SlowPoke Squad
New Member
Hi everyone, i would like to ask why is suddenly my indian star gasping for air and moving like dragging it’s fromt legs. I was force feeding her cause she was do not have any appetite for seberal days
How were you force feeding her? Best not to force feed. Must be a reason she is not eating.Hello!
She is apparently sick. This could be the development of a respiratory infection. So:
1. Put him in the enclosure with proper substrate and heating and a basking area. Make sure that temperatures are at least 28-29C day and night (in the enclosure, not in the room or outside). A basking zone temperature around 35-37C. Daily soaks for 30 minutes in a shallow warm water (31-32C) will be helpful as well.
2. If he gets worse - seek veterinary advice. Likely antibiotics will be required.
I got recommended by my friends that own a tortoise but she own sulcata and the size i think almost triple her size. If i was mistakenly choke her is there any way to help?@Tom Please never force feed your tortoise. You can kill her this way by causing her to choke. What kind of vet did you take her to? Sometimes it is better to just make sure that all the correct conditions are being followed while the tortoise is in your care. That is, you must have her in the right size enclosure, correct substrate, temperatures and humidity, and correct diet and water dish. Most of the time, this works to immediately begin to improve her health. If after all this, and she is still showing symptoms of illness and appears abnormal, then she may need a visit to a reputable, experienced reptile vet, not just any regular any-animal type of vet, who may do her a lot more harm!
I don't see video (or link to it). Pooping once in a few days isn't a good sign (but can be because she isn't eating).The vet use the flashlight method and belly button where the egg yolk absorbed and its surrounding is not as hard as her carapace. Last Sunday she pooped quite a lot and today she pooped again but she was struggling like the video i took. After i took the video i bring her with her tiny enclosure to sun bath where i put her on her water dish but only her back foot and butt touch the very shallow water and she pooped a little bit. But after that she starting gasping so took her back inside.
She’s moving that looks like the video minus the gasping when i soak her in warm water after 5 mins, should i still push her to soak? And how to gave her cactus pad when she refuse to eat at all, should i mashed it and put it on her mouth And wait until she kinda open and licks the mush?
Oh when. She was on the garden she has a cave that she kinda dig on her own and big rocks around it to keep her very shaded and she also had another shaded area that i build with bricks under the house roof and her bed cave that i moved to the garden everyday together with her and the sun will only shine max 3/4 of the whole garden because of the house in-front of me is huge so it kinda block the sun. Is it okay if i put her outside if the garden like this? (After she recovered)
Under direct sunlight but it’s still very very mild should i soak her under shade?Thank you for the update. I hope she will get better.
Just to confirm: you soak her in water just outside, in a shade, not under the direct sun?
Yes, better to do it in shade. Overheating is a serious issue for baby tortoises because of their small size.Under direct sunlight but it’s still very very mild should i soak her under shade?