Please Help!! (runny nose)

[sarandipity08]

Hey forum. So my sulcata Koopa is about a year old now. He is my little baby and I worry about him like a mother! In February he caught a little bit of the sniffles and I freaked out, took him in to the vet and they gave him shots. My boyfriend, Mario, and I did the shots for him and he got alot better.

About a month ago now same thing happened and the vet told us just come get another set of the shots so we did. Well it didnt help as much this time. Last night and this morning Koop is really sniffly and squeaky and I am worried but the shots are just too much and Koopa hates them and so does my boyfriend. I feel like I am doing something terribly wrong!

He has a large indoor inclosure. The cool side stays around 75-80, his hot side is around 90 all the time and he has a basking light in the middle of the two. He gets dandilion greens, mustard greens and spring mix every morning. The humidity isnt that high but we recently put a bunch of moss on his house and spray it all the time. I give him soaks a few times a week as well.

He has an outdoor enclosure that Mario built him and he spends about 3- 4 hours outside about 3-4 days a week (it hasnt been very hot here in the bay area.)

I am so sorry this is super long but I am at a complete loss of what else to do to stop his sniffles and wheezing. It breaks my heart to hear! Please any feedback or help would be extremely appreciated!!

 

[wellington]

RE: Please Help!!

Try bumping the lower (75-80) temps to no lower then 85. Also, what are you checking the temps with? Those puck like temps and humidity gauges are not very good. Get yourself a infrared heat gun and double check temps.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Please Help!!

Sometimes a runny or bubbly nose is just that...a runny or bubbly nose. It doesn't have to be a respiratory infection. They get wet noses for different reasons, one being stress, and it has nothing to do with an infection or needing to be treated with an antibiotic. I NEVER use antibiotics unless the tortoise is really, really sick. When he stops eating and the mucous turns cloudy, thick and yucky, then I use antibiotics. As long as the tortoise is eating and acting normal, I just ignore the runny or bubbly nose.

 

[lkwagner]

Yeah I agree with Wellington! No temps lower than 85 day or night, and maybe lower the humidity just a little. I did this to my baby with a respiratory infection and cured it with no antibiotics. Not saying urs has a uri but i would just try this before another before another vet visit

 

[hanzel]

Yeah u need raise d temp,no antibiotics unless the tortoise is not eating,maybe sunbathing en soak them everyday is necessary i think..

 

[sarandipity08]

Thank you for all your responses!! He actually doesn't have a runny nose, its weird because I did not write that part I believe the forum edited it. He has a really wheezing sounding nose, like stuffy. Its very squeaky and it kind of makes a popping noise like when we have stuffy noses and try and breath. I am not really sure how to bump up the temps more. We are putting a more solid top on the cage tonight but both his day and night lights are already 100Watts. He seems to still be eating But not very active right now. Im definitely keeping an eye on him.

 

[lkwagner]

Add a couple ceramic heat emitters. Got mine off eBay super cheap. That will def help with night temps

 

[deadheadvet]

To say that you never let temps get below 85F is ridiculous. The idea is to simulate their natural environment. There will always be variation in temperature, especially at night. It is in the tortoises health to allow drops in temp. to occur. Keeping the temp too high all the time is unhealthy. Letting the temp drop into the 70's at night is completely fine. I even let my tortoises stay out at night when it drops into the 60's. Those of you keeping a constant temp need to check with some of the successful breeders and they will tell you that tortoise metabolism needs to vary to promote ultimate health.

 

[kbaker]

I believe this is about a sick tortoise and not a normal healthy tortoise. Do you do normal things when you are sick? Or do you rest with a blanket until it passes?

 

[lkwagner]

I clearly said that this was how I cured a respiratory infection without antibiotics. Maybe you should re read things before you spaz out. This isn't how I keep my sulcatas 24/7 chill out

 

[kbaker]

I was referring to deadheadvet.

 

[lkwagner]

That's who I'm talking about too

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Anyways Sara, just try making a better lid that keeps the temps In and order a couple Che's. I really woulnt let the temps fall below 85 until all the symptoms are gone. That's how I cured mine.

 

[skottip]

I agree with lk. If you catch it early, sometimes you can knock it out with higher temps.
The lungs in a tortoise are towards the top, so top heat works best.
Heat blankets and under tank heaters are pretty much worthless.

 

[sarandipity08]

We made a little lid to cover his mesh top cage and we have been keeping both his night and day lights on so that he has a warmer area. He slept a lot today but tomorrow I'm gonna wake him up and put him out in the sun. Thank you for all your suggestions. I'm such a worried momma I just want him better!!!