I have a Tortoise that is small and has runny nose with bubbles on his nose(rarely). It sneezes often, while wiping his nose with his tiny arms. It has great appetite and he has been like this for about 2 months. Also its always looking for dark places to sleep. It isn't as active as it was before i moved it into my room. First time it was running around, exploring my room like racing car, now it just goes to one of the shady places in the room and sleeps all day. I have set up a platform on the floor with mercury light bulb heating it and that's where it eats. I don't really put it in its box where substrate is,except at night or when i leave the house. Temps are around 34 Celsius on the platform. It usually goes under the paper on the platform or wanders off in the room to find a sleeping place. I feed it dandelions with calcium +d3 and multi vitamin powder. I use ExoTerra products. So what could be the problem thats causing this? Dust on the floor?
Does my Russian tortoise have respiratory infection?
- Thread starter sherzod
- Start date
First I would highly recomend you put him in a safe warm enclosure. I am betting that the temps in your room are too low especially on the floor. Plus no telling what he could eat to make him sick. Take him to a vet to be safe and get him into an warm enclosure would be best.
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Maggie Cummings
Guest
That's just a really bad practice. He is not a dog or a cat. He is an exotic animal who needs specialized care. He needs more to eat than dandelions. He needs to be kept at 80 degrees or better, with a 95 degree basking spot. The floor is too cold for him, and he could eat dust bunnies, cat hair, safety pins, paper clips, ad infinitum... Or someone could step on him. Take off all your clothes and lay on the floor. Is it warmer than 80 degrees? I think not. Too cold for a small tort. He needs... humidity, UVB, a varied diet, substrate, a secure hide to sleep in inside a tortoise habitat. Gosh, he needs so much that he is not getting. You are not providing the minimum care that he needs. Please don't think I am being mean, but that baby is trying to tell you he's sick, and not being cared for correctly....
What about the runny nose?
thats a respiratory infection from being to dry and cold.
Will it help if i soak him everyday and keep temperatures high?
can you post some pics of his enclosure he sleeps in? also i would not let him to just live in your room, he needs a proper enclosure. here is the russian care sheet read it all http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
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Maggie Cummings
Guest
The runny nose is because he's sick because you have not given him the proper care. One other thing, he's not having a good time on the floor, he is not enjoying it. He's cold and stressed out, and the next thing that will happen is he will stop eating because they can only digest food when their insides are 80 to 85 degrees. If you do not want this tortoise to die, get him into a correct set up and improve YOUR husbandry a lot. I realize you are only 19 and as such you think you know and can do things your way. I was 16 once, I know. But you simply MUST read the care sheet that Nicky provided the link for, and change everything about the way you are keeping him.
Oh and, you should be soaking him daily sick or not. In warm water for about 15 minutes. You really need to read the care sheet. Are you in another country?
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He does sound like a tough little guy, but you do risk losing him. Right now his runny nose may be easy to reverse with the advice above.
However, it could get worse, turn into a lower respiratory infection, etc.
Hatchlings do really need to stay hydrated and warm. Hopefully you can make some changes and turn this around.
However, it could get worse, turn into a lower respiratory infection, etc.
Hatchlings do really need to stay hydrated and warm. Hopefully you can make some changes and turn this around.
http://russiantortoise.net/index.htm
The only thing in the site I do not agree with is using sand for any part of the substrate...that is just my feeling on sand...it can create an increase in impaction for the gut of the tortoise.
The clear runny nose is likely due to the animal being stressed out. The tortoise being left to run around in a human house is not allowing for the things he would naturally want to surround himself with....it is a tortoise ( a dirt loving animal, an animal that likes to dig down into the earth, bask in the sun --or artificial light when not able to be outdoors due to the weather--hide in spots it finds good for that and a variety of other behaviors it is not able to do in the current set up) and not a human, so while you believe you are providing a great set up by letting him have run of the house--he is likely not appreciating it as you think he should....lol...
I would set the tort up in a proper environment (and it does not have to be fancy, but it does need to meet his basic requirements of earth, warmth, hiding spots, food and some solitude ...this is a reptile.
The clear runny nose will likely clear itself up once you are providing the tools/environment that the tortoise requires to be satisfied and need to meet his requirements....
Have you had any prior experience with a tortoise or reptile? They are a rather low maintenance animal, once you get the set up in place properly....
The only thing in the site I do not agree with is using sand for any part of the substrate...that is just my feeling on sand...it can create an increase in impaction for the gut of the tortoise.
The clear runny nose is likely due to the animal being stressed out. The tortoise being left to run around in a human house is not allowing for the things he would naturally want to surround himself with....it is a tortoise ( a dirt loving animal, an animal that likes to dig down into the earth, bask in the sun --or artificial light when not able to be outdoors due to the weather--hide in spots it finds good for that and a variety of other behaviors it is not able to do in the current set up) and not a human, so while you believe you are providing a great set up by letting him have run of the house--he is likely not appreciating it as you think he should....lol...
I would set the tort up in a proper environment (and it does not have to be fancy, but it does need to meet his basic requirements of earth, warmth, hiding spots, food and some solitude ...this is a reptile.
The clear runny nose will likely clear itself up once you are providing the tools/environment that the tortoise requires to be satisfied and need to meet his requirements....
Have you had any prior experience with a tortoise or reptile? They are a rather low maintenance animal, once you get the set up in place properly....
