Can someone help me please (wet, wheezing tortoise)

[beverleyjadeee]

I have a leopard tortoise who is roughly three year old, I leave her heatmat on overnight, as the conservatory is freezing, she lives in a viv with wood chippings and the tank sometimes gets condensation in the morning however, I've just went down to find the bottom of her she'll soaking wet and she is wheezing abit and there is no condensation on the tank..

 

[Sara G.]

Do you have pics of the setup?
What sort of lights do you have for her?

 

[beverleyjadeee]

I have a long uv bulb which goes on through the day for her and a heat lamp which I never put on as she then falls on her side, it's just her heat mat I leave on overnight and it's a 3ft viv with just wood chippings

 

[beverleyjadeee]

I also noticed a little while ago a little pink mark on the bottom of her shell

 

[Tom]

Read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

These tortoises need to be kept warm. Even at night. The consequence of letting them get too cold and damp is a respiratory infection, which it sounds like you are starting to see and hear.

This one might offer some insight too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[beverleyjadeee]

Thank you so I will still keep her heat mat on overnight For a little while she sounds like she's been wheezing and she ain't had water in her tank for months, could this be why? I just removed it as she never drank it

 

[Tom]

Thank you so I will still keep her heat mat on overnight For a little while she sounds like she's been wheezing and she ain't had water in her tank for months, could this be why? I just removed it as she never drank it

Your tortoise needs warm air, not just a heat mat. And they need access to water in a suitable bowl every day.

Do you soak her? So she's had no water for months?

 

[beverleyjadeee]

Yes I do give her a wash and often use water to rinse her food

 

[beverleyjadeee]

She has water now and just checked her shell again and it's starting to get wet again, do you think I should take her to the vets?

 

[Tom]

Yes I do give her a wash and often use water to rinse her food

I'm not sure we are talking about the same thing here. When I say "soak", I mean put the tortoise in a tall sided opaque tub of some sort, with warm water about half way up the shell and keeping the water warm for about 30 minutes.

What do you mean when you say "wash"?

 

[Tom]

She has water now and just checked her shell again and it's starting to get wet again, do you think I should take her to the vets?

How is her shell getting wet? I'm not understanding.

 

[beverleyjadeee]

That's what I'm asking I don't understand how it becoming wet either...

 

[beverleyjadeee]

And yes I give her what you call a soak

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Beverley:

I think your habitat is wet under the substrate, no? Either that or the tortoise had just gotten out of the water dish. Or maybe it pee'd and sat in the puddle.

You'll need to cover the habitat in order to keep the cold conservatory air out and the warm air in. You will also need another heat source besides the heat mat. Get one of these:

from the pet store and keep it on all the time, day and night, inside the covered habitat. If your tortoise is getting a respiratory infection from being cold and wet, it is very important for you to warm it up and keep it warm.

 

[beverleyjadeee]

Thank you, if it has a respiratory infection, will it need to go to the vets?

 

[Yvonne G]

Sometimes you can get them over it by just warming them up warmer than usual. But he really may need an antibiotic to help him get over it. For now, try covering the aquarium and heating it up day and night. You can use the Saran wrap and when you get to the light, change over to foil. Wrap the foil over the light.

 

[wellington]

Does your tort have a basking light that he can sit under and the temp under it is around 95-100? It needs this too along with the rest of the enclosure being kept at 80-85 day and night along with a humidity of 80%. It needs water available to drink and get into on its own if it wants and should be available 24/7. A large clay saucer with low sides work good for the water dish. She also needs a bigger enclosure then 3 feet, that's just big enough for a hatchling. Follow the caresheets I believe Tom gave you and things should start to improve if a vet isn't already needed.

 

[beverleyjadeee]

Thank you so much everyone ☺️☺️☺️

 

[DutchieAmanda]

That's what I'm asking I don't understand how it becoming wet either...

Isn't it condensation on your tort because he is too cold? Just like what happens with glass if it's cold and humidity is high. In that case: please warm him up!

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I'd be curious what your temperature is at tortoise height as well as humidity. How cool does it get overnight in your vivarium?