Sulcata baby nose bubbles

[zeus6626]

Hey guys ,

I have observed some bubbles on my baby Sulcata’s nose last night , I found some bubbles being formed in the morning after soak , just now in the evening I have captured this photos please take a look .

For context : the substrate is oak wood bark , the temps are basking :115 , warm side : 95 , cool side (near hide) : 87 , I am feeding him mulberry leaves , hibiscus leaves and bunch of weeds from garden .

Please help , I am from India , there is no vet here who has knowledge around tortoises .

 

[Tom]

Hey guys ,

I have observed some bubbles on my baby Sulcata’s nose last night , I found some bubbles being formed in the morning after soak , just now in the evening I have captured this photos please take a look .

For context : the substrate is oak wood bark , the temps are basking :115 , warm side : 95 , cool side (near hide) : 87 , I am feeding him mulberry leaves , hibiscus leaves and bunch of weeds from garden .

Please help , I am from India , there is no vet here who has knowledge around tortoises .

-Basking area directly under the bulb should only be 95-100F (36-37C). You need to raise the bulb or lower the wattage. The other temps are on the high side, but okay.
-How cool does the enclosure get at night when the lights are all off?
-What substrate are you using?
-What type of enclosure? Closed chamber or open table?
-What type of light bulbs? UV? What type of UV bulb?

Pictures of the enclosure will help us identify and correct the problem.

 

[zeus6626]

-Basking area directly under the bulb should only be 95-100F (36-37C). You need to raise the bulb or lower the wattage. The other temps are on the high side, but okay.
-How cool does the enclosure get at night when the lights are all off?
-What substrate are you using?
-What type of enclosure? Closed chamber or open table?
-What type of light bulbs? UV? What type of UV bulb?

Pictures of the enclosure will help us identify and correct the problem.

Hey Tom ,

At night the least it gets to is 23C (73.4) least I am talking about at like 2-3 am midnight.

I am using orchid bark

It is fully closed

I give him like 1 hr daily sun time.

 

[Tom]

At night the least it gets to is 23C (73.4) least I am talking about at like 2-3 am midnight.

There is your problem. Night temp should never drop below 80. Get some night heat set on a thermostat. Keep it above 85 at night for at least two weeks after symptoms disappear.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

 

[wellington]

There is your problem. Night temp should never drop below 80. Get some night heat set on a thermostat. Keep it above 85 at night for at least two weeks after symptoms disappear.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

Tom, the substrate is oak wood bark. Should oak be used? Not the cause of the bubble problems I'm sure, but is oak safe?

 

[zeus6626]

Tom, the substrate is oak wood bark. Should oak be used? Not the cause of the bubble problems I'm sure, but is oak safe?

Hey ,

My bad I have typed wrong one , it is actually orchid bark what Tom suggests. I just checked my order confirmation mail , from where I got through the chips from👍🏾

 

[zeus6626]

Tom, the substrate is oak wood bark. Should oak be used? Not the cause of the bubble problems I'm sure, but is oak safe?

Got it , for ceramic heating

https://amzn.in/d/4MpbZJ4

Will this work @Tom

 

[wellington]

Got it , for ceramic heating

https://amzn.in/d/4MpbZJ4

Will this work @Tom

Okay good, orchid bark.
Yes, the ceramic heat emitter is what is used for night heat or added needed day heat.