Red spots on my 8 month old sulcata

[Kkeelboat]

Hi everyone,

I have two sulcata tortoises. One is a year and a half old, the other is 8 months old. Today I noticed that the younger one has two small red spots on its shell. These are new and I am very concerned.

Can someone please give me an idea of what they are? They were just at the vet two weeks ago and everything checked out great.

Thank you!

 

[ascott]

Hi everyone,

I have two sulcata tortoises. One is a year and a half old, the other is 8 months old. Today I noticed that the younger one has two small red spots on its shell. These are new and I am very concerned.

Can someone please give me an idea of what they are? They were just at the vet two weeks ago and everything checked out great.

Thank you!

Well to first caution, a pair is not usually a desirable situation...pairs do not generally do well....dominance in the form of ramming, biting, circling are all things that can and usually end up taking place....

What is the enclosure set up....if you share that some of the folks can join in and offer some valuable information in regards to this species.

 

[ascott]

Hi everyone,

I have two sulcata tortoises. One is a year and a half old, the other is 8 months old. Today I noticed that the younger one has two small red spots on its shell. These are new and I am very concerned.

Can someone please give me an idea of what they are? They were just at the vet two weeks ago and everything checked out great.

Thank you!

I also have to share, that tortoise looks way underweight....and a bit dry....

 

[JoesMum]

There are two possibilities that I can think of

1. This is damage caused by bullying.

Torts do not get lonely and they don't need, want or particularly like company. Especially where there's a size difference, bullying is common and can result in the death of the bullied tort. They should be separated and you must accept that this is likely to be permanent. You cannot possibly watch them 24/7 to make sure it doesn't happen.

2. Red spots can be signs of septacaemia, but that usually shows on the plastron (undershell). This requires immediate vetinary attention

Someone like @Tom knows more about this species and will be better able to diagnose.

Your tort does look underweight. Perhaps its larger companion is getting most of the food?

Please would you tell us what you are feeding?

Also photos of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you get things right for these torts.

 

[Kkeelboat]

I will post more photos after work. I am very aware that they do not do well in pairs. They were initially separated but I've had them together for a few months because i am in the process of moving. I watch them very frequently and have found that the smaller one would be the bully out of the two, if any. I feed them separately and watch to make sure the smaller one eats because I agree that it's very small. The breeder that I got it from at an expo was in a rush to sell them and I could tell that they were not very healthy and also very new hatchlings.

My larger tortoise came from a healthier and larger bunch, so I knew from the beginning that the smaller one was undersized.


Right now I'll tell you about food and the enclosure. I feed them arugula, grass, clover, dandelion, different types of flowers. Right now they are in a large cement mixing bin that is dark grey and a rectangle. I have two hiding areas and a large water dish. I have a uvb bulb and two lights/heat lamps because I live in Pennsylvania and that's what I had for winter. The temps range from 75-105 and I use a digital thermometer. I use Eco earth as substrate.

I also want to add that right after I put them together I setup my Sony action can to watch them for a few days while I was at work. I went through piece by piece to see how they reacted with each other. They rarely came near each other and the closest was when they both fell asleep one time right next to each other by the water. Now I know bullying can happen at any time but I really don't think that is the problem. I will separate them sooner to see but I do believe my Tortoise is sick.

As I also said I took them to the vet two weeks ago and everything was great physically. They did a poop sample and found a couple worms when it went out for testing. Now this could be an issue too because I was given medicine for them and after doing my research was weary of giving it to them. Especially the smaller one. I did end up giving it to them after verifying the type of medicine was somewhat safe.

Could it be from the medicine? I love my torts to death and will do anything to make sure they are okay. Hopefully this helps. These spots showed up within the past two days.

 

[JoesMum]

What worming medication was prescribed. Panacur seems to be the one of choice on here

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

The red spots look like they could be from the other tortoise ramming him.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

With two torts from two sources. One possible illness will often result in two sick tortoises.
If you recently treated them both for parasites, it could certainly weaken them for a short period.
Are the treatments OVER? (There are usually a few rounds of it)
I'd get a second cement mixing tub and place your lights right down the center of them sitting side by side.

 

[ascott]

I will post more photos after work. I am very aware that they do not do well in pairs. They were initially separated but I've had them together for a few months because i am in the process of moving. I watch them very frequently and have found that the smaller one would be the bully out of the two, if any. I feed them separately and watch to make sure the smaller one eats because I agree that it's very small. The breeder that I got it from at an expo was in a rush to sell them and I could tell that they were not very healthy and also very new hatchlings.

My larger tortoise came from a healthier and larger bunch, so I knew from the beginning that the smaller one was undersized.


Right now I'll tell you about food and the enclosure. I feed them arugula, grass, clover, dandelion, different types of flowers. Right now they are in a large cement mixing bin that is dark grey and a rectangle. I have two hiding areas and a large water dish. I have a uvb bulb and two lights/heat lamps because I live in Pennsylvania and that's what I had for winter. The temps range from 75-105 and I use a digital thermometer. I use Eco earth as substrate.

I also want to add that right after I put them together I setup my Sony action can to watch them for a few days while I was at work. I went through piece by piece to see how they reacted with each other. They rarely came near each other and the closest was when they both fell asleep one time right next to each other by the water. Now I know bullying can happen at any time but I really don't think that is the problem. I will separate them sooner to see but I do believe my Tortoise is sick.

As I also said I took them to the vet two weeks ago and everything was great physically. They did a poop sample and found a couple worms when it went out for testing. Now this could be an issue too because I was given medicine for them and after doing my research was weary of giving it to them. Especially the smaller one. I did end up giving it to them after verifying the type of medicine was somewhat safe.

Could it be from the medicine? I love my torts to death and will do anything to make sure they are okay. Hopefully this helps. These spots showed up within the past two days.

What you also will want to keep in mind is that a forced captive tortoise is already in an unnatural environment....then take two tortoise set up in a forced captive environment and now you have added another unnatural situation, tortoise do not naturally WANT to be forced to share the same space...and the fact that they rarely come in contact with one another is a sign unto itself that they are avoiding on another, which is a result of being forced to be in the same space.....otherwise if you had them each in their own space they would claim the entire space instead of confining to a piece of the space....

 

[Kasia]

There are two possibilities that I can think of

1. This is damage caused by bullying.

Torts do not get lonely and they don't need, want or particularly like company. Especially where there's a size difference, bullying is common and can result in the death of the bullied tort. They should be separated and you must accept that this is likely to be permanent. You cannot possibly watch them 24/7 to make sure it doesn't happen.

2. Red spots can be signs of septacaemia, but that usually shows on the plastron (undershell). This requires immediate vetinary attention

Someone like @Tom knows more about this species and will be better able to diagnose.

Your tort does look underweight. Perhaps its larger companion is getting most of the food?

Please would you tell us what you are feeding?

Also photos of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you get things right for these torts.

If his not lethargic it's probably the first thing pointed out - you don't see everything. Even little torts don't get along and are territorial. I would get him checked out. Lil ones have soft shell and internal damage is not that hard to get.
All the best for both little shells Do separate them.

 

[Kkeelboat]

So I was restless at work and left early to take Little Foot to the vet. I actually drove an hour to go to a better bet because obviously the one from a couple weeks ago is clueless. As I thought it is sepsis. I'm so lost. How does this happen? I take care of both of them a same but more humidity for this one. The vet gave me antibiotics and powdered herbivore food to mix with water but said that Little Foot probably won't make it. I'm staying hopeful and already separated them. I can see there's still some fight left and that "she" will eat some regular food too gives me some hope.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

 

[Kasia]

So I was restless at work and left early to take Little Foot to the vet. I actually drove an hour to go to a better bet because obviously the one from a couple weeks ago is clueless. As I thought it is sepsis. I'm so lost. How does this happen? I take care of both of them a same but more humidity for this one. The vet gave me antibiotics and powdered herbivore food to mix with water but said that Little Foot probably won't make it. I'm staying hopeful and already separated them. I can see there's still some fight left and that "she" will eat some regular food too gives me some hope.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

If your tort is active and eating antibiotics might still work, keep her warm and soak her twice a day. I keep my fingers crossed that she will make it

 

[ascott]

So I was restless at work and left early to take Little Foot to the vet. I actually drove an hour to go to a better bet because obviously the one from a couple weeks ago is clueless. As I thought it is sepsis. I'm so lost. How does this happen? I take care of both of them a same but more humidity for this one. The vet gave me antibiotics and powdered herbivore food to mix with water but said that Little Foot probably won't make it. I'm staying hopeful and already separated them. I can see there's still some fight left and that "she" will eat some regular food too gives me some hope.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

How did the vet determine that diagnosis? Was there blood test done? Not just some visual crap?

 

[JoesMum]

I'm not convinced by your ver's diagnosis.

Can do two measurements please?
1. The straight line distance between those two red spots (a calliper would be best or use a ruler and estimate)
2. The straight line distance between the two prongs of the plastron (undershell) at the front of the other tort.

I suspect the two are very similar. If so you have evidence of bullying being the cause.

Please separate these torts to give this one the best chance that you can.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sepsis was just a guess by one of us.
Is that what the vet actually found and how did they come to that conclusion?
Why is the outlook so dire?
The tortoise is still eating, etc? Just keep him warm, fed and hydrated. (and separated)
And please keep letting us know what is going on.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I don't keep Sulcatas. Would anyone recommend feeding "treat" foods to bring the energy and weight up?
Antibiotics will slow down digestion and could make it even weaker and thinner.

 

[Kkeelboat]

Well after giving it the powder food and medicine "she" seems to perk up but barely opens her eyes. I've noticed improvement in past day but now one of the spots are bleeding. I'm sorry for the delayed response. I'm been working and using every other second for my tort.

I was very appalled by this second vet too. She would not do any tests and didn't even want to treat her. She just kept saying she was going to die but I refuse to not try. I'm not a vet but it has to be sepsis. There are now multiple spots underneath and a third on that spot where the two are in the picture to make a triangle. The third is now bleeding. I'm going crazy and I have no idea what to do. I feel like the for emcees feeding is too stressful but she won't eat enough on her own.

Can anyone give me more information on septicemia? Is there a chance?

I actually just heard her moving and I looked and she is walking around with her eyes open but not a single piece of her shell is hard. I will post more pictures for you guys.

Maybe I'm wrong but the fact that more spots are showing up doesn't help me think she is getting any better.

 

[Kkeelboat]

Here are a couple pictures

 

[Kkeelboat]

2

 

[JoesMum]

OK I agree that the new red patches, especially those on the plastron, don't look good at all. I too fear you may lose this little one.

With just the pair on the upper shell it looked like a ramming injury, but the patches on the plastron indicate that sepsis is likely. I'm so sorry.