CDT foaming and panting

[chris4224]

Its recently been over 100+ (today was about 105 in So Cal) and I went to put my tortoise away for the evening and noticed he was foaming pretty badly at the mouth and opening his mouth quite wide.

Freaked me out and I thought of heat stroke. I brought him in immediately and cooled him down with room temp water and was able to get some water down his throat. He is no longer foaming or gasping.

My issue is, if he's a CDT why would these temps bother him? We've had him for over 25 years and I've never seen this happen.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

A CDT living in the wild would have access to cool burrows and different microclimates. They want to spend the heat of the day somewhere cooler just like us.
If your backyard doesn't offer this to them they are stuck there by your fence and can't "move on" to find a retreat.

Offer a place for him. There are many great burrow ideas out there.

Over these past 25 years he must have managed to find a retreat but maybe his cool spot is blocked off or something... ?

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

I posted this today on another thread, sharing here ...
Also, Neal shared the fabulous article below with us a couple of days ago. Worth repeating here for the important good information it has ...

My rule of green thumb, adopted from my grandfather's thinking, from whom our family inherited his 4 beloved/spoiled CDTs, born in 1952, is that tortoises are shade animals. Sun is only in little bits for what they need, and they know best on that one, but otherwise shade-shade-shade from trees, shrubs or burrow. Lotsa shade and little areas of sun to run into and run right out of as they see fit. We tend to think they are sun worshippers but they are not. They want their lives made in the shade, thank you very much not crazy from the heat! : )

****************************************************
Facebook: The Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Arizona

Your Desert tortoise is from Arizona and any of your other pets may die this
weekend from heat stroke. Read how to prevent this occurence.

Desert Tortoises and Heat Stroke Prevention
Most people make the logical assumption that the native Sonoran Desert
Tortoise would never heat stroke because it has adapted to the heat of
Arizona. The fact is they do all the time in captivity. In the wild, they
live around the base of mountains and are afforded the ability to
"behaviorally thermoregulate" ;. This means that they change their behaviors
(activity period, burrow orientation, elevation, etc) to avoid heat. When
the heat of the summer comes upon them May through September they utilize
the afternoon shade created by the mountain (blocking westerly sun).
Typically they are only active in the earliest part of the morning in the
heat of summer and sometimes late in the day when the sun's intensity is
fading. This means that during the days of summer in the life of a wild
Sonoran Desert Tortoise it is resting comfortably in a burrow of its choice.
The burrow that it selects will likely have the following features. Its
opening will likely face north or east so as to be exposed to only morning
sunlight. The burrow temperature will likely never achieve temperatures
above 92 F and will likely be much higher in humidity than outside the
burrow as the surrounding rocks trap more moisture. The burrow moisture is
maintained and replenished with the summer monsoons and desert tortoises get
a much-needed drink that will need to last them through hibernation into the
next spring. If the burrow temperature begins to get hotter than the
tortoise can withstand, the tortoise simply changes its burrow to another
spot that is cooler. For every 1000 feet they may climb, there is a 4 F drop
in temperature. They may utilize several burrows over the summer season to
regulate their exposure to extreme temperatures.
Contrasting these temperature regulating techniques to captivity, most of us
are not fortunate enough to give a captive tortoise the north and east side
of a mountain in our back yard. We utilize the all-important burrow to allow
behavioral thermo-regulation. Done correctly most tortoises can thrive in
captivity with certain distinct modifications. East, northeast, or northern
facing openings are essential. Grass should preferably surround the burrow
both to eat and because it is cooler. If the entire burrow is placed in the
shadow of a tree, they also maintain a cooler burrow. Dirt and gravel in
July at 2 pm can have surface temperatures exceeding 200 degrees F so
surrounding the burrow with either of these is much less desirable on the
desert floor. Burrow construction should be from weather resistant materials
such as cinder block with plywood tops and dirt covering the entire burrow.
The author prefers the burrow humidity be maintained in the hottest part of
the year by affixing a PVC pipe into the burrow so as to allow a frozen 2
liter bottle to drip its thawing water into the burrow during the heat of
the day during July and August. The water when it hits them will evaporate
and make them and the burrow cool.
The results of acute high temperatures are heat stroke and death. A sign
that your tortoises are heat stressing are that they try to climb the
perimeter walls of your back yard. This behavior causes them to fall on
their backs, struggle to right themselves, urinate out their fluids, and die
if they are unsuccessful at getting to their feet. If they are successful at
getting to their feet, their lives and health are still in dangers, as they
tend to have a degree of brain swelling (causing them to walk in strange
ways, or not walk at all). They are also severely dehydrated which can lead
to kidney problems. They can sometimes recover from heat strokes but
prevention is better than cure.
Your veterinarian should examine your tortoise twice yearly. Once before
hibernation and once waking up from hibernation. Physical exams, parasite
exams, and x-ray exams are utilized to maintain the health of your Desert
Tortoise. They are a privilege to care for and are a national treasure.
KEEP YOU HERPS HAPPY AND HEALTHY. TODD DRIGGERS DVM.

 

[chris4224]

I posted this today on another thread, sharing here ...
Also, Neal shared the fabulous article below with us a couple of days ago. Worth repeating here for the important good information it has ...

My rule of green thumb, adopted from my grandfather's thinking, from whom our family inherited his 4 beloved/spoiled CDTs, born in 1952, is that tortoises are shade animals. Sun is only in little bits for what they need, and they know best on that one, but otherwise shade-shade-shade from trees, shrubs or burrow. Lotsa shade and little areas of sun to run into and run right out of as they see fit. We tend to think they are sun worshippers but they are not. They want their lives made in the shade, thank you very much not crazy from the heat! : )

****************************************************
Facebook: The Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Arizona

Your Desert tortoise is from Arizona and any of your other pets may die this
weekend from heat stroke. Read how to prevent this occurence.

Desert Tortoises and Heat Stroke Prevention
Most people make the logical assumption that the native Sonoran Desert
Tortoise would never heat stroke because it has adapted to the heat of
Arizona. The fact is they do all the time in captivity. In the wild, they
live around the base of mountains and are afforded the ability to
"behaviorally thermoregulate" ;. This means that they change their behaviors
(activity period, burrow orientation, elevation, etc) to avoid heat. When
the heat of the summer comes upon them May through September they utilize
the afternoon shade created by the mountain (blocking westerly sun).
Typically they are only active in the earliest part of the morning in the
heat of summer and sometimes late in the day when the sun's intensity is
fading. This means that during the days of summer in the life of a wild
Sonoran Desert Tortoise it is resting comfortably in a burrow of its choice.
The burrow that it selects will likely have the following features. Its
opening will likely face north or east so as to be exposed to only morning
sunlight. The burrow temperature will likely never achieve temperatures
above 92 F and will likely be much higher in humidity than outside the
burrow as the surrounding rocks trap more moisture. The burrow moisture is
maintained and replenished with the summer monsoons and desert tortoises get
a much-needed drink that will need to last them through hibernation into the
next spring. If the burrow temperature begins to get hotter than the
tortoise can withstand, the tortoise simply changes its burrow to another
spot that is cooler. For every 1000 feet they may climb, there is a 4 F drop
in temperature. They may utilize several burrows over the summer season to
regulate their exposure to extreme temperatures.
Contrasting these temperature regulating techniques to captivity, most of us
are not fortunate enough to give a captive tortoise the north and east side
of a mountain in our back yard. We utilize the all-important burrow to allow
behavioral thermo-regulation. Done correctly most tortoises can thrive in
captivity with certain distinct modifications. East, northeast, or northern
facing openings are essential. Grass should preferably surround the burrow
both to eat and because it is cooler. If the entire burrow is placed in the
shadow of a tree, they also maintain a cooler burrow. Dirt and gravel in
July at 2 pm can have surface temperatures exceeding 200 degrees F so
surrounding the burrow with either of these is much less desirable on the
desert floor. Burrow construction should be from weather resistant materials
such as cinder block with plywood tops and dirt covering the entire burrow.
The author prefers the burrow humidity be maintained in the hottest part of
the year by affixing a PVC pipe into the burrow so as to allow a frozen 2
liter bottle to drip its thawing water into the burrow during the heat of
the day during July and August. The water when it hits them will evaporate
and make them and the burrow cool.
The results of acute high temperatures are heat stroke and death. A sign
that your tortoises are heat stressing are that they try to climb the
perimeter walls of your back yard. This behavior causes them to fall on
their backs, struggle to right themselves, urinate out their fluids, and die
if they are unsuccessful at getting to their feet. If they are successful at
getting to their feet, their lives and health are still in dangers, as they
tend to have a degree of brain swelling (causing them to walk in strange
ways, or not walk at all). They are also severely dehydrated which can lead
to kidney problems. They can sometimes recover from heat strokes but
prevention is better than cure.
Your veterinarian should examine your tortoise twice yearly. Once before
hibernation and once waking up from hibernation. Physical exams, parasite
exams, and x-ray exams are utilized to maintain the health of your Desert
Tortoise. They are a privilege to care for and are a national treasure.
KEEP YOU HERPS HAPPY AND HEALTHY. TODD DRIGGERS DVM.

Wow thanks for sharing that article...Great info within it

 

[Tom]

You nearly lost your tortoise today and its supposed to be even hotter tomorrow. Get some sprinklers, misters and shade cloth going. Soak him daily for a while to make sure he's rehydrated after this episode. The soaks will also help cool him in the heat of the day during this heat wave. Sounds like he's in need of a good burrow.

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

I agree on finding, making, buying, somehow managing to give good shade or take him inside when it's overly hot. I am very glad you found him though and that things are calming down and he is back to normal. Check on him often if you can tomorrow just to be safe.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I've started throwing ice cubes in my tortoises burrows/hides. I use my gun to temp them and get readings of high 70s to mid 80s even though its 105F outside.

And I like the shade comment, not sun worshipers

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app