Taking leopard tortoise to the vets.

[Megatron's Mom]

Ok I've tried all the suggestions and Megatron is still not eating. She was up to 133g Nov 19th and now at 128g as of Dec 10th.

I called around and found a vet that sees tortoises. I'm paranoid at the same time as I know from reading on here how outdated many vets are.

Anything I should not let them do?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Ok I've tried all the suggestions and Megatron is still not eating. She was up to 133g Nov 19th and now at 128g as of Dec 10th.

I called around and found a vet that sees tortoises. I'm paranoid at the same time as I know from reading on here how outdated many vets are.

Anything I should not let them do?

No vitamin injections
If the vet even mentions one, quietly get up and leave.
That's verification that this vet is just reading some old books and doesn't have a clue

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Ok I've tried all the suggestions and Megatron is still not eating. She was up to 133g Nov 19th and now at 128g as of Dec 10th.

I called around and found a vet that sees tortoises. I'm paranoid at the same time as I know from reading on here how outdated many vets are.

Anything I should not let them do?

Yes I absolutely agree with Zeropilot.
NOOOOOOO INJECTIONS!!!!
Under no circumstances agree to injections.
Blood work is ok.
But don’t let them “talk you into anything”.
(I lived and I learned the hard way).
Most everything that is wrong or broken with a tortoise is fixed by changing husbandry, heating, and lighting things.
Medications can be given in pill or liquid forms nowadays… please keep us posted tomorrow!! Even if you post directly from the vets for advice! Hopefully someone here will be able to reply quickly.
Good luck!
You are in my prayers tonight.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

No vitamin injections
If the vet even mentions one, quietly get up and leave.
That's verification that this vet is just reading some old books and doesn't have a clue

Thank you, I am well prepared on no vitamin injections. I'm hoping he can check her eyes and throat. if that is even possible. Maybe parasites or coccidia. Just something that maybe other then time. I'm fearful of missing something. Plus if it is from the bad UVB maybe eye drops or something to make her feel better.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Yes I absolutely agree with Zeropilot.
NOOOOOOO INJECTIONS!!!!
Under no circumstances agree to injections.
Blood work is ok.
But don’t let them “talk you into anything”.
(I lived and I learned the hard way).
Most everything that is wrong or broken with a tortoise is fixed by changing husbandry, heating, and lighting things.
Medications can be given in pill or liquid forms nowadays… please keep us posted tomorrow!! Even if you post directly from the vets for advice! Hopefully someone here will be able to reply quickly.
Good luck!
You are in my prayers tonight.

Thank you, I won't let them do the injections. I picked up some more carrot, sweet potato baby food for her soaking too. I'll post here once we get back home.

 

[TammyJ]

Waiting and sending best wishes.

 

[Yvonne G]

I want to emphasize what chefdenoel said, "ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG OR BROKEN WITH A TORTOISE CAN BE FIXED BY CHANGING HUSBANDRY, HEATING AND LIGHTING THINGS!!!!!"

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Antibiotic injection is what she is talking about. Not baitryl but sephlosporin. Should I push for oral

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Oh and eye drops neomycin polymyxin b sulfate

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Ok no injections, good thing I'm allergic to cephalosporins l. They changed the medicine to an oral. Oxytetracycline.

 

[zovick]

Ok no injections, good thing I'm allergic to cephalosporins l. They changed the medicine to an oral. Oxytetracycline.

It is MUCH harder to dose a tortoise properly with oral antibiotics. Often they taste bad and are spit out, even if on a favorite food item. You never really know how much they are getting. Good luck.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

It is MUCH harder to dose a tortoise properly with oral antibiotics. Often they taste bad and are spit out, even if on a favorite food item. You never really know how much they are getting. Good luck.

Thanks, yes I can see that. But the fact that the injections would cause inflation and soreness. I wanted to avoid that. Since I am allergic to the other I will just do my best.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Ok back to fully update if anyone is interested.

So we got in to the only Vet around us and well I'm happy she was seen by someone who actually has a tortoise. She has an 80lb sulcata. Sadly she is not up to date but not horrible out of date either. Better then nothing if I ever need her for anything.

She asked what was going on and what I suspected. I told her about the issue with the bad UVB light I started with. Told her I was worried about her eyes as I didn't know if the light hurt them or not. Of course Megatron would not open her eyes. She gave me a ointment for them to be safe.

She wanted to give me injections of a cephalosporin but as I'm allergic to that she went back to figure it out. She gave me Oxytetracycline. She had to dilute it but it's a daily dose. I can give it orally. I wish would have knew that the stuff is the same stuff I already have in the house for the chickens. I could have saved a ton of money.

Anyways, I left there with two pages of care guides that are atrocious. They even say you can house 2 tortoises in a 3x6 enclosure. Tells you that the night time temps can be down to 70. Well my house didn't get down to 70 but it did hit the mid 70's a few nights. This is what I did before I found this forum and between the bad UVB light and low temps is what landed my poor tort in the gutter. The page goes on about giving fruits even and nothing about humidity.

First dose of antibiotic was successfully given orally. I know all too well how this stuff can damage the tissues at the injection site. We use it with our chickens too. I also give it to them orally because of that.

Now one extra question is about electrolytes. I have chicken electrolytes I saw some threads on ppl using them, I also have drops for myself too. Which one would be the better in her soaks. I'm also going to start soaking her 3 times if I can swing it as it sure won't hurt.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Antibiotic injection is what she is talking about. Not baitryl but sephlosporin. Should I push for oral

No! Any injection will sting like a you know what! She can get antibiotics another way. There are pills there is liquid of all the pills they don’t really like.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Ok no injections, good thing I'm allergic to cephalosporins l. They changed the medicine to an oral. Oxytetracycline.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Ok back to fully update if anyone is interested.

So we got in to the only Vet around us and well I'm happy she was seen by someone who actually has a tortoise. She has an 80lb sulcata. Sadly she is not up to date but not horrible out of date either. Better then nothing if I ever need her for anything.

She asked what was going on and what I suspected. I told her about the issue with the bad UVB light I started with. Told her I was worried about her eyes as I didn't know if the light hurt them or not. Of course Megatron would not open her eyes. She gave me a ointment for them to be safe.

She wanted to give me injections of a cephalosporin but as I'm allergic to that she went back to figure it out. She gave me Oxytetracycline. She had to dilute it but it's a daily dose. I can give it orally. I wish would have knew that the stuff is the same stuff I already have in the house for the chickens. I could have saved a ton of money.

Anyways, I left there with two pages of care guides that are atrocious. They even say you can house 2 tortoises in a 3x6 enclosure. Tells you that the night time temps can be down to 70. Well my house didn't get down to 70 but it did hit the mid 70's a few nights. This is what I did before I found this forum and between the bad UVB light and low temps is what landed my poor tort in the gutter. The page goes on about giving fruits even and nothing about humidity.

First dose of antibiotic was successfully given orally. I know all too well how this stuff can damage the tissues at the injection site. We use it with our chickens too. I also give it to them orally because of that.

Now one extra question is about electrolytes. I have chicken electrolytes I saw some threads on ppl using them, I also have drops for myself too. Which one would be the better in her soaks. I'm also going to start soaking her 3 times if I can swing it as it sure won't hurt.

It’s 11 o’clock in New Jersey and I’m very late going to bed but I wanted to say two things. Number one it made me laugh out loud when you were talking about the paper she gave you. I got those same sheets. I swear the veterinarians hand them out to each other! The care on them is so horrific I wouldn’t dare suggest it to anyone and I feel bad for the veterinarians that use those methods and think they actually work. Second and lastly I want to let you know I use Pedialyte unflavored in the baby aisle from ShopRite. $4.99. It’s all the electrolytes you need and you just pour it into one of her soaks. Try to get like five bottles and use one a day. Maybe it’s best if you soak her three times a day but only use the Pedialyte once and make that one the longer bath. That’s what I did and it seemed to work. Good luck I still need updates and you’re still in my prayers.
There is an eye ornament that Yvonne speaks about that is very good for helping moisturize and I think Soothes the eyes But I’m so tired I can’t think of the name of it. Please look it up on this site its here somewhere. Triglyceride or something like that it comes in a blue bottle and sold on Amazon. And it’s cheap.!!

 

[TammyJ]

That would be eye ointment. @Yvonne G .

 

[Megatron's Mom]

It’s 11 o’clock in New Jersey and I’m very late going to bed but I wanted to say two things. Number one it made me laugh out loud when you were talking about the paper she gave you. I got those same sheets. I swear the veterinarians hand them out to each other! The care on them is so horrific I wouldn’t dare suggest it to anyone and I feel bad for the veterinarians that use those methods and think they actually work. Second and lastly I want to let you know I use Pedialyte unflavored in the baby aisle from ShopRite. $4.99. It’s all the electrolytes you need and you just pour it into one of her soaks. Try to get like five bottles and use one a day. Maybe it’s best if you soak her three times a day but only use the Pedialyte once and make that one the longer bath. That’s what I did and it seemed to work. Good luck I still need updates and you’re still in my prayers.
There is an eye ornament that Yvonne speaks about that is very good for helping moisturize and I think Soothes the eyes But I’m so tired I can’t think of the name of it. Please look it up on this site its here somewhere. Triglyceride or something like that it comes in a blue bottle and sold on Amazon. And it’s cheap.!!

It was crazy I thought ok she has a tortoise maybe she's done her homework. Sadly she has not. She was also telling me how the FDA has these guys regulated and surprised to see me with one so small. Telling me that they can't sell them under 4 inches. I had to Google it because I saw so many ppl post about getting a hatchling. I couldn't find where she got that from but I didn't look too hard either. She also feels that Megatron is a boy and was showing the tech why it's so hard when they are this young and small.

I think the eye ointment is helping. Megatron had her eyes open much more today. We got her second dose in with no issues. My older daughter says all thanks to opening chicks tiny beaks has made her a pro at medicating tiny creatures.

Soaking Megatron this morning and this afternoon. More moving around then even just yesterday. Even if it's just a tiny bit more. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

It was nice seeing her head completely out of her shell and looking around. The first time in days that she had her eyes open this long.

Thanks for the prayers.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

What a cutie!!!
She’s just a little booger!
If I remember correctly the “Wet Pets” store that sold me my “hinge back” Tortoise
(That turned out to be a baby Sulcata )
They told me by law no one is allowed to
“Sell” a tortoise that’s under 4 months old.
Nothing about their weight???
Mine was just 4 months old at that time and they made me wait another week for safety..?
Now… 23 years later I can’t even imagine my Sally ever weighing 4oz.!?
She up to 118lbs!

Keep up the good work mama!
Things look like they are changing for the better! Keep soaking.
Good thoughts, good prayers, good luck!

 

[Megatron's Mom]

What a cutie!!!
She’s just a little booger!
If I remember correctly the “Wet Pets” store that sold me my “hinge back” Tortoise
(That turned out to be a baby Sulcata )
They told me by law no one is allowed to
“Sell” a tortoise that’s under 4 months old.
Nothing about their weight???
Mine was just 4 months old at that time and they made me wait another week for safety..?
Now… 23 years later I can’t even imagine my Sally ever weighing 4oz.!?
She up to 118lbs!

Keep up the good work mama!
Things look like they are changing for the better! Keep soaking.
Good thoughts, good prayers, good luck!

Thank you, Megatron was almost 7 months according to the guy. I got her at a reptile expo. Probably not the best way to go about it. I was actually looking for Milk frogs for my youngest. Seems frogs are heavily regulated in Arkansas so no one at the expo had any. They all told me the same thing about Arkansas crazy laws. So I'm sure they wouldn't have had a tortoise they couldn't sell there. They would have been shut down.