Tortoise movement

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

Hello I recently received a baby eastern Hermann tortoise. He is doing great eating and stuff like that but I have a question about this movement he is doing. He sorta flinches every now and then when basking. Like he almost looks like he is going to vomit. He hasn’t been vomiting and he bas been moving around great. I just remodeled his home or repti bark. Here is him now. He sorta of flinches his neck and head forward from time to time.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

He is just breathing heavily. It can be fairly visible with babies, since tortoises don't have diaphragms.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Check this out, it is a common question:

Why do my tortoise's legs move when he's resting?

We hear from Madkins007 that tortoises cannot move their ribcages or diaphragms to breathe, so they 'sag' their limbs in and out. They don't need a lot of air so you don't always notice it. And from Dr. Simon Girling - Turtles and tortoises use their head, neck and limbs as bellows, moving them...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

Check this out, it is a common question:

Why do my tortoise's legs move when he's resting?

We hear from Madkins007 that tortoises cannot move their ribcages or diaphragms to breathe, so they 'sag' their limbs in and out. They don't need a lot of air so you don't always notice it. And from Dr. Simon Girling - Turtles and tortoises use their head, neck and limbs as bellows, moving them...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you. I was worried haha. I’m gonna check it out.

 

[zovick]

Hello I recently received a baby eastern Hermann tortoise. He is doing great eating and stuff like that but I have a question about this movement he is doing. He sorta flinches every now and then when basking. Like he almost looks like he is going to vomit. He hasn’t been vomiting and he bas been moving around great. I just remodeled his home or repti bark. Here is him now. He sorta of flinches his neck and head forward from time to time.

It could possibly be a sign of a respiratory problem, and the tortoise is moving its head in and out to help air move into the lungs. Keep an eye out for any nasal discharge (bubbles from the nostrils).

 

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

It could possibly be a sign of a respiratory problem, and the tortoise is moving its head in and out to help air move into the lungs. Keep an eye out for any nasal discharge (bubbles from the nostrils).

Gotcha thank you. What should I do to help that? His habitat gets to around 90% humidity at night but the temps stay near the mid to low 70’s. I got a ceramic heat emitter I just have to install it.

 

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

It could possibly be a sign of a respiratory problem, and the tortoise is moving its head in and out to help air move into the lungs. Keep an eye out for any nasal discharge (bubbles from the nostrils).

He started doing it after I changed his habitat around. Added some reptibark and moved some stuff around.

 

[TammyJ]

I don't think the night temperature should be lower than 80 degrees F, especially with 90 percent humidity. Too cold and wet=RI.

 

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

I don't think the night temperature should be lower than 80 degrees F, especially with 90 percent humidity. Too cold and wet=RI.

Thank you. I am setting up a ceramic heat emitter tonight

 

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

I don't think the night temperature should be lower than 80 degrees F, especially with 90 percent humidity. Too cold and wet=RI.

Should I still soak him everyday?

 

[TammyJ]

Should I still soak him everyday?

Yes.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Should I still soak him everyday?

As long as he dries p well, soaking isn't a concern in terms of RI.

 

[The_TurtleArkangel_Raph]

As long as he dries p well, soaking isn't a concern in terms of RI.

Thank you for the information. I appreciate that!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Thank you for the information. I appreciate that!

I wanted to elaborate that I don't know any specific numbers, but basically the danger seems to be soaking your tortoise right before his lighting and heating goes to night mode leaving the tortoise still wet when going to sleep. This paired up with night temperatures might pose a risk.

So make sure that your tortoise dries up afterwards.

 

[TammyJ]

I think that being wet should not be a problem at all, as long as the tortoise is not COLD as well. Wet and warm is fine. What's a warm soak? Wet and warm. Night temps should be WARM, whether the tortoise is wet or dry.