This can't be right! (breathing)

[erica anne]

I have taken Franklin to the vet and he brushed it off but the way Franklin is breathing concerns me. He seems active with a healthy appetite and there is not any drainage coming from his nose.

Here is a link to a video I made so you can hear what it sounds like:

http://youtu.be/wgfCtV09Dps

This is my first time trying to post a video so I hope it works...

Thank you for any feedback you can give me!

 

[lisa127]

RE: This can't be right!

Well, I don't have a sulcata or even a tortoise. My experience is with box turtles. But I do have a box turtle that breathes similar to that but only when he is excited or exerting himself. When he is begging for food, climbing on logs, hunting for worms I will hear it. But not when sitting still. He as well has not had any discharge or any other signs of illness. But Franklin seems to be doing it quite a bit for a tort that is sitting still. So maybe someone who keeps large tort's can give you their opinion. Sorry that wasn't much help!

 

[Tom]

RE: This can't be right!

It is not unusual for sulcatas to have some breathing noises like this especially during fall and winter.

Where are you? What are the temps in that shed overnight? Air temps, away from the heat mat?

Mine used to do that every winter when I used those plastic rubbermade sheds and a heat mat too. Since I switched to these: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html , they don't do it anymore.

Sulcatas can survive lower temps. My contention has always been that I don't think lower temps are "optimal" for them.

 

[erica anne]

RE: This can't be right!

We are in Phoenix Az. Away from the heat mat temps are 80 degrees, there is a CHE hanging over a corner of the heat mat that registers 90 degrees.

I was concerned that it was either a blockage or that the air was too dry. He only started this recently and it somewhat dissipates as he gets up and moves around.

I am working on an enclosure similar to yours Tom, maybe it holds humidity in better?

 

[Tom]

RE: This can't be right!

With those temps, you should be ok. Maybe its just due to the colder drier outside air that comes with winter. I was just there in Mesa last week, and the mornings and nights were pretty cool. It seems that this sort of thing is caused by a drop in overall temps.

If all else is good, and your temps in the shelter are plenty warm, I would not worry too much.

 

[erica anne]

RE: This can't be right!

With those temps, you should be ok. Maybe its just due to the colder drier outside air that comes with winter. I was just there in Mesa last week, and the mornings and nights were pretty cool. It seems that this sort of thing is caused by a drop in overall temps.

If all else is good, and your temps in the shelter are plenty warm, I would not worry too much.

That puts my mind at ease. Thank you!!

 

[lisa127]

RE: This can't be right!

With those temps, you should be ok. Maybe its just due to the colder drier outside air that comes with winter. I was just there in Mesa last week, and the mornings and nights were pretty cool. It seems that this sort of thing is caused by a drop in overall temps.

If all else is good, and your temps in the shelter are plenty warm, I would not worry too much.

Not to steal the thread.....but Tom, it's funny you say this. I have a senior aged blue tongued skink lizard that has lived with me almost 15 years. I've noticed the last two falls and winters (but not spring, summer) him making breathing noises that caused me concern. As a result, I keep him slightly warmer on his cool side and during the night than I did in his younger days.

 

[Tom]

RE: This can't be right!

Yeah. I think this sort of thing happens when we keep tropical animals in temperate climates. We all do our best with artificial heat sources and enclosure parameters, but the animals seem to still react to the changing weather and seasons sometimes. Most of the species that do well in captivity, like sulcatas and BTS, tend to be very adaptable to a wide variety of conditions.

 

[Mick.Ire]

RE: This can't be right!

totally normal breathing noise. Our big girls do the same and so long as the nose is dry you've nothing to worry about. And check out that big yawn

 

[sibi]

RE: This can't be right!

Mine would periodically do that even during the summer months. I used a mild saline solution (baby saline) and flushed their nose with it. Also, raising the ambient temps to 85-90 with a humidifier helped a whole lot. I figured it would be similar to human's sinus allergies. Like Tom said, nothing to worry about so long as you do some minor corrections with heat.

 

[erica anne]

RE: This can't be right!

totally normal breathing noise. Our big girls do the same and so long as the nose is dry you've nothing to worry about. And check out that big yawn

That is great to hear. I was imagining horrible possible causes for this! I couldn't have had better luck with that yawn being caught on video. I never get tired of seeing cute tortoise yawns!!

 

[FeZZek]

Gotta tell ya... I love this forum and how helpful everyone is. Great advice everyone and totally agree...Play with that humidity and temp a bit. My torts do the same occasionally with no ill effects. Good luck!