Reptilony

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Update:
View attachment 268937

He weighs 68 grams, what are your thoughts?

It’s very small for a 7 months old, but maybe he is an exception, but I think what is most likely is that a factor is slowing is growth, the abcess on his face and the fact that he is so small made me think the origin of this abcess might be that factor. If you can weigh him every week you will know more precisely if he’s making progress. Does his plastron feels soft? You say he walks a lot? What kind of uvb are you using?
 

Kingsley7

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Gotcha, I’ll weigh him every week and start keeping tabs.

His plastron doesn’t feel soft per se, but it does push in a little bit if I apply some pressure.... yes he’s very active; investigates eats and sleeps like a baby tort does... I use a power sun 100 watt bulb as his basking and heat element as well as a zoo med 10.0 UV tube light that runs Down the length of his enclosure.
 

Reptilony

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Is the plastron supposed to be rock solid? Because his is not if that’s the case

No just not soft, for a tort this size it might not feel rock solid, what are your temperatures? Basking, minimum ambient...
 

Kingsley7

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No just not soft, for a tort this size it might not feel rock solid, what are your temperatures? Basking, minimum ambient...

Basking temp is between 95-100, ambient is 80. Nighttime is 80, I use a CHE at night to keep it that temp.
 

Tom

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I went back and re-read from the beginning. Here are the high points.

  • Most sulcatas hatch around 30-35 grams. Mine are typically 33-37, but I'll have big batches with some 40-42 grammers in there. My largest was 44 grams right out of the egg before soaking. 20-25 sounds too small.
  • Your tortoise is abnormally small for 7 months old, but there could be many reasons for that. Mine are usually 200-300 grams by seven months, but that is with ideal conditions and ideal hydration. At 68 grams, you are not likely to lose this baby due to "hatchling failure".
  • I've never dealt with a swelling like the one you are seeing, so I have no first hand experience to share. It sure looks like and abscess or infection of some sort to me. Just be careful with the vet. Most of them don't know much about tortoises. Don't let them use Baytril or give any "vitamin injections... Fortaz is a good antibiotic if one is needed and its safer for tortoises. Baytril is extremely caustic and burns them at the injection site.
 

Kingsley7

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I went back and re-read from the beginning. Here are the high points.

  • Most sulcatas hatch around 30-35 grams. Mine are typically 33-37, but I'll have big batches with some 40-42 grammers in there. My largest was 44 grams right out of the egg before soaking. 20-25 sounds too small.
  • Your tortoise is abnormally small for 7 months old, but there could be many reasons for that. Mine are usually 200-300 grams by seven months, but that is with ideal conditions and ideal hydration. At 68 grams, you are not likely to lose this baby due to "hatchling failure".
  • I've never dealt with a swelling like the one you are seeing, so I have no first hand experience to share. It sure looks like and abscess or infection of some sort to me. Just be careful with the vet. Most of them don't know much about tortoises. Don't let them use Baytril or give any "vitamin injections... Fortaz is a good antibiotic if one is needed and its safer for tortoises. Baytril is extremely caustic and burns them at the injection site.

Thank you for the response and information. I appreciate the advice and I’ve been doing my best to keep the conditions above ideal for him. Along with the heat/ uv elements I put in my previous answer, The humidity always stays above 60% but sits closer in the 70-80% range. I soak him with warm water every day for 30 minutes and I keep a humid hide in his enclosure at 90-100% humidity. The vet is scheduled for 3 pm on Friday so I will give an update afterwards; and I’ll definitely be careful with what they suggest as treatment. Thank you
 

Kingsley7

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VET UPDATE:

So we just left the vet, they said that there was tissue growth on the inside of his mouth behind where the abscess is... they offered to sedate, lance the abscess, scoop out the puss and tissue and send him home with antibiotics. That route would have been around 1000 dollars which I can’t spare at the moment. so we decided to skip the surgical route and give him the antibiotics (fortaz) for the next 3/4 weeks. Hopefully the fortaz works in completely clearing it up or at least shrinking the abscess, but I am still cautious to the fact that it could easily come back.
 

Kingsley7

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It’s been about a week since we started treatment and I have some good news... I weighed him this morning and he’s now 75 grams! Besides his adding weight, there is also a considerable change in his facial structure, he doesn’t look as “puffy” as he did before bringing him to the vet and his eye is more open... overall he looks much better, I just hope the remaining doses will be able to treat him fully so we won’t have to worry about this anymore. IMG_1486.jpg
 

Kingsley7

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Update #2: he’s hovering between 76-78 grams, active, eating, and seemingly healthy. The only thing concerning me now is that The abscess seems to almost be rotting... it’s almost making a small hole letting me see upwards into his mouth... should I be worried or should I ride out the rest of the treatment and see where to go from there?
 

Kingsley7

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I will post a picture of it when I get home, it’s nothing mortifying but it’s definitely noticeable if you look close enough
 

Yvonne G

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VET UPDATE:

So we just left the vet, they said that there was tissue growth on the inside of his mouth behind where the abscess is... they offered to sedate, lance the abscess, scoop out the puss and tissue and send him home with antibiotics. That route would have been around 1000 dollars which I can’t spare at the moment. so we decided to skip the surgical route and give him the antibiotics (fortaz) for the next 3/4 weeks. Hopefully the fortaz works in completely clearing it up or at least shrinking the abscess, but I am still cautious to the fact that it could easily come back.
More than likely, what happened is a sharp piece of something (food, wood, whatever) poked through the inside of the mouth and it scabbed over. Now there's a foreign body in there and the tortoise's system is walling it off. I doubt antibiotics by themselves will help the tortoise. The medication will keep the germ growth under control, but whatever sliver caused the abscess in the first place should be taken out of there.

Start saving up your money because this really needs to get done.
 

Kingsley7

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IMG_1612.jpg
Here is an up to date image, you can see the difference now and the cleft/ hole that is forming on his right side.
 

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