Stressful event and heavy breathing

[thatrebecca]

Tonight I went to bring in my CDTs and one had started to burrow under a piece of plywood propped in her enclosure and toppled it. She was kind of nested under the leaning plywood -- I'm not sure if she could have gotten herself out or not. (Today's plywood experiment, a temp fix to keep our duo separate while we work on a second enclosure, is apparently a no-go. Cinderblocks it is in the am). Anyway, she seemed to be physically fine but when I picked her up to bring her inside she was breathing in a more labored way than usual, with her head bobbing up and down. My question is -- was she breathing that way out of stress? I don't know how long she was there -- my husband had checked on the torts in the late afternoon and she was in her hide. It was well after dusk when I found her under the plywood. Normally she would never be out of her hide at that hour.

 

[WillTort2]

Was the plywood heavy enough to have caused her to be unable to obtain a full breath? Or could the feeling of being trapped have caused the tort to panic?

Torts can be very persistent in digging under or around anything in their way; but I've never seen a tort deal with a panic situation caused by a falling object that prevented it freedom of movement. I know they don't like to be trapped in any small container.

 

[sibi]

Poor tort. She got spooked with the plywood falling on her. I think that was just a reaction to the experience, and she's a little stressed. I would just secure her hide and not bother her until she feels safe enough to come out. Feed her as usual but don't force her to eat. When she's hungry enough, she's go out and eat. In the meantime, watch her closely and report any other breathing problems like bubbles coming out of her nose or mouth, or if you hear any wheezing. Above all, secure her hide or space asap. She needs to feel safe or she'll continue to stress.

 

[ascott]

Is your outdoor enclosure/yard predator proof?

 

[thatrebecca]

[

Was the plywood heavy enough to have caused her to be unable to obtain a full breath? Or could the feeling of being trapped have caused the tort to panic?

Torts can be very persistent in digging under or around anything in their way; but I've never seen a tort deal with a panic situation caused by a falling object that prevented it freedom of movement. I know they don't like to be trapped in any small container.

The plywood is very light -- I don't think it impeded her breathing, though it probably scared the bejeezums out of her when it toppled.

quote='sibi' pid='738482' dateline='1378960593']
Poor tort. She got spooked with the plywood falling on her. I think that was just a reaction to the experience, and she's a little stressed. I would just secure her hide and not bother her until she feels safe enough to come out. Feed her as usual but don't force her to eat. When she's hungry enough, she's go out and eat. In the meantime, watch her closely and report any other breathing problems like bubbles coming out of her nose or mouth, or if you hear any wheezing. Above all, secure her hide or space asap. She needs to feel safe or she'll continue to stress.
[/quote]

She's tucked in in her indoor hide, a safe and familiar place. Tomorrow I'll secure her outdoor enclosure before I go to work. Poor thing.

Is your outdoor enclosure/yard predator proof?

The yard has 8-foot concrete walls, but skunks and house cats have managed to climb in. If she's outdoors at night she's in her concrete-lidded hide. The lid is so heavy, I have trouble lifting it. Of course tonight she wasn't in her hide, and would have been quite vulnerable to prowling critters.

 

[mikeh]

If she was deep a sleep, waking her up suddenly could be your answer.

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[thatrebecca]

If she was deep a sleep, waking her up suddenly could be your answer.

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Ahh, that could be it. She didn't open her eyes when I first picked her up, and she sometimes sleeps right through the evening transfer inside. Her breathing seems normal this morning.