Something wrong with my sulcata?

AshleyFrench

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
50
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
Hercules has been making these weird noises that sound like sneezing, wheezing, tweeting, and a couple other things. Is that normal? Sometimes I think that he is just dry, but it doesn't really fix the problem. Also, he has been kind of losing his energy and doesn't walk as fast. Can anyone help me with this?
 

Jodie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
4,359
Location (City and/or State)
Spokane Valley WA
It is not normal. Can you give us a lot more information please, so we can help. Please post pics of your enclosure. What are your temps, hot side, cool side, basking and night low? What is his diet?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hercules has been making these weird noises that sound like sneezing, wheezing, tweeting, and a couple other things. Is that normal? Sometimes I think that he is just dry, but it doesn't really fix the problem. Also, he has been kind of losing his energy and doesn't walk as fast. Can anyone help me with this?
Sounds like the onset of a respiratory infection. The info Jodie asked for will help us figure out why.
 

AshleyFrench

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
50
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
It is not normal. Can you give us a lot more information please, so we can help. Please post pics of your enclosure. What are your temps, hot side, cool side, basking and night low? What is his diet?
Temperature ranges from 80-95, hot side is 95-100 and cool side is 80-85, but he never goes to the cool side, and at nighttime it’s around 80-85. His diet I know how not been the best; it’s mostly green leaf lettuce, zucchini, and aloe Vera. I ordered some seeds that I can grow for him of lots of different grasses and hay.

96AADB01-594F-4CE2-B45E-76FAAD01337D.jpeg
 

Jodie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
4,359
Location (City and/or State)
Spokane Valley WA
That is a very cute enclosure. I love all the decorations. The gauges you are using though are not very accurate. A digital thermometer/hydrometer with a probe will give you much more reliable info. Do you use a temp gun to get the basking area temp? They work really well, and allow you to randomly check temps at the ground level.
I would add 4-6 inches of substrate to the enclosure, and keep it damp. I water mine like a house plant, allowing the top to dry slightly between waterings.
What are you using for night heat?
 

AshleyFrench

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
50
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
That is a very cute enclosure. I love all the decorations. The gauges you are using though are not very accurate. A digital thermometer/hydrometer with a probe will give you much more reliable info. Do you use a temp gun to get the basking area temp? They work really well, and allow you to randomly check temps at the ground level.
I would add 4-6 inches of substrate to the enclosure, and keep it damp. I water mine like a house plant, allowing the top to dry slightly between waterings.
What are you using for night heat?
I’m just using a night heat bulb that is blue. Also, I am wondering if his inactiveness is boredom? I decided to take him out more to walk around and he will walk for a long time, at a pretty good pace. And, I wonder if all of the noises that he makes is because he can’t really breath out of his nose, there is often clear discharge that comes out of it.
 

Jodie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
4,359
Location (City and/or State)
Spokane Valley WA
Walking around in your house is dangerous. I suspect a raspatory infection, so the cold floor is not going to be beneficial. Colored lights are often problematic. I would switch that out for a ceramic heat emitter.
 

AshleyFrench

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
50
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
Walking around in your house is dangerous. I suspect a raspatory infection, so the cold floor is not going to be beneficial. Colored lights are often problematic. I would switch that out for a ceramic heat emitter.
I let him walk around on my carpet because I know that tile and wood is too cold. I also keep him under strict surveillance and literally watch him walk for like 10-20 minutes at times.
 

AshleyFrench

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
50
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
Walking around in your house is dangerous. I suspect a raspatory infection, so the cold floor is not going to be beneficial. Colored lights are often problematic. I would switch that out for a ceramic heat emitter.
And are you mostly saying that my heating could be off? I am totally willing to buy him a new CHE and thermostat.
 

Jodie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
4,359
Location (City and/or State)
Spokane Valley WA
Yes, it sounds like he is sick. A vet visit would be a good idea, if you are able. If not, I would increase temps, and ensure with reliable equipment (digital thermometers, temp gun, and thermostats) that the temp is never below 85F in the coldest corner. Humidity is also important, and can be raised by increasing the depth of your substrate, and keeping it damp.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I let him walk around on my carpet because I know that tile and wood is too cold. I also keep him under strict surveillance and literally watch him walk for like 10-20 minutes at times.
The carpet is the same temperature as the wood floor. It just feels cooler to your hand because of how the smoother hard surface conducts heat when compared to the carpet. In either case it is too cold for a tortoise on e floor. Even if the room temp was 80, it will be much colder down on the floor.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,389
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
One thing to bear in mind about letting the tortoise out of his enclosure: once a tortoise is allowed to know there's more to the world than what's inside his 4 walls, he'll not be content to stay in there anymore. This leads to always trying to escape, climbing the walls, digging in the corners and irritating his human. It's much kinder to keep him in his enclosure.
 

AshleyFrench

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
50
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
Yes, it sounds like he is sick. A vet visit would be a good idea, if you are able. If not, I would increase temps, and ensure with reliable equipment (digital thermometers, temp gun, and thermostats) that the temp is never below 85F in the coldest corner. Humidity is also important, and can be raised by increasing the depth of your substrate, and keeping it damp.
Could you recommend me to those three things?
 

New Posts

Top