help with my little guy

[chompsky]

I want to ask a (probably common) question about my (approx. 3 year old) leopard. I have read so many differing opinions on leopard health, especially respiratory problems that I wanted to put the specific problems Chompsky is having out there, and get some response. I live in Korea, so I don't have access to a good reptile vet. So, I am reluctant to just take my tort to a vet, and let him/her loose on my little guy. (I have also read that most unknowledgeable vets will prescribe Baytril, but this has been shown not to be safe anymore).

- bubbles coming out of nose once a day, usually in the morning (been happening for about a month)
- NO discharge or mucus accompanies the bubbles.
- some wheezing-like sounds with the bubbles.
- he is still quite active, and eats a good amount of leopard specific food.
- a large indoor enclosure with temps regularly at 90-100F in his hot end (where he stays day and night). humidity is approx. 40.
- his substrate (a mix of potting soil and coco coir) is a little dry, but I spray it down regularly with mist.
- he gets a warm bathing (up to his plastron) once a week
- he only poos once a week, but pees often.

With all that information, does it sound to you tortoise experts that it is time to go to the vet, or am I worrying over nothing?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi chompsky:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

If it were my tortoise, I wouldn't take it to the vet just yet. As long as he's eating and acting normal, I'd wait and see.

What would you like us to call you?

 

[chompsky]

I'm Katy. Chompsky of course is the tort.

Thank you for the reply.

Also, when I say he is active, I mean he gets up to eat in the morning, walks around a little, and then heads back to sleep. He comes out in the afternoon to do the same thing. However, he has always been quite inactive. He was kept in a tiny enclosure for the first two years of his life in a department store pet section, so I think he is not used to having space. (I bought him from such a place because I kept seeing him looking so sad, and I couldn't bear to leave him there.)

Would you consider that active?
Is there anything I can do to encourage more activity? I spread his food around in different areas to encourage him to move to get to his food.

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the Forum and we LOVE PICS

I am absolutely with Yvonne on not rushing to the vet simply because of a clear bubble or two.

If your tort is remaining in the 90-100° area I would want to check the temps in the rest of your enclosure and with a bubbly nose I would make sure that you keep the rest of the enclosure at 80° day and night and leave the basking spot as is...I personally would soak once a day for a couple of weeks....when you say potting soil what type are you referring to? If you are using potting soil please check your label and be sure there is no time release plant food...fertilizers....or any of this little white ball things mixed in...I also would add warm water to the soil directly under the basking light/heat source to offer a little humidity...but I would not wet the entire enclosure substrate in the event your tort wants a dry off area....

 

[Yvonne G]

You've just described the life of most tortoises. They come out in the a.m., sit in the sun to warm us, eat, then go back into their hiding place. Maybe they'll come out again later in the day and do the same thing all over again, but maybe they don't.

When they get to be full grown you may see a bit more activity out of them, but youngsters act just as you described.