Tortoise with spasm/stretching

[Tes]

Hi! Since three weeks we have two star tortoises in our terrarium at home (they're three months old). We keep the humidity level at 80%, temperature underneath the basking lamp approximately 38/39 degrees Celcius and in the 'cool area' 25 C. We have an UVB lamp and give them a variety of food such as grasses, succulent, endive, lamb lettuce, and weeds that we find outside. We supplement this with calcium and Vitamine D3, and we give them daily soaks in 28 degrees Celcius of 15/20 minutes.
However, since one week one of them has some kind of spasms (unsure how to call them), that you can see in this video on Youtube:

It stretches its head quickly in and out the shell, stands high on its front legs and sometimes skewed towards one side. It really looks like the tortoise is in pain, we went to the vet and he didn't think it was anything special, but I'm still a bit worried. Do some of you recognise this behaviour and perhaps have any suggestions on what to do?
Overall the tortoise is doing well, really active and eating a lot.

 

[zovick]

Hi! Since three weeks we have two star tortoises in our terrarium at home (they're three months old). We keep the humidity level at 80%, temperature underneath the basking lamp approximately 38/39 degrees Celcius and in the 'cool area' 25 C. We have an UVB lamp and give them a variety of food such as grasses, succulent, endive, lamb lettuce, and weeds that we find outside. We supplement this with calcium and Vitamine D3, and we give them daily soaks in 28 degrees Celcius of 15/20 minutes.
However, since one week one of them has some kind of spasms (unsure how to call them), that you can see in this video on Youtube:

It stretches its head quickly in and out the shell, stands high on its front legs and sometimes skewed towards one side. It really looks like the tortoise is in pain, we went to the vet and he didn't think it was anything special, but I'm still a bit worried. Do some of you recognise this behaviour and perhaps have any suggestions on what to do?
Overall the tortoise is doing well, really active and eating a lot.

I have had tortoises do that same thing. It is usually because they are trying to get something out of their throat and/or trying to swallow it and can't quite get it down. Does it seem to do this after it has eaten?

Maybe cutting the food up very small for it would help.

Other times, it seems unrelated to anything that I can determine would be a cause, but the tortoises which have done this behavior in my collection have never had any bad results and all went on to live long healthy lives.

 

[Tes]

I have had tortoises do that same thing. It is usually because they are trying to get something out of their throat and/or trying to swallow it and can't quite get it down. Does it seem to do this after it has eaten?

Maybe cutting the food up very small for it would help.

Other times, it seems unrelated to anything that I can determine would be a cause, but the tortoises which have done this behavior in my collection have never had any bad results and all went on to live long healthy lives.

Thank you for your reply! I'll look into it whether it's related to eating, as I haven't thought about that link so far.
Good to hear that others have noticed the same, and that it hasn't impacted the health of the tortoise. Thanks!

 

[Dovis Sim]

Thank you for your reply! I'll look into it whether it's related to eating, as I haven't thought about that link so far.
Good to hear that others have noticed the same, and that it hasn't impacted the health of the tortoise. Thanks!

This is happening to my russian tortoise. I fear it may be a respiatary infection

 

[Tes]

This is happening to my russian tortoise. I fear it may be a respiatary infection

Perhaps if you start your own thread, explaining the symptoms and how you are housing the tortoise (lights, temperaturen, etc) other people can help you out?

 

[Dovis Sim]

Perhaps if you start your own thread, explaining the symptoms and how you are housing the tortoise (lights, temperaturen, etc) other people can help you out?

Im full on sure its a respiatary infection, going vet today.

 

[Sarah2020]

Respiratory tends to happen when there is inadequate heat similar to us catching a cold. Water soak temp should be 33 to 35 C so 28 is cold and while their in, it will drop so they could be in water of under 20 C! Whilst tortoise pairs look cute they are loaners and can stress each other out. If you see one sitting on top of the other that is the dominant one. Just observe for negative behaviour including flipping and biting When I watch the video it looks to me as if it is trying to dislodge something in the neck area. Just have a check there is nothing logged and all clear.

 

[Lyn W]

Please start your own thread about this to get more responses from very experienced keepers who could help you.
Post pics of your enclosure with lamps so that we can see if there's anything that could be affecting him.
Is your vet a tort specialist? General vets often have limited knowledge of tort medicine and are not always helpful so look for a good herp vet.