Concerned about squeaking and behaviour

[Jess_star]

Hello, my Horsefield Winston has started squeaking and is moving his head around like I've not seen it before. I picked him up late Tuesday evening, changed his substrate and enclosure round yesterday and then this had started today. Trying to attach a video of what he's been like.

He's not eaten since I got him but had pooped out a white substance today. I'm really concerned, he seemed extremely dehydrated when I got him.

 

[Yvonne G]

Squeaking sometimes indicates a respiratory infection. What is the temperature over the whole enclosure? Is that Winston in your avatar picture? That's not a horsefield.

 

[Jess_star]

That's not Winston in my avatar, I haven't put his picture up yet. He's been staying over the right side of the enclosure which is around 30 degrees c, I don't have a thermometer for the other side yet

 

[Jess_star]

Dammit, video won't upload. If it is a respiratory infection, what is the best way to deal with that? Vet visit?

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

It’s only been two days so while I know it’s stressful, don’t panic. He may not eat for a while in a new enclosure and that’s okay. He can go some time without food and be just fine. The white stuff he passed is urates and is normal.

The important thing is to get the temps right in his enclosure. If you are using a stick on gauge or similar, it’s not useful. Get yourself a cheap laser temp gun and use that: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Etekcity-1...&qid=1516338191&sr=8-2&keywords=Laser+heat+un.

Take a look at our Russian care sheet and then come back to us with some pictures of your enclosures and Winston. Getting the enclosure properly set up solves many problems. https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Jess_star]

I've managed to get him a vets appointment with a reptile vet on Monday, just to be safe. This is his enclosure and some pictures of him. I haven't measured or weighed him yet, he's around 6 months old. I've noticed small bubbles coming from his mouth this morning too.

His basking spot is around 30°c but his breeder told me last night that it needs to be more around 34°c so I'm going to try and pick up a better heat bulb today and a hygrometer and better thermometer if I can, till the heat gun arrives.

 

[Bee62]

I am sure that your Winston has a respiration infect. The eyes of your tort told me that. They don`t look normal.
Please do some changes:
40 C basking spot.
Overall temps 27 - 28 C.
Humidity 75 %.
Be sure that night temps never drop below 25 C as long as he is sick.
Soak him daily in 38 C warm water for half an hour and make sure that the water stays warm during the soaks. Soak him underneath the basking bulb, not in a cold surrounding.
And when you visit the VET don`t let Winston give any vitamin shots.

 

[Jess_star]

I am sure that your Winston has a respiration infect. The eyes of your tort told me that. They don`t look normal.
Please do some changes:
40 C basking spot.
Overall temps 27 - 28 C.
Humidity 75 %.
Be sure that night temps never drop below 25 C as long as he is sick.
Soak him daily in 38 C warm water for half an hour and make sure that the water stays warm during the soaks. Soak him underneath the basking bulb, not in a cold surrounding.
And when you visit the VET don`t let Winston give any vitamin shots.

Thank you Bee, I've got some stuff this morning to add to his enclosure, better bulb, thermometer and hygrometer and a microclimate to make sure the temperatures are right. Will try and grab a water thermometer today to make sure I'm soaking him at the right temperature. I read something about the vitamin shots so I'll make sure they don't give him any

 

[Jess_star]

What is the best way to keep the nighttime temperature up? As I know the heat lamps give out light which can affect sleeping? Sorry for all the questions and thank you all so much for the help! I've been so worried about him

 

[Bee62]

Thank you Bee, I've got some stuff this morning to add to his enclosure, better bulb, thermometer and hygrometer and a microclimate to make sure the temperatures are right. Will try and grab a water thermometer today to make sure I'm soaking him at the right temperature. I read something about the vitamin shots so I'll make sure they don't give him any

That sounds good.
He will need higher temps and a very good hydration as long as he is sick.
Is he still eating ?
Could it be that he was kept too cold ? He is a baby and babies are more sensitive as adults with colder temps.

 

[Bee62]

What is the best way to keep the nighttime temperature up? As I know the heat lamps give out light which can affect sleeping? Sorry for all the questions and thank you all so much for the help! I've been so worried about him

You don`t have to be sorry for your questions. I am here to help and all your questions are okay.
You will need a CHE ( ceramic heat emitter ). It produces heat but no light. Something like that:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DHO6S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[kai.oki]

What is the best way to keep the nighttime temperature up? As I know the heat lamps give out light which can affect sleeping? Sorry for all the questions and thank you all so much for the help! I've been so worried about him

I bought a ceramic heat emitter on Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAMAYKIM-C...16365119&sr=1-9&keywords=ceramic+heat+emitter

It works really well. I have it placed so that it keeps our torts hide (where she sleeps) at a constant 16-17 degrees overnight. I sometimes use it in the day too, if that side of her enclosure is getting too cold. It's far enough away from the UVB bulb that it doesn't get too hot anywhere, but doesn't drop below 22°C on the cool side either.

 

[Jess_star]

That sounds good.
He will need higher temps and a very good hydration as long as he is sick.
Is he still eating ?
Could it be that he was kept too cold ? He is a baby and babies are more sensitive as adults with colder temps.

I got him on Tuesday night and he's not eaten a thing since then, but he was moved twice in the space of a week so I thought that might just be due to stress

 

[Jess_star]

You don`t have to be sorry for your questions. I am here to help and all your questions are okay.
You will need a CHE ( ceramic heat emitter ). It produces heat but no light. Something like that:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DHO6S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

@Bee62 Where are the best places in his viv to put the censors for the hygrometer, thermometer and microclimate?

 

[Bee62]

@Bee62 Where are the best places in his viv to put the censors for the hygrometer, thermometer and microclimate?

Near the ground where the tortoise live. So you can see if you have the right temps and humidity for Winston.

 

[Bee62]

I got him on Tuesday night and he's not eaten a thing since then, but he was moved twice in the space of a week so I thought that might just be due to stress

Oh my ! I think you bought Winston already sick !
Where do you get him from and why he was moved twice in one week ?

 

[Jess_star]

Oh my ! I think you bought Winston already sick !
Where do you get him from and why he was moved twice in one week ?

I think you are right Bee62, I've come home from work and he's hardly moved. Sorted his viv with the new stuff and when I went to soak him he was totally unresponsive. I think live lost him [emoji17] I'm absolutely heartbroken but I tried to do all I could for him.

He was moved twice as the people who bought him for me as a gift picked him up, they kept him for a few days as I was away and then I picked him up Tuesday.

 

[Bee62]

I think you are right Bee62, I've come home from work and he's hardly moved. Sorted his viv with the new stuff and when I went to soak him he was totally unresponsive. I think live lost him [emoji17] I'm absolutely heartbroken but I tried to do all I could for him.

He was moved twice as the people who bought him for me as a gift picked him up, they kept him for a few days as I was away and then I picked him up Tuesday.

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. But please wait until tomorrow if he is really dead or not. Sometimes it is not easy to see if a sick tort is dead or barely alive.
Do you know where and how the people who picked him up for you kept him the days ? In a shoebox in a cold corner ?

 

[Jess_star]

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. But please wait until tomorrow if he is really dead or not. Sometimes it is not easy to see if a sick tort is dead or barely alive.
Do you know where and how the people who picked him up for you kept him the days ? In a shoebox in a cold corner ?

I've put him back in his vivarium for now, hoping that he isn't gone but we'll see.

They had him in a viv with dry wood chippings as substrate. They didn't soak him at all and I don't think his temperatures where as high as they should have been.

 

[Bee62]

I've put him back in his vivarium for now, hoping that he isn't gone but we'll see.

They had him in a viv with dry wood chippings as substrate. They didn't soak him at all and I don't think his temperatures where as high as they should have been.

That is sad. Poor little tort.
Would you please tell tomorrow if he is dead or alive ? Keep him warm this night.