible. If this tortoise has something contagious...
Also, if she became ill in part from bullying, you want to give her a break.

 

[Gtphale]

Well she passed last night seemed she was doing better the last few nights. Still going to get culture results today and find out what was the cause.

 

[jaketheskate]

I'm so sorry for ur loss

 

[Gtphale]

Just hoping we quarantined soon enough so he doesn't catch whatever she did have.

Will have to sanitize the enclosure when I get home, then after move this weekend put in a new substrate. Gonna put in a pond liner, then dirt sand mix. Put in a UVA bulb and try to grow some grass and other beneficial plants.

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw, Stephen, darn it! I'm so sorry. Does the vet have any idea what was wrong with the tortoise?

Was this tortoise a recent purchase for you?

 

[Gtphale]

We had her about 1 1/2 years.

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Wife got really attached the last week basically bottle feeding her. I'm going to try and have the vet email me the culture results.

 

[kezilulu]

So sorry to hear about your loss [DISAPPOINTED FACE] please share the results if anything was found so we can learn from it and my fingers are crossed for your li'l man to continue being healthy
xXx