Tortoise threw up and very sleepy...advice please

EmmaG

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I'm concerned about my Hermanns tortoise Alfie, he is about 1 year old.... Yesterday evening I gave him a bath and he pooed but some of it was runny (it's usually solid) after bath time Alfie barely moved from under his UVB lamp, seeming lethargic. Then last night at about 10pm when he is usually asleep I noticed Alfie 'straining' hunching up his back legs, I've never seen him do this before but thought he was trying to poo but he was then sick, twice a small amount of green stuff came out of his mouth. I turned his light off at 10pm as I usually do and he stayed there all night asleep. Today he has been sleepy again and barely moved, I gave him a bath and he didn't try to climb out after 5/10 minutes as he usually does and has since just stayed under his light sleeping.... He hasn't eaten apart from one bite of veg which I put in front of his face.


Basking spot temperature- 35 Celsius
Rest of the enclosure- 20 to 25 Celsius (roughly)
Nighttime low- 18 Celsius

Thoughts/advice much appreciated :)
 

EmmaG

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I'm near Cranbrook, I believe the Trinity in Maidstone is probably my closest.
Any ideas what could be wrong?
 

JoesMum

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I'm near Cranbrook, I believe the Trinity in Maidstone is probably my closest.
Any ideas what could be wrong?
I would recommend you go to Trinity. I'm in Tonbridge :)

The practice is near the hospital. Parking can be a bit tricky. There's a car park behind the surgery (ask when you book) If that's full, I have usually been lucky and found a place on the road. Give yourself plenty of time.
 

JoesMum

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EmmaG

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I phoned the breeder that I got him from to see if he had any suggestions or illness in the rest of Alfie's batch but once ruling out he most likely hadn't eaten anything poisonous all he suggested was to keep an eye on him for a few days and let him know how it goes. He said the vet wouldn't know what to do because we don't know why he's fallen ill :/
 

JoesMum

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Hmmm. I would rather be safe than sorry. Mark keeps tortoises - he does know his stuff.

It's your call and you that's paying though.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.
 

Aunt Caffy

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Hmmm. I would rather be safe than sorry. Mark keeps tortoises - he does know his stuff.

It's your call and you that's paying though.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.
I definitely second your taking him to the vet.
 

Linhdan Nguyen

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I agree with JoesMum its your choice to take him to the vet but I would also recommend it.
Throwing up shows signs of illness, among other things you mentioned.
I, personally, wouldnt be able to wait without seeing a vet.
 

Linhdan Nguyen

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Looks like i posted too late :(
Hows the little one doing ? Not worse i hope. Keep us updated on the vet visit later.
 

Aunt Caffy

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I've got an appointment for later this afternoon, it's not with Mark Rowlands but another vet who also keeps tortoises
Fantastic! I hope they can figure out what's wrong with your little one.
 

EmmaG

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Alfie seemed to perk up a bit after the long car journey, the vet gave him a general check over and an antibiotic injection (naxcel?) which lasts a week, plus reptoboost to put in his baths and said to bring him back in a week if he doesn't get any better. Also got a pot for a fecal sample to check for parasites
 

JoesMum

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Sounds fair enough. I don't know the antibiotic. Reptoboost is good - I used when Joe was sick and use it when Joe is recovering from hibernation.

Let’s hope there's a speedy recovery
 
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