Mary McTague
New Member
- Joined
- May 29, 2015
- Messages
- 3
Hey Everyone,
I am an american, currently living in Brazil, studying to become a veterinarian . I have always worked with birds and hope to one day specialize in Exotics, but I am very new to Reptiles. I could really use the advice and help but please keep it civil, perhaps I am doing nothing right but I am trying my best.
A client of my aunt recently had a client who brought in a ill baby red foot. Although see doesn't treat reptiles, the owner would only bring the animal to a veterinarian she knew due to the fact that this animal was illegally captured and has no documentation. The baby redfoot was having diarrhea with very little fecal matter (like a tspn of water), no appetite, closed eyes but without swelling and very lethargic. The owners had only had him for two weeks, but he had really gone downhill quickly. His diet was fine but he had no source of heating or UVB. After the owners realized that he was not going to be a cheap pet, they decided to relinquish the animal to me! YAY
First of all, I ran some fecal exams that said that he had Entamoeba sp (+) so I treated him with the recommended levels of metraindazole for a tortoise weighting 53 grams. Then I put him in warm water to re hydrate and he started to perk up and open his eyes. I suspected that he was mostly suffering from the cold temperatures.It is winter here in Brazil and the city I live in is the mountains (871meters) with highs in the mid 70's during the day and in the lows 50's at night with very high humidity. It is completely different than the climate where he originates. The professor of exotics examined him and came to the conclusion that he was simply suffering form the cold weather and I just needed to put in a incandescent lamp of 40 watts to 60 watts, put him in the sun and he would be just fine....
For the first two weeks, I unfortunately had him housed in a cardboard box with just moistened towels with a 40watt light bulb during the day. Later I purchased a Medzoo infrad light 100watts that I have been using at night. Luckily it was always in the high 70's low 80's with clear skies so I was able to put in outside for his uvb. Although during this time, his eyes never opened without his daily soaks, he was pretty active and had an enormous appetite. He even grew and and gained some weight.
However, just as I have started trying to improve his living conditions, the weather, and his health have taken a turn for the worst. Since last Monday, his eyes only open for short periods of time even after 3 daily soaks. He has eaten very little since last Friday and he has been very lethargic.
On Friday I finally found and bought a plastic bin which is roughly W16x H18X L 24. He is now on a substrate of a mixture of unspecified bonsai moss (only moss I could find, please look at pic!), wood chips and organic soil, which I am keeping rather moist. I currently still have no hydrometer!
I finally found and bought the zoomed digital thermometer that read that under his 40 watt it read 73 and under the Infrared right now it is 82.
Okay so now you know the backstory so here come all the questions. Please keep in mind that Brazil is still a third world country. Products for reptiles are imported,very expensive, and hard to find!!!!! For instance there is a nationwide shortage of UVB lights and I just paid of $50USD on a zoomed digital thermometer.
1. I need a UVB desperately, especially because the weather is not cooperating. However I can only find locally the exo terra professional series 125 watts and the Reptile sun 10 watts. Aren't these too strong for the size of my enclosure? What should I do? Can I just put the 10 watts further away from this bin or should I put him outside with reinforced heating sources. Put on your MacGyver hats on.
2. I would obviously would love to have a ceramic heater but it is completely out of my budget right now (for stand+lamp=$R400). With a incandescent bulb and a UVB, wouldn't that be too much light? What should I buy to reinforce my heating sources, because I am not getting 90 degrees basking temp out of 40 watt light bulb. I will post below some of my options. *Also stronger incandescent light bulbs are very hard to find because they are illegal.
3. I can not find a regular hydrometer for reptiles in this country. (photo below) Would this one for chicken egg incubation would work? Until I purchase one, are there any tricks or hints to deterime the humidity?
4. Has anyone had a reptile with Entamoeba sp? The vet said that all redfoot tortoises have it and I didn't need to treat him.
5. Can't find reptile bowls, what is a good replacement.
6. Does anyone know what type of moss this is?
7. What should I do to improve his habitat in general? Anything glaringly wrong?
8. If I can get the parameters right, how long does it take for a baby red foot to recover from dehydration?
9. My redfoot has produced very little feces (4)in the time I have had him. Despite the fact that I give plenty of juicy fruits and vegetable along with the other appropriate foods, how often should this little guy be defecating. What does a normal stool look like?
Thank you everyone for looking at this post. Fredrick and I really appreciate it! One day, I want to put him in wildlife release project, so I really need him to grow healthy and strong.
I am an american, currently living in Brazil, studying to become a veterinarian . I have always worked with birds and hope to one day specialize in Exotics, but I am very new to Reptiles. I could really use the advice and help but please keep it civil, perhaps I am doing nothing right but I am trying my best.
A client of my aunt recently had a client who brought in a ill baby red foot. Although see doesn't treat reptiles, the owner would only bring the animal to a veterinarian she knew due to the fact that this animal was illegally captured and has no documentation. The baby redfoot was having diarrhea with very little fecal matter (like a tspn of water), no appetite, closed eyes but without swelling and very lethargic. The owners had only had him for two weeks, but he had really gone downhill quickly. His diet was fine but he had no source of heating or UVB. After the owners realized that he was not going to be a cheap pet, they decided to relinquish the animal to me! YAY
First of all, I ran some fecal exams that said that he had Entamoeba sp (+) so I treated him with the recommended levels of metraindazole for a tortoise weighting 53 grams. Then I put him in warm water to re hydrate and he started to perk up and open his eyes. I suspected that he was mostly suffering from the cold temperatures.It is winter here in Brazil and the city I live in is the mountains (871meters) with highs in the mid 70's during the day and in the lows 50's at night with very high humidity. It is completely different than the climate where he originates. The professor of exotics examined him and came to the conclusion that he was simply suffering form the cold weather and I just needed to put in a incandescent lamp of 40 watts to 60 watts, put him in the sun and he would be just fine....
For the first two weeks, I unfortunately had him housed in a cardboard box with just moistened towels with a 40watt light bulb during the day. Later I purchased a Medzoo infrad light 100watts that I have been using at night. Luckily it was always in the high 70's low 80's with clear skies so I was able to put in outside for his uvb. Although during this time, his eyes never opened without his daily soaks, he was pretty active and had an enormous appetite. He even grew and and gained some weight.
However, just as I have started trying to improve his living conditions, the weather, and his health have taken a turn for the worst. Since last Monday, his eyes only open for short periods of time even after 3 daily soaks. He has eaten very little since last Friday and he has been very lethargic.
On Friday I finally found and bought a plastic bin which is roughly W16x H18X L 24. He is now on a substrate of a mixture of unspecified bonsai moss (only moss I could find, please look at pic!), wood chips and organic soil, which I am keeping rather moist. I currently still have no hydrometer!
I finally found and bought the zoomed digital thermometer that read that under his 40 watt it read 73 and under the Infrared right now it is 82.
Okay so now you know the backstory so here come all the questions. Please keep in mind that Brazil is still a third world country. Products for reptiles are imported,very expensive, and hard to find!!!!! For instance there is a nationwide shortage of UVB lights and I just paid of $50USD on a zoomed digital thermometer.
1. I need a UVB desperately, especially because the weather is not cooperating. However I can only find locally the exo terra professional series 125 watts and the Reptile sun 10 watts. Aren't these too strong for the size of my enclosure? What should I do? Can I just put the 10 watts further away from this bin or should I put him outside with reinforced heating sources. Put on your MacGyver hats on.
2. I would obviously would love to have a ceramic heater but it is completely out of my budget right now (for stand+lamp=$R400). With a incandescent bulb and a UVB, wouldn't that be too much light? What should I buy to reinforce my heating sources, because I am not getting 90 degrees basking temp out of 40 watt light bulb. I will post below some of my options. *Also stronger incandescent light bulbs are very hard to find because they are illegal.
3. I can not find a regular hydrometer for reptiles in this country. (photo below) Would this one for chicken egg incubation would work? Until I purchase one, are there any tricks or hints to deterime the humidity?
4. Has anyone had a reptile with Entamoeba sp? The vet said that all redfoot tortoises have it and I didn't need to treat him.
5. Can't find reptile bowls, what is a good replacement.
6. Does anyone know what type of moss this is?
7. What should I do to improve his habitat in general? Anything glaringly wrong?
8. If I can get the parameters right, how long does it take for a baby red foot to recover from dehydration?
9. My redfoot has produced very little feces (4)in the time I have had him. Despite the fact that I give plenty of juicy fruits and vegetable along with the other appropriate foods, how often should this little guy be defecating. What does a normal stool look like?
Thank you everyone for looking at this post. Fredrick and I really appreciate it! One day, I want to put him in wildlife release project, so I really need him to grow healthy and strong.
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