grumpytort

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Messages
36
Location (City and/or State)
Bristol, England
Just come on the forum for a bit of advice.

Had my russian for almost a year, he's my first tortoise. He's housed in a vivarium with coco coir and orchid bark which is sprayed with water to keep the humidity at about 70%. Basking temp is 33C. Warm end is roughly 31C and cool end 23C. I let him outside when weather permits (typical UK weather). He's been a pleasure to look after for the last year, always loved his food, feed him lambs lettuce, kale, romaine (on occasion), dandelions, spring greens. He goes mad for tomato but it is a very rare treat.

On saturday, I noticed he wasn't opening one eye properly. It looked a bit swollen and sore, i thought maybe be scratched it or had some substrate in it, so i gave him a warm bath and that did seem to help, he opened the eye a little bit.
On sunday, the same. But also noticed he wasn't very active. I bathed him and let him out to wander around a bit but he wasn't his normal stompy self. He also didn't eat anything. He's just not been himself, not eating and just staying buried. At this point, i thought maybe it was an infection in the eye.
He normally loves basking under his lamp but it's like he doesn't have the energy to get himself to the lamp. I've been giving him baths everyday, twice if i can.

Since I was so worried about him, i took him to the vets yesterday and the vet said he doesn't think it could be an eye infection making him this unwell. He thought maybe respiratory infection but he's not showing typical symptoms (has no mucous or bubbles). The vet gave him IV antibiotic and sent me home with oral antibiotics to give him.

I cannot get him to take the oral antibiotics, I've tried opening his mouth with the syringe but there's no hope and its just stressing the poor guy out even more. Any tips on how to give him them would be appreciated. I tried putting it on some food but he's not interested in food at all.

Im going back to the vets tomorrow but i don't know what to do. Should he have more antibiotics or should I see how he responds in a few days because I know it can take a while to see improvement but i also don't want to wait and him get worse.

Thanks and sorry for the essay!
 

Samantha Graham

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May 6, 2014
Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Liverpool, U.K
I’m sure help is on its way from the more experienced owners but in the meantime, post some pictures of your little one and your enclosure as this is usually what is asked for so that better advice can be offered.

Hope he’s on the mend soon.
 

LaLaP

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Jun 25, 2018
Messages
959
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Portland, OR
If it is a respitory infection you can help him fight it by keeping him a bit warmer than usual ( day and night) and soaking him in warm water often. Even twice a day if you can.
Hopefully someone else has advice about getting the antibiotics into him. I've never had to do that.
Good luck
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Jan 9, 2010
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Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
The area of the world where these guys come from gets hot in summer. The first issue I see is that your basking area and other temps are too cool. This is not a Mediterranean species that likes the milder temperatures you are offering. Basking area should be around 37 and daily ambient should be getting up to 27+ all over. Nighttime cooling is still fine, as long as the days are hotter.

What type of florescent tube are you using there? It might be too far away to be getting good UV to the tortoise.

The grocery store foods you've been offering are not great tortoise foods. They lack fiber, they lack the nutrients needed, and some of them, like kale, contain compounds that really aren't good for tortoises over the long term. They need the right broadleaf weeds, leaves and flowers. You can scavenge these items or grow them yourself. Its time to start learning about all the green stuff growing all around you. Local plant selling nurseries usually have a person that knows all the local weeds and plants to help you learn to ID all the good ones.

In winter, you may be forced to use the grocery store greens. Favor endive and escarole as your staples. Arugula (rocket) is another good one. All the other ones you mentioned can be used for variety, but not too often or too much. Add collard greens, cilantro, turnip and mustard greens, carrot tops, strawberry leaves, and anything else from the "good" lists you can find for variety. Russians really aren't grass eaters, but you can add some sprouted wheat grass to the greens just for the fiber. You can also use ZooMed Grassland Tortoise chow to add some needed fiber and variety. Start with only a tiny amount. Soak one tiny broken piece and mix it in thoroughly with the greens. It will take time for him to accept this new food, but once he does, they tend to love it. Also look for some "herbal hay" in your country.

Mazuri is now available in your country, and a prepared food like this will help get balanced nutrition into your tortoise while being fed a diet of primarily grocery store greens.
 

RosemaryDW

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Messages
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Newport Coast, CA
I know it’s awful to give the oral injections; you have to really grab and pull on them. You might check some YouTube videos to get more comfortable.

You might also ask your vet about an injectable antibiotic such as Ceftazidime (Fortaz). It is a lot easier for us to use shots than try the oral meds. There are videos for that as well. I can’t stand needles but it really isn’t that difficult.

Either way, if you are going to give antibiotics, you’ve got to gut down and give the full dose. Going off and on is unlikely to do him any good.

I hope he feels better soon. Respiratory infections can take a long time to clear up in a tortoise, I know it’s awful to watch and wait. :(
 

grumpytort

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Messages
36
Location (City and/or State)
Bristol, England
@Tom Thanks for the advice. I’ll raise his temps a bit.

I’ve tried him with Mazuri but he was not interested but hopefully one day he’ll change his mind. I was growing some weeds over the summer and will try to grow some more inside. Thanks for the advice, it is appreciated.

@RosemaryDW its so difficult to get the oral ones in him and i felt like i was just stressing him out even more so another trip to the vets for antibiotic injections, not nice but think it’s a bit kinder than trying to force something in his mouth. Hopefully that, along with the warmer temps and warm baths will make him feel a bit brighter!
 

Samantha Graham

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5 Year Member
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
Liverpool, U.K
I’m still getting mine to accept Mazuri but I’m sure he’ll take to it one day, I hide it in his weeds so no doubt he’s getting a little bit. Completely ignores it if offered on its own.
I use weed seeds from Shelled Warrior on eBay/Amazon and they grow pretty quickly but most of the time I forage for weeds on my walks with the dogs.
I have the PlantSnap app on my phone so anything that looks interesting, I can identify before adding it to Pips diet.

Hope he’s feeling better and let us know how he gets on.
 

Jackie Cramer

New Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Allen,Tx
Just come on the forum for a bit of advice.

Had my russian for almost a year, he's my first tortoise. He's housed in a vivarium with coco coir and orchid bark which is sprayed with water to keep the humidity at about 70%. Basking temp is 33C. Warm end is roughly 31C and cool end 23C. I let him outside when weather permits (typical UK weather). He's been a pleasure to look after for the last year, always loved his food, feed him lambs lettuce, kale, romaine (on occasion), dandelions, spring greens. He goes mad for tomato but it is a very rare treat.

On saturday, I noticed he wasn't opening one eye properly. It looked a bit swollen and sore, i thought maybe be scratched it or had some substrate in it, so i gave him a warm bath and that did seem to help, he opened the eye a little bit.
On sunday, the same. But also noticed he wasn't very active. I bathed him and let him out to wander around a bit but he wasn't his normal stompy self. He also didn't eat anything. He's just not been himself, not eating and just staying buried. At this point, i thought maybe it was an infection in the eye.
He normally loves basking under his lamp but it's like he doesn't have the energy to get himself to the lamp. I've been giving him baths everyday, twice if i can.

Since I was so worried about him, i took him to the vets yesterday and the vet said he doesn't think it could be an eye infection making him this unwell. He thought maybe respiratory infection but he's not showing typical symptoms (has no mucous or bubbles). The vet gave him IV antibiotic and sent me home with oral antibiotics to give him.

I cannot get him to take the oral antibiotics, I've tried opening his mouth with the syringe but there's no hope and its just stressing the poor guy out even more. Any tips on how to give him them would be appreciated. I tried putting it on some food but he's not interested in food at all.

Im going back to the vets tomorrow but i don't know what to do. Should he have more antibiotics or should I see how he responds in a few days because I know it can take a while to see improvement but i also don't want to wait and him get worse.

Thanks and sorry for the essay!
I have Russians and I had to give oral meds once I used a popsycle stick to pry mouth open. It was very hard and after that I have insisted on injections. Russians really love cactus pads and I grow my own, dandelions are another favorite. I grow some of their food, I also buy organic! I dont buy mazuri or anything like that. Check out Carolina pet supply. They have a great item called TNT, total nutrition for tortoises. I have used this for years and it's great! They also sell grasses, hay, etc. Hope your tort gets better soon!
 

Lokkje

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Tortoise Club
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Aug 19, 2019
Messages
1,142
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix
It is quite easy to give an intramuscular injection to a tortoise. I’ve had to do it a number of times. You just pull the front flipper forward towards the head and go to the base of the leg at the shell and inject into the muscle. Any veterinarian should be able to show you how to do it if they know anything about tortoises.I have had over 300 desert tortoise hatchling successfully grow to adulthood and I currently have a leopard tortoise along with desert tortoises. I have never been able to give any sick tortoise oral antibiotics successfully. I don’t know how other people manage to do it. I think the tortoises by the point they are no longer eating are too sick to be able to take an oral and absorb them properly. In addition to the cephalosporin suggested by another member, floxin agents work very well with desert tortoises although I’m not as familiar with Russians. Best of luck to you.
 

grumpytort

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Messages
36
Location (City and/or State)
Bristol, England
thanks everyone for replying and giving advice.
Ive stopped trying the oral antibiotics; it was stressing him and me out. He had another dose via IM at the vets.
Ive raised his temperatures a bit, he’s enjoying sitting under his basking lamp again. He also ate a bit of his greens today! still not himself but taking these little triumphs.
going to continue keeping him warm, warm soaks and hopefully he’ll be back to himself soon.
X
 

mags48

New Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
PRESTON Lancashire
thanks everyone for replying and giving advice.
Ive stopped trying the oral antibiotics; it was stressing him and me out. He had another dose via IM at the vets.
Ive raised his temperatures a bit, he’s enjoying sitting under his basking lamp again. He also ate a bit of his greens today! still not himself but taking these little triumphs.
going to continue keeping him warm, warm soaks and hopefully he’ll be back to himself soon.
X
Have you tried bathing him in a bath with mashed up carrot. Could be a vitamin deficiency. When mine were small I got baby carrot food. It works as a pick me up. Helps sore eyes. God bless Mags.
 

grumpytort

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Messages
36
Location (City and/or State)
Bristol, England
Not tried the carrot soaks but have heard of it. I already use nutri-boost which is an electrolyte and glucose powder which i add to his baths. Was a bit skeptical about the carrots but I'm up for trying anything to make him feel better.
 

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