wheezy

[sue white]

Can anyone shed light on this? After I came back from a 5 day trip to see family 2 weeks ago I noticed my 1 year old redfoot had started a light wheezing sound when drawing into her shell . Petsitter made no comment about any issues she might of had while I was gone that might have started this. I've used this petsitter 3 times before but who knows what goes on when I'm gone Took to vet, who said one lung sounded a bit congested and heat in her hide should stay around 84 degrees to help her. Tortoise was given antibiotics shots. Through this she has still eaten really good,no eye or nasal issues. When I got back from visiting family I did have some trouble with keeping humidity around 70 %.Sometimes it went as low 58 during nite before I caught it. Heat stayed good around 84-86 degrees.Been Soaking every day since this happened.She's really wheezy today so Thought that it might be that the moss she hides in too dry because of humidity problem so redid her enclosure today to cut out any irritants that might be a cause.She sees the vet again tomorrow. Still eating good I am worried.

 

[wellington]

They do make a noise when they pull their head in.
Otherwise, I would assume it must have gotten cold while you were gone, is that possible? Hope all turns out good.

 

[teresaf]

I doubt LOW humidity would ever cause this kind of problem. High humidity would if temps were too low. Mostly, RIs are a result of temps too low. When a tortoise gets scared/startled they will draw all their limbs into their shell at once which pushes the air out at the same time to make room. This sounds like a hiss...

 

[sue white]

thanks this is food for thought Do you think that it was coming on before the 5 days that I was gone?

 

[sue white]

just got back from vet. She wants me to use only newspaper as substrate for now .Anyone ever heard of this.How would you keep humidity up??

 

[teresaf]

Keeping humidity up isn't as important while he's convalescing..may be better if the humidity is a bit lower. Need to dry out his lungs... I'm not a vet though. I wouldn't put a water dish in with him though because there's no way to sink it into the substrate. However you can soak twice a day so he keeps hydrated. Soak in his enclosure to keep him warm.

 

[teresaf]

My tortoises all make wheezing sound when drawing into their shell if I startled them though. Perhaps there's nothing wrong but a tortoise who got really frightened(dropped?) while you were gone?

 

[Bee62]

I agree with @teresaf: My tortoises make that hissing / wheezing sound too when they are scared and get into their shell quick.
Only when a tortoises makes a squeezing noice by every breath it takes I would think of a RI.

 

[sue white]

just an update. It's been a while since posting but have been very busy including moving to another state. Finn is doing great and growing like a weed. The wheezing turned out to be the sphagnum moss. It was getting too dry and causing an irritant . After taking moss out she got better almost immediately. Poor thing went through antibiotic shot for nothing. O'well better safe then sorry. Thank you everyone that gave me your input .It is always helpful and I count on others experiences to help me figure out what will help. Just an aside:Since in my move I had to have my ex husband,(who only likes cats), take care of her some and he has become very attached to her.Every time he visits he says hello to her first.I can't blame him.She's so cute!