Whistling leopard

[Macheteslaststep]

So for the past couple weeks I've noticed a faint whistling from Tank when he breathes. Everything else is 100% normal, no discharge, eyes clear, appetite great - active as he normally is, etc. This morning when I just fed them the whistling is louder and now more airy...I'm going to take him into work with me to be examined, but any ideas on what it could be? Nothing in his enviroment has changed and Dozer, my other leopard, is fine - no whistling.

I'm worried it could be the start of a cold or maybe he has something stuck? All ideas would be appreciated as well as any questions that I should specifically ask during his exam...they've never had to go to the vet before

Saranna

 

[Neal]

It could be a respiratory infection, has he been exposed to cooler temperatures or higher moisture? Those are often the causes. Along with a vet exam I would make sure he has a dry area in his enclosure, and check your temperatures. I usually see issues when mine are in temperatures below 80 for too long, but that's just me.
Let us know how the exam goes.

 

[Macheteslaststep]

I'm double checking temps now actually and so far they're near 90* (thermometer takes about 30 mins. to reach full temp...it's been 15) The only extra moisture they've been exposed to is that I've been spraying their shells down to help smooth out the pyramiding. Could that have done it? I did start that a couple weeks ago...hmm. I think last night may have gotten cooler than normal in there because the temps outside dropped.

Well, I'll still take him in and see if maybe an oral/inj. antibiotic would be a good thing just in case. If it is the start of something, I'd rather treat it now rather than wait for other symptoms.

Saranna

 

[Neal]

I'm not sure about spraying their shells. How often do you do it? I would GUESS that spraying them more than every other day might lead to some problems. I have found that my optimal temperature range with leopards is in the mid to high 90's with hot spots in the low 100's and lows in the mid to upper 80's. Even one night where the temperatures drop down low could cause problems.
In Richard Fife's book he suggests keeping a tortoise warm and dry will help fight a respiratory illness. So, if you are able to try to increase your temperatures a little. I would suggest you stop spraying the tortoise for a couple of days to see if that helps. If spraying actually does help prevent pyramiding, a couple of days or even a week of not spraying should not affect the tortoises shell development.

Unless you have experience with giving oral injections or the like, I would definitely recommend going to the vet.

Keep us posted!

 

[Macheteslaststep]

I was spraying 2-3 times daily. I have Tank at work with me now (exotic vet). He'll get his exam shortly and of course he hasn't whistled since being here lol.

I do have expirience with injections by the way

 

[Neal]

I was spraying 2-3 times daily. I have Tank at work with me now (exotic vet). He'll get his exam shortly and of course he hasn't whistled since being here lol.

I do have expirience with injections by the way

Well, hopefully him not wistleing means it isn't too bad.
2 - 3 days seems a bit too much. I spray my hatchling stars, but only every other day and so far they are smooth and no health issues. Maybe someone who knows a bit more could explain further about spraying frequency?
Do you have a humid hide for him? That actually has some experimental support for preventing pyramiding.

 

[Yourlocalpoet]

Surely if it was the spraying Dozer would be experiencing the same thing? I only spray mine once a day, usually in the mornings or sometimes more but only if she's basking. Hope everything goes okay Saranna.

 

[Macheteslaststep]

I was a little skeptical at what could be causing it since Dozer is fine. Who knows what it may be...Tank is on Amikacin now for the next week, more as a preventative than anything. The Dr. that saw him today said he looks great and she has never met anyone who takes such good care of their tortoise yet. She even said if she gets stuck on something she may call me to ask a question when it comes to husbandry

I guess it's better to be cautious with these things than to let it go. Thanks for the suggestions!

Saranna

 

[Tom]

The shell spraying idea comes directly from Richard Fife and his Leopards and sulcatas. I personally talked to him phone about it, and he gave me permission to relate it here on the forum. Terry K also advocates it for redfoots and I advocate it for sulcatas.

Should have no effect on respiratory problems. My 2 month old sulcata hatchlings are in 80-100% humidity almost all the time and I spray their shells 2-10 times a day. They also get soaked 2 or 3 times a day.

Cooler temps coupled with high moisture and humidity can sometimes cause, or contribute, to respiratory infections. There are four temps to be concerned with in a leopard enclosure. Cool side (ambient), warm side, basking spot, and night. For hatchlings and high humidity enclosures, I recommend 80ish for ambient and night, 85-90 for the warm side and 100-110 for the hottest part of the basking SPOT. When they get older, bigger and I relax on the humidity/moisture, they can take cooler ambient and night temps. These temps should be checked periodically with multiple remote probes AND an infared thermometer. YOu said your temps were approaching 90. Where, exacltly, in the enclosure? Fine if that's the warm side. Too cool, if that's the hot basking spot.

Here's another possibility. Are Tank and Dozer housed together? The subtle stress and phsycological bullying that goes on whenever multiple tortoises are housed together, CAN weaken their immune system. Chronic, low level stress has been shown to weaken the immune system of all sorts of organisms, including humans AND tortoises. Even if you don't see any overt bullying, there is still a hierarchy going on in there. Is Dozer the more active and outgoing of the two? First to the food bowl? First to the prime sleeping spots?

 

[Macheteslaststep]

Tank and Dozer have been seperated for about a month now I believe, and Tank was the one beginning to be a bully. The basking area measured 105 and the hot side measured 93 when the thermometer reached it's full temp. I know I need to get a temp gun/infared thermometer - that's part of why I'm going to the expo next weekend. I need new supplies

 

[Seiryu]

I spray mine anywhere between 2-10 times a day (the 2-3 times is if I am not home a lot). Usually 5+ is the norm. Takes a minute to do it, so why not.

I also keep their substrate 100% moist. But their temps are warm. 77-80 Ambient temps with 97-105 basking spot.

I have seen no side affects to this yet.