Turtle is streatching neck, gaping, and making the sound!

omhoge

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Finally it's Spring! The Turtle made it through our deep freezes unscathed.
Most things continue the same. The main sign has been that he just seems more tired.
He's been eating and pooping, he still walks around a bit and will find a spot and stay put,
sometimes after his bath he'll just stay where I place him till it's time to eat again.

Feeding often takes more time lately, he has gotten unpredictable in his pickiness.
Even if I give him what he gobbled down at the last feeding, he's just as likely to turn his beak up at it,
and I have to make him a second choice meal.

He seems to know now when it's medication time, and won't like me touching his legs at all,
usually he doesn't mind, but the actual injection itself doesn't seem to bother him once it's done.

We're still in long term care mode, he generally seems comfortable, but less active.
I'll keep an lookout to see if he perks up as the season progresses.
Thanks to all his friends here for keeping him in your thoughts!
 

omhoge

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Hi Shirely, thank you. Of course, I couldn't find the one l'd like to share, but I'll upload one from after a bath.
diego on towel image copy.jpeg
He's actually walked out to his food a couple times since the season turned!

More active, still stationary most of the day but there's been an increase of him talking walks around his pen or room on the weekends when he's out most of the time.

This was the first year we observed World Turtle Day, and it was very special to have him with us.
 

vladimir

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Hi Shirely, thank you. Of course, I couldn't find the one l'd like to share, but I'll upload one from after a bath.
View attachment 273472
He's actually walked out to his food a couple times since the season turned!

More active, still stationary most of the day but there's been an increase of him talking walks around his pen or room on the weekends when he's out most of the time.

This was the first year we observed World Turtle Day, and it was very special to have him with us.
So nice to finally put such a cute face to the Turtle [emoji173]️
 

ShirleyTX

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Thank you for sharing the Turtle with us. Your patience and dedication are truly an inspiration to all of us! I'd love a photo from time to time, if you have room for it in your schedule. :)
 

KarenSoCal

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Wow! I don't know how I've missed this thread for so long, but I just read all 146 posts.

What a marvelous story of love, dedication, and perseverance! With so much in today's world that tears us down, I feel lifted up and rejuvenated by this tale of a turtle, and the man who adores him.

Thank you!
 

omhoge

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Thank you, everyone! KarenSoCal, it's been one of the lengthiest long-term relationships we've had. He's such a good turtle, though I swear he saves up so he can leave mess in the travel bag.

The Summer heat waves have been rough on his keepers, but The Turtle loves it. He's had a noticeable upswing.

He's walking around even more, and hasn't bubbled after eating in a few weeks. Every morning and evening he's been out at his food spot waiting before I can get his meal ready. When he's out, he's come to sit by our feet a few times before going to find a hiding spot.

In addition to the joyous poops, he's been more active and doing new stuff in his bath. He started streatching his neck out and lifing his head reallly high. Not gaping and seeming calm, I thought he was looking around, but I think he's actually sniffing around. The real surprise is several times now he's managed to climb up onto the edge of his bath basin and gotten his front legs over it. Either he's grown or his nails are gripping worn spots he's made in the basin over the years.

He still tires out quickly, sometimes stopping in the middle of the floor, giving up on wherever he was going, and continues to drool. Every once in a while he'll gape after a very active bath. The honking hasn't happened much at all since Summer stated.

It's actually made the high heat and humidity welcomed.
 

ShirleyTX

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I’m always a little apprehensive when I see an update to this thread. But The Turtle continues to demonstrate why turtles have survived for 200 million years. I am especially tickled at the thought of him with his front feet on the side of his bath.
 

omhoge

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It's been a rough week. The turtle was doing so amazingly better, last week I thought it would be a good week to let him have a break from his shots and give his system a rest. The Vet had said at some point I may want to try this. He was a bit slower over the weekend but didn't seem a lot worse till yesterday.
He's skipped two meals and is just been limp. I resumed the shots Monday, and had to give him his cough syrup tonight because he was more congested than he's been in a long time. I'd already scheduled a Vet visit for tomorrow, and though he's not as perky as when I made the appointment, I'm still planning on taking him.
I hope the short medicine break hasn't tipped the scales inside of him. Keeping watch and keeping hope.
 

ShirleyTX

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I hope you are not second guessing yourself. I have wondered off and on if the turtle would need a med break at some point. If there ever has been a chelonian who can tipped the scales back, it is your turtle. Please let us know how he is in the morning, and what the vet has to say. Will keep hope with you.
 

omhoge

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He was super koncked out this morning, I held him and petted him awake. I gave him pure treat food and he's gobbling it up. Fingers crossed for trip to Vet this evening. Thank you ShirleryTX.
 

ShirleyTX

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How wonderful it must be for the turtle to wake up in your hand, being petted and getting warmed up. Not feeling well and having your magic fingers appear with his favorite treats. Have a warm light to sit near while he waits for you to return and pack him up for a vet trip. Hoping hoping hoping...…..
 

omhoge

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The Vet visit was stressful but good, if not entirely definitive, we agreed any sedation is out of the question so biopsies and surgical procedures just aren't an option.

His weight and size are the same.

We discussed his decline after a break in the meds, it's possible the large mass is a type of encapsulated infection (I forget the medical term for it.). We're continuing the Fortaz. When I use up what I have, she said to talk to her about another antibiotic she's having success with in reptiles that only requires an injection every ten days instead of every three. The drooling is probably congestion, and I'll keep using his expectorant when he sounds really phlegmy.

The sore on his neck may have started as a dry spot in a fold of his neck skin, the Vet says she's seen that a lot, but she didn't think the black stuff looked like a normal scab, and it bleeds more than it should when it opens. A chronic sore could turn into a type of lesion, but given the fact it hasn't changed shape or size, it's not malignant. It's still very disconcerting when it opens and she suggested trying liquid skin on it the next time the crust comes off, and the topical creams as needed to keep it protected and as supple as possible. Since we're continuing the shots, she's not concerned about a deep skin infection. He's also been getting a kind of orange "dust" on his front legs which I cannot account for. It could be fungal. So she started us on a Betadine medicated bath for the "dust" and as a treatment for the sore. I have to add the medicine to one of his daily baths and make sure his neck gets washed with it.

We discussed the extreme stretching and gapping/gasping that happened the day I took off work to stay with him. I still haven't figure out what triggered it, and it remains infrequent. She wasn't entirely sure either, it could be something shifts or expands in his bath. But noted that if it becomes continuous he'll stop eating. Complete refusal to eat remains the signal to schedule his final visit.

The Vet pointed out puffy congestion under his eyes I've not noticed before. It went away soon after we got home, and I'm chalking that up to office visit stress.
The Turtle was pretty cooperative, he responds well to her, and she got a look at as much as possible in a noninvasive examination. She encouraged me to not be as shy about it any more and scrub him on his legs and the front part of his shell (the intergular?) under his head. His morning routine is turning into a full 1950's spa day. His nails and beak looked OK. He rebounded from the trip within 24 hours.

He's been improving since the med break though not as active as he was before it, but has been eating more normally again, and is a bit more active. The weather has started to cool off and we heading into the season change, which might be contributing as well.

We spent a least half an hour with her, probably more, and were never rushed, she stayed till I was sure we'd talked through everything we needed to.
Twice she said: "I can't believe I'm seeing him again. I really didn't expect to."
 
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KarenSoCal

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The Vet visit was stressful but good, if not entirely definitive, we agreed any sedation is out of the question so biopsies and surgical procedures just aren't an option.

His weight and size are the same.

We discussed his decline after a break in the meds, it's possible the large mass is a type of encapsulated infection (I forget the medical term for it.). We're continuing the Fortaz. When I use up what I have, she said to talk to her about another antibiotic she's having success with in reptiles that only requires an injection every ten days instead of every three. The drooling is probably congestion, and I'll keep using his expectorant when he sounds really phlegmy.

The sore on his neck may have started as a dry spot in a fold of his neck skin, the Vet says she's seen that a lot, but she didn't think the black stuff looked like a normal scab, and it bleeds more than it should when it opens. A chronic sore could turn into a type of lesion, but given the fact it hasn't changed shape or size, it's not malignant. It's still very disconcerting when it opens and she suggested trying liquid skin on it the next time the crust comes off, and the topical creams as needed to keep it protected and as supple as possible. Since we're continuing the shots, she's not concerned about a deep skin infection. He's also been getting a kind of orange "dust" on his front legs which I cannot account for. It could be fungal. So she started us on a Betadine medicated bath for the "dust" and as a treatment for the sore. I have to add the medicine to one of his daily baths and make sure his neck gets washed with it.

We discussed the extreme stretching and gapping/gasping that happened the day I took off work to stay with him. I still haven't figure out what triggered it, and it remains infrequent. She wasn't entirely sure either, it could be something shifts or expands in his bath. But noted that if it becomes continuous he'll stop eating. Complete refusal to eat remains the signal to schedule his final visit.

The Vet pointed out puffy congestion under his eyes I've not noticed before. It went away soon after we got home, and I'm chalking that up to office visit stress.
The Turtle was pretty cooperative, he responds well to her, and she got a look at as much as possible in a noninvasive examination. She encouraged me to not be as shy about it any more and scrub him on his legs and the front part of his shell (the intergular?) under his head. His morning routine is turning into a full 1950's spa day. His nails and beak looked OK. He rebounded from the trip within 24 hours.

He's been improving since the med break though not as active as he was before it, but has been eating more normally again, and is a bit more active. The weather has started to cool off and we heading into the season change, which might be contributing as well.

We spent a least half an hour with her, probably more, and were never rushed, she stayed till I was sure we'd talked through everything we needed to.
Twice she said: "I can't believe I'm seeing him again. I really didn't expect to."
Wow! What a great update!
I'm so glad he is improving again. I think "The Turtle" should be "The Wonder Turtle"!
 

omhoge

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Thank you KarenSoCal, he's pretty amazing.

And usually very cooperative.
But I have to say, putting liquid bandage on his neck by myself was not exactly easy.
We'll see how this works out.

He's gotten closer to his "New Normal - Summer Phase",
but has been propping himself up on his stones more this week.

fingers crossed.
 
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KarenSoCal

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Thank you KarenSoCal, he's pretty amazing.

And usually very cooperative.
But I have to say, putting liquid bandage on his neck by myself was not exactly easy.
We'll see how this works.
I have that same problem! Trying to medicate by myself! Simple ear drops in a cat...I put my foot across her chest, my hand clamps her neck, while I try to manage her eyedrops with the other hand.
 

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