Sulcata noises

[DDLVT]

Im a little concerned, my sulcatas are making a weird "quack" noise. Isn't constant. But daily and new sound. I've checked them for URI symptoms and they do not have bubbles or open mouth breathing or any of the clear symptoms for URI. It sounds like it could be a cough? Or a sneeze? They seem ti be breathing clear and nit with any increased effort. They are very alert, active, eating like champs, drinking fine, and their bowel movements and urate are normal.i managed to finally get a small video of the sound. The room they are in during unsupervised times is anywhere between 78 and 82 their pens heat lamps for basking is at least 90s. I use timothy hay or orchard grass for their bedding.

 

[DDLVT]

Im a little concerned, my sulcatas are making a weird "quack" noise. Isn't constant. But daily and new sound. I've checked them for URI symptoms and they do not have bubbles or open mouth breathing or any of the clear symptoms for URI. It sounds like it could be a cough? Or a sneeze? They seem ti be breathing clear and nit with any increased effort. They are very alert, active, eating like champs, drinking fine, and their bowel movements and urate are normal.i managed to finally get a small video of the sound. The room they are in during unsupervised times is anywhere between 78 and 82 their pens heat lamps for basking is at least 90s. I use timothy hay or orchard grass for their bedding.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7UFMjfxqKeSzTDzd6
It wouldn't let me upload my video so I hope this link works...also context to the noise. I was bathing the tortoises in warm water and occasionally splashing some water on their shell.

 

[DDLVT]

Im a little concerned, my sulcatas are making a weird "quack" noise. Isn't constant. But daily and new sound. I've checked them for URI symptoms and they do not have bubbles or open mouth breathing or any of the clear symptoms for URI. It sounds like it could be a cough? Or a sneeze? They seem ti be breathing clear and nit with any increased effort. They are very alert, active, eating like champs, drinking fine, and their bowel movements and urate are normal.i managed to finally get a small video of the sound. The room they are in during unsupervised times is anywhere between 78 and 82 their pens heat lamps for basking is at least 90s. I use timothy hay or orchard grass for their bedding.

New video · Saturday, Sep 20 ð¬

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photos.app.goo.gl

It wouldn't let me upload my video so I hope this link works...also context to the noise. I was bathing the tortoises in warm water and occasionally splashing some

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7UFMjfxqKeSzTDzd6
It wouldn't let me upload my video so I hope this link works...also context to the noise. I was bathing the tortoises in warm water and occasionally splashing some water on their shell.

Also here in case the previous link doesn't work

 

[JoJosMom]

Hello there! I can assure you this sound is completely normal! Their nares (nostrils) go into the roof of their mouth.This is the sound of them clearing their throat! Nothing to worry about! We at Joshua Tree Reptile Haven hear this noise all the time from all different species!

 

[DDLVT]

Hello there! I can assure you this sound is completely normal! Their nares (nostrils) go into the roof of their mouth.This is the sound of them clearing their throat! Nothing to worry about! We at Joshua Tree Reptile Haven hear this noise all the time from all different species!

Really?! Normal? It's just recently started and its both torts. They are in the same room separate pens. I was wondering if they had a nasal obstruction or something like that because they like to dog when outdoor. Or they were reacting ti the hay bedding. But it DOES happen when pooping, about to eat, or eating. Also thank you so much! I tried listening to them with my Stethoscope and Im no expert but I didn't hear anything overly harsh.

 

[Tom]

Im a little concerned, my sulcatas are making a weird "quack" noise. Isn't constant. But daily and new sound. I've checked them for URI symptoms and they do not have bubbles or open mouth breathing or any of the clear symptoms for URI. It sounds like it could be a cough? Or a sneeze? They seem ti be breathing clear and nit with any increased effort. They are very alert, active, eating like champs, drinking fine, and their bowel movements and urate are normal.i managed to finally get a small video of the sound. The room they are in during unsupervised times is anywhere between 78 and 82 their pens heat lamps for basking is at least 90s. I use timothy hay or orchard grass for their bedding.

What size are the tortoises?
How many?
Living together or separate?

78 is too cool. If you are not measuring that temperature on the floor where they are, its probably much cooler down there.

Hay should never be used for bedding. Its much too dry and dusty, and this can irritate their breathing passages.

 

[DDLVT]

What size are the tortoises?
How many?
Living together or separate?

78 is too cool. If you are not measuring that temperature on the floor where they are, its probably much cooler down there.

Hay should never be used for bedding. Its much too dry and dusty, and this can irritate their breathing passages.

2 torts, 3y, when unsupervised they stay in pens in the reptile room of my house. When nice outside they are together in a larger enclosure. But the reptile room ambient temp from all the lights and heating elements is 78 to 82 their basking areas are in the 90s. I have uvb on as well as whatever sunlight they get when outside. I use hay bc they eat it, and that's what their breeder suggested. Also I don't trust them because they eat EVERYTHING, so If I use wood or other substrate im afraid they will get impacted and require foreign body surgery.

 

[Tom]

2 torts, 3y, when unsupervised they stay in pens in the reptile room of my house. When nice outside they are together in a larger enclosure. But the reptile room ambient temp from all the lights and heating elements is 78 to 82 their basking areas are in the 90s. I have uvb on as well as whatever sunlight they get when outside. I use hay bc they eat it, and that's what their breeder suggested. Also I don't trust them because they eat EVERYTHING, so If I use wood or other substrate im afraid they will get impacted and require foreign body surgery.

Pens sounds like something on the floor. Am I right? If yes, then an ambient room temp of 78 is much too cold down on the floor.

Most breeders have no idea what they are doing and give horrible advice. It's the same wrong advice that everyone learns from almost every source, except this source here on TFO. Hay is too dry and too dusty to use as substrate. If you need substrate it needs to be something safe that can be kept damp. Orchid bark, cypress mulch or coco coir. I prefer orchid bark.

If your tortoises are eating things they shouldn't be, like substrate, it indicates a dietary deficiency. What do you feed them other than the hay?

 

[DDLVT]

Pens sounds like something on the floor. Am I right? If yes, then an ambient room temp of 78 is much too cold down on the floor.

Most breeders have no idea what they are doing and give horrible advice. It's the same wrong advice that everyone learns from almost every source, except this source here on TFO. Hay is too dry and too dusty to use as substrate. If you need substrate it needs to be something safe that can be kept damp. Orchid bark, cypress mulch or coco coir. I prefer orchid bark.

If your tortoises are eating things they shouldn't be, like substrate, it indicates a dietary deficiency. What do you feed them other than the hay?

They get hay, mixed greens (spring mix no spinach) fresh grass when they graze outside, cactus pads on occasion, calcium with vitamin D3 about 1x week, strawberries on a super rare occasion (1x on like 3 or 6 months). I dont think its a diet thing. They will eat everything and anything that fits in their mouth like a toddler.

 

[JoJosMom]

Really?! Normal? It's just recently started and its both torts. They are in the same room separate pens. I was wondering if they had a nasal obstruction or something like that because they like to dog when outdoor. Or they were reacting ti the hay bedding. But it DOES happen when pooping, about to eat, or eating. Also thank you so much! I tried listening to them with my Stethoscope and Im no expert but I didn't hear anything overly harsh.

Every tortoise we have that does make that exact sound, is healthy, thriving, no mucus, no rattling, eat perfectly every day, poops everyday, and a clean bill of health. We have gone through the process with several tortoises that periodically make that sound and they have all checked out with a clean bill of health from our vet. Each tortoise we have that makes this sound periodically is in different enclosures and it does not focus on one particular housing scenario. @Tom may be able to help you further if he knows something more, he is a wise elder of the TFO, but this is our experience.

 

[DDLVT]

Every tortoise we have that does make that exact sound, is healthy, thriving, no mucus, no rattling, eat perfectly every day, poops everyday, and a clean bill of health. We have gone through the process with several tortoises that periodically make that sound and they have all checked out with a clean bill of health from our vet. Each tortoise we have that makes this sound periodically is in different enclosures and it does not focus on one particular housing scenario. @Tom may be able to help you further if he knows something more, he is a wise elder of the TFO, but this is our experience.

Thank you for your information.

 

[TammyJ]

Hi and welcome. How about some pictures of your tortoises?

 

[DDLVT]

Hi and welcome. How about some pictures of your tortoises?

ScuteyMcBooty View attachment 395500Cheese

This was them eating this morning in the reptile room.

 

[DDLVT]

Hi, finally was able to get a video of Cheese in the act of making the sound! For context they were roaming the reptile room a few minutes ago eating and exploring as it isnt suitable today for them to be outdoors. I just put them back i their pens and heard the noise. The entire hour or so they were exploring I Didnt hear the noise. I am wondering if they recting to the hay and i need to find better substrate for them. I also added an extra heat source for them to up the temps. Again I checked for bubbles and any sings of distress. But this is the video. Looks like they swallowed a couple times afterwards.might lake and appointment for the vet just to be safe. They stopped .aling the sound for a week then now just suddenly, I did just change out the hay recently.

 

[JoJosMom]

It is clearing of the throat. I am concerned though that you have those heat bulbs on them. This will burn your torts and also dry out their keratin. We recommend you use Stanfield heat mats for heat. What type of an enclosure are you putting them in? They seemed to be buried in their grass. That heat bulb is also a desiccant and will dry out the air causing them to want to clear their throat. It should only be here and there you hear them clear their throat, not constantly and on going. If I had to guess, I would say the grass they are sitting in with the heat bulb drying out the air around them could be the cause. Are they only being housed indoors? They are fairly large to be in a cage with substrate. Hay is not a good substrate to begin with. Tell me more about their housing environment and their activities…

 

[DDLVT]

It is clearing of the throat. I am concerned though that you have those heat bulbs on them. This will burn your torts and also dry out their keratin. We recommend you use Stanfield heat mats for heat. What type of an enclosure are you putting them in? They seemed to be buried in their grass. That heat bulb is also a desiccant and will dry out the air causing them to want to clear their throat. It should only be here and there you hear them clear their throat, not constantly and on going. If I had to guess, I would say the grass they are sitting in with the heat bulb drying out the air around them could be the cause. Are they only being housed indoors? They are fairly large to be in a cage with substrate. Hay is not a good substrate to begin with. Tell me more about their housing environment and their activities…

I cleaned out the enclosure of all the hay, the sound is definitely not all the time. Mostly after eating. Daily activities imcludes: baths, eating, walking around either the reptile room until they want to go back in their enclosure, or walking around outside in their pens if the weather permits. I have a UVB 5.0 on them, a ceramic heat emitter and the infrared heat bulb. My reptile room stays 78 to 82 (ambient air) the enclosure temp on the hot end is upper90s and coold end is mid/low 80s. They have fresh water daily. I am nervous about adding cypress mulch or other bedding because they eat everything. I've pulled a rock of of their mouth before and I don't want impaction. They are broght alert and responsive.

 

[JoJosMom]

I cleaned out the enclosure of all the hay, the sound is definitely not all the time. Mostly after eating. Daily activities imcludes: baths, eating, walking around either the reptile room until they want to go back in their enclosure, or walking around outside in their pens if the weather permits. I have a UVB 5.0 on them, a ceramic heat emitter and the infrared heat bulb. My reptile room stays 78 to 82 (ambient air) the enclosure temp on the hot end is upper90s and coold end is mid/low 80s. They have fresh water daily. I am nervous about adding cypress mulch or other bedding because they eat everything. I've pulled a rock of of their mouth before and I don't want impaction. They are broght alert and responsive.

Ok, the red bulb will cause them to think their substrate is food as well. I would remove it. You can use coco coir or orchard bark, rot resistant and will hold moisture for humidity. The CHE is somewhat ok for supplemental heat. It is the least of a desiccant. Your reptile room is a little cool but I can tell you that the floor is much colder than your ambient temperature. They really should have an insulated heated house outside using heat mats or oil filled radiant heater. This species likes to walk and walk and by allowing them to, will help prevent bladder stones along with proper hydration. I would definitely bring their temperatures up to around 85 degrees. When feeding their hay, try and soak it to rehydrate it. Maybe their mouths are getting too dry. What’s the humidity like in your reptile room?

 

[ryan57]

I've found that they make this sound primarily after eating and must be akin to a burp.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I've found that they make this sound primarily after eating and must be akin to a burp.

YES....Mazuri will assist in the likelihood of this happening. To me it's almost like trying to clear peanut butter from your throat. Imagine trying to clear your throat but your nostrils are in your mouth

 

[DDLVT]

@ryan57 it does sound like a burp. And is definitely more so after them eating. I am starting to mist the greens with water, hoping this will help. @JoJosMom I will be making an outdoor heated house for them as the goal is to move them outdoors completely, and eventually. I have seen oil filled radiator heaters, and am familiar with the heat panels. Thabjs again for all your info!