Help Needed ASAP

[Luzmary Holt]

Hi, I have a five-year-old sulcate desert tortoise (that is what I was told 4 years ago when it was giving to me). Its name is Tortellini. At first, we thought it was a girl but when it turned Three, we realize it is a boy, now he is 40 lb. he roams in the back garden at his leisure, he really is a happy and fun tortoise. Unknown to me about four months ago I noticed some blood drops in the patio, I check him and realizes that he scratched his genitals when walking in the garden, the area was swollen and he could not retract it, I rushed him to the vet and she put some silver spray, she said that that would protect it from injuring himself again and hopefully the swelling would go away. I moved him to an area where there is nothing for him to claim on to, to help the healing. Well, it’s been three months, and he is still the same, I noticed today that it started to bleed again. He is hibernating so he is not eating much, he comes out of his house when it’s sunny has a couple of bites and goes back in, he has not pee or poop at least two months. I’m desperate for some advice and or help, I’m in Ventura County SoCal. Please, please if anyone has some experience or knowledge of this problem contact me ASAP. It would be greatly appreciated it. I’m attaching pictures from 4 months ago and today’s pics.
The first picture was taken three months ago, the other two, I took today

Thanks, and I hope to hear from someone soon

Luzmary

 

[TammyJ]

@Yvonne G @Tom

 

[wellington]

First off Sulcatas do not hibernate/brumate.
It looks like a prolapse and it needs to be kept moist.
Put him in a warm water soak asap. While he is soaking, make a paste out of sugar and water and when you take him out of the soak, put that on the swollen area, keeping the area moist with this mixture.
This sulcata needs to be kept warm at 80 day and night not lower. Basking of 95-100. Most likely he is straining and prolapsing.
@Yvonne G

 

[Luzmary Holt]

First off Sulcatas do not hibernate/brumate.
It looks like a prolapse and it needs to be kept moist.
Put him in a warm water soak asap. While he is soaking, make a paste out of sugar and water and when you take him out of the soak, put that on the swollen area, keeping the area moist with this mixture.
This sulcata needs to be kept warm at 80 day and night not lower. Basking of 95-100. Most likely he is straining and prolapsing.
@Yvonne G

Hi, thank you so much for your prompt reply, I will follow the instruction, and will post the results,. Thanks again... Luzmary

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Take a picture after him soaking. Hopefully that area is not black after he soaks.

 

[Luzmary Holt]

Take a picture after him soaking. Hopefully that area is not black after he soaks.

I will, but I have soaked him but still looks the same, I'm afraid it has scared tissue or it's gone hard. I will do the soaking and sugar paste tomorrow. Thanks for your reply

 

[Yvonne G]

A prolapse should be put back in asap, and not allowed to dry out and turn black. The black part is more than likely now dead and needs to be surgically removed. I would go to a different vet. Waiting so long was wrong and your vet should have known that.

Fixing a prolapse is moot if the underlying cause i not addressed and fixed. . . constipaton, dehydration
or something else that causes execessive straining

 

[Tom]

Hi, I have a five-year-old sulcate desert tortoise (that is what I was told 4 years ago when it was giving to me). Its name is Tortellini. At first, we thought it was a girl but when it turned Three, we realize it is a boy, now he is 40 lb. he roams in the back garden at his leisure, he really is a happy and fun tortoise. Unknown to me about four months ago I noticed some blood drops in the patio, I check him and realizes that he scratched his genitals when walking in the garden, the area was swollen and he could not retract it, I rushed him to the vet and she put some silver spray, she said that that would protect it from injuring himself again and hopefully the swelling would go away. I moved him to an area where there is nothing for him to claim on to, to help the healing. Well, it’s been three months, and he is still the same, I noticed today that it started to bleed again. He is hibernating so he is not eating much, he comes out of his house when it’s sunny has a couple of bites and goes back in, he has not pee or poop at least two months. I’m desperate for some advice and or help, I’m in Ventura County SoCal. Please, please if anyone has some experience or knowledge of this problem contact me ASAP. It would be greatly appreciated it. I’m attaching pictures from 4 months ago and today’s pics.
The first picture was taken three months ago, the other two, I took today

Thanks, and I hope to hear from someone soon

Luzmary

This tortoise needs warmth ASAP. They should never drop below 80 degrees. You need a heated night house for him and you need it right now. It is WAY too cold for these guys to be outside without heat in January. In Camarillo its too cold at night in summer!

In addition to needed to have the dead tissue surgically removed, the tortoise needs to be housed correctly and kept warm. Here are two examples of how to do this:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Luzmary Holt]

This tortoise needs warmth ASAP. They should never drop below 80 degrees. You need a heated night house for him and you need it right now. It is WAY too cold for these guys to be outside without heat in January. In Camarillo its too cold at night in summer!

In addition to needed to have the dead tissue surgically removed, the tortoise needs to be housed correctly and kept warm. Here are two examples of how to do this:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

Hi Tom, thank you for your kind advise. Tortellini's house is very nice and comfortable. The temperature in side fluctuates between 78 and 81-82 degrees 24-7. We live in a very nice climate, today 1/29/24 was 83 degrees. So not to worry about the temperature. Other than a warm bath every day, I'm adding the sugar paste recommended and after five treatment it looks much better, I'm keeping an eye on him and will do the surgery as needed.
Thanks again...

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom, thank you for your kind advise. Tortellini's house is very nice and comfortable. The temperature in side fluctuates between 78 and 81-82 degrees 24-7. We live in a very nice climate, today 1/29/24 was 83 degrees. So not to worry about the temperature. Other than a warm bath every day, I'm adding the sugar paste recommended and after five treatment it looks much better, I'm keeping an eye on him and will do the surgery as needed.
Thanks again...

Why did you tell us that he is hibernating if he has a warm heated house? That is confusing...

I'm glad he is doing better. Hope he has a full recovery and a long happy life.

 

[Luzmary Holt]

Hi Tom, thank you for your kind advise. Tortellini's house is very nice and comfortable. The temperature in side fluctuates between 78 and 81-82 degrees 24-7. We live in a very nice climate, today 1/29/24 was 83 degrees. So not to worry about the temperature. Other than a warm bath every day, I'm adding the sugar paste recommended and after five treatment it looks much better, I'm keeping an eye on him and will do the surgery as needed.
Thanks again...

Why did you tell us that he is hibernating if he has a warm heated house? That is confusing...

I'm glad he is doing better. Hope he has a full recovery and a long happy life.

Well, whether he is hibernating or not, when it's cool outside or if its raining he does not come out of his house for a few days, sometimes a full week and obviously does not eat. Winter time he eats less than summer time. Temperature over here rarely goes under 45 degrees.

 

[Tom]

Well, whether he is hibernating or not, when it's cool outside or if its raining he does not come out of his house for a few days, sometimes a full week and obviously does not eat. Winter time he eats less than summer time. Temperature over here rarely goes under 45 degrees.

This is not good. This is an indication that something is wrong. What sort of house is he in? How are you heating it? What is the temperature on the floor of the tortoise house in the farthest corner from the heat sources?

Its normal for them to come out less and eat less during cold rainy spells, but they should still come out and eat every day. Your temperatures might be too cool. We will be glad to help you figure it out and improve the situation.

 

[Luzmary Holt]

Well, whether he is hibernating or not, when it's cool outside or if its raining he does not come out of his house for a few days, sometimes a full week and obviously does not eat. Winter time he eats less than summer time. Temperature over here rarely goes under 45 degrees.

Hi Tom, regarding housing and heating, I have follow your advice since I first got tortellini, so that was not my enquiry. The issue is... see from my first email: "Unknown to me about four months ago I noticed some blood drops in the patio, I check him and realizes that he scratched his genitals when walking in the garden, the area was swollen and he could not retract it, I rushed him to the vet and she put some silver spray, she said that that would protect it from injuring himself again and hopefully the swelling would go away. I moved him to an area where there is nothing for him to claim on to, to help the healing. Well, it’s been three months, and he is still the same, I noticed today that it started to bleed again". Right now it's raining a lot in this area so he has not come out, I will check him again today or tomorrow, and I will either maintain the "sugar" treatment or take him to the vet so see if surgery is the next step. Thanks again for your help.
Luzmary