We have a red spotted, yellow headed tortoise. He got cold and now has a cold. He is 9". He has a little runny nose and sounds congested. We can afford a vet bill. What can I get at feed store and give him. He still eats and drinks. Thanks for any help!
sick tortoise
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Samon2009 has sent me an email with a picture of the tortoise. It is indeed a redfoot tortoise. Any help you all can give them would be appreciated, I'm sure.
A little background. They didn't buy the tortoise, a neighbor gave it to them because it wouldn't stay in his pond. I gave them Terry's web site on redfoot care and told them to warm the indoor habitat up to about 85 degrees. Anything else?
Oh...and I forgot to say:
to the forum!!! I hope you stay with us even after the tortoise is well. I've been keeping tortoises for over 35 years, and I've learned a few things about tortoise-keeping from these nice folks here on the forum!
A little background. They didn't buy the tortoise, a neighbor gave it to them because it wouldn't stay in his pond. I gave them Terry's web site on redfoot care and told them to warm the indoor habitat up to about 85 degrees. Anything else?
Oh...and I forgot to say:
to the forum!!! I hope you stay with us even after the tortoise is well. I've been keeping tortoises for over 35 years, and I've learned a few things about tortoise-keeping from these nice folks here on the forum!
Yvonne has given the best advice (keeping the tortoise at about 85F, day and night), before you get to a vets. Also you need to keep your Redfoot humid.
Terry's website is great for care of your Redfoot.
Danny
Terry's website is great for care of your Redfoot.
Danny
The basics of caring for a typical Respiratory Infections (RI) are basic nursing care:
- Keep things warm- actually more like 88-90 would be better, but be sure there are cooler areas to retreat to.
- Make sure it has a warm, very humid area- think almost a sauna. One easy answer is to use a warm mist vaporizer (warm mist style since most vaporizers cool the air.) Another is to make a humid hide- a tub the tortoise can get into with an access hole cut in the side, for example. Put a thick layer of sphagnum moss on the bottom and keep it fluffed and slightly damp. Take some more moss and fill a small cloth bag with it, soak the bag, and hang it on a wall in the hide. Park the hide in a nice warm corner or heat it separately to about 88F.
- Clean and disinfect the habitat as best you can to kill the pathogens that contribute to this.
- A good UVB bulb can help kill germs, strengthen his immune system, etc. Optional but helpful.
What we call RI is usually some combination of assorted bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. To fight it with drugs, you need to know what the cause is, which usually takes a reptile-savvy vet.
Not to be depressing, but RI is tough to treat for most keepers, probably due to the above, and to the fact that by the time you notice it, the infection has usually been going on for a while.
- Keep things warm- actually more like 88-90 would be better, but be sure there are cooler areas to retreat to.
- Make sure it has a warm, very humid area- think almost a sauna. One easy answer is to use a warm mist vaporizer (warm mist style since most vaporizers cool the air.) Another is to make a humid hide- a tub the tortoise can get into with an access hole cut in the side, for example. Put a thick layer of sphagnum moss on the bottom and keep it fluffed and slightly damp. Take some more moss and fill a small cloth bag with it, soak the bag, and hang it on a wall in the hide. Park the hide in a nice warm corner or heat it separately to about 88F.
- Clean and disinfect the habitat as best you can to kill the pathogens that contribute to this.
- A good UVB bulb can help kill germs, strengthen his immune system, etc. Optional but helpful.
What we call RI is usually some combination of assorted bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. To fight it with drugs, you need to know what the cause is, which usually takes a reptile-savvy vet.
Not to be depressing, but RI is tough to treat for most keepers, probably due to the above, and to the fact that by the time you notice it, the infection has usually been going on for a while.
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