Tortoise has been wheezing his whole life

tabithasosa

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Jul 29, 2020
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Phoenix, AZ
Hi guys, so I have a sulcata tortoise who I’ve had for about a couple years now. He was originally my sisters but she did not take care of him at all. When I received him, he had closed eyes, DIDNT move very much, barely ate, etc. she kept in him a very small enclosure. Well ever since I’ve had him, he walks around, his eyes r open, he eats a TON! He seems and looks very happy but one thing hasn’t changed since I got him and that is his wheezing. When he breathes, it’s quite loud I feel and he wheezes at night(well that’s when it’s most noticeable) he’s been wheezing like this for quite some time, at first I might have thought this was normal since I received him like this and he acts perfectly normal he just wheezes. He has no drainage, no red or puffy eyes, no other signs of a respiratory infection. And mind you, he’s been wheezing for more than 3 years because he was with my sister. Well last night, in the middle of the night, I heard him make a loud weird noise, not sure how to describe it. It sounded like a lot of air and a squeal. I saw him do it again and his mouth was open. It looked like he was burping, idk if tortoises can do that. I’m Starting to think something might be wrong with his tummy?

Some background info: He’s a juvenile tortoise I believe, I don’t know his exact age because idk when my sister got him. He does have pyramiding on his shell. I soak him once a week.
his poops and pees Are fine but I do notice sometimes he struggles with pooping, like it’s hard for him. I can see his legs squirming to try and get the poop out almost like he’s constipated. I feed him romane lettuce, kale, and cactus. I’ve tried doing all the research to try and take care of him the best I can, but I’m afraid something is really wrong with him.
I plan on taking him to the vet soon but does anyone have any tips or ideas on what might be wrong with him?
 

Golden Greek Tortoise 567

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I’m sorry that I can’t help you with the health of your tort but I would give this care sheet a read just to make sure everything in your sulcata’s care is correct. Welcome to TFO, great place here and I would love to see some pics of your tort! ?
 

Maro2Bear

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Greetings. Try to upload some pix of your sully. Do you soak him at all? A good daily or every other day will help. Also, what kind of enclosure do you have set up for both day & night? Does it sleep outside in an insulated/heated night box?

Upload some pix of everything.... good luck.
 
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saleena.lewis

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Could possibly be a respiratory infection. I am no where near an expert but that's all I can come up with. Could we have a picture of him and a picture of his enclosure? This may be a job for the vet but i'm not sure... keep us updated.
 

Yvonne G

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Sitting in a tub of water he can't get out of, for a long time seems helpful to tortoises that "aren't quite right."
 

Yvonne G

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If you can get your vet to write a prescription I've had good luck with adding this to a sickly tortoise's soaking water: Oxytetracycline
 

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