Desert Tortoise Hatchling Squeaking and Bobbing in Head

[DesertHerd]

Hi, if you have seen my other post I am really struggling right now and have lost 2 desert tortoise hatchlings this week after 3 months of seemingly no issue.

One of my remaining tortoise hatchlings is now squeaking every minute or so and flinching his head in when he squeaks. I went to the vet two days ago and told them one was sluggish so they gave me antibiotic eye drops. He passed away the next day.

I recently switched them over from a dry substrate to coco coir and am worried that the change in moisture may have been what got them sick? I dont know.

I have secluded the squeaking hatchling but do not know what to do now. Please help, I cant lose another little guy

 

[Lyn W]

Hi
I haven't seen your other post but I am sorry for your loss and that you have another sick baby.
I don't know what's already been advised but have you checked your temperatures?
Right temps +humidity = healthy tort Too cold + humidity = sick tort
If your tort is in the Gopherus genus this is the caresheet you need, so compare your set up to what is advised here - I apologies if I'm stating the obvious and if it's already been linked in your other post but it's a good starting point if you have problems

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Have you posted pics of his enclosure so members can see if there's anything affecting him?
Maybe link your other post here so we don't have to search for it.

 

[wellington]

I agree check the temps. Don't use one of those cheap puck like thermostats the pet stores sell. Get a digital and also a temp gun.
Post pic of the enclosure and type of heat and lighting.

 

[zovick]

Hi
I haven't seen your other post but I am sorry for your loss and that you have another sick baby.
I don't know what's already been advised but have you checked your temperatures?
Right temps +humidity = healthy tort Too cold + humidity = sick tort
If your tort is in the Gopherus genus this is the caresheet you need, so compare your set up to what is advised here - I apologies if I'm stating the obvious and if it's already been linked in your other post but it's a good starting point if you have problems

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Have you posted pics of his enclosure so members can see if there's anything affecting him?
Maybe link your other post here so we don't have to search for it.

The tortoises are getting URI's and/or pneumonia. They may have gotten too cold and been chilled at some point. No matter what the cause, though, I would recommend injecting the one(s) which show the symptoms you are describing with ceftazidime every other day for 10-12 days if you really want to save them.

Also you can put Neo-Poly-Dex drops into their eyes and nostrils once or twice daily while they are being treated with the ceftazidime.

The vet I recommended yesterday could help you.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi, if you have seen my other post I am really struggling right now and have lost 2 desert tortoise hatchlings this week after 3 months of seemingly no issue.

One of my remaining tortoise hatchlings is now squeaking every minute or so and flinching his head in when he squeaks. I went to the vet two days ago and told them one was sluggish so they gave me antibiotic eye drops. He passed away the next day.

I recently switched them over from a dry substrate to coco coir and am worried that the change in moisture may have been what got them sick? I dont know.

I have secluded the squeaking hatchling but do not know what to do now. Please help, I cant lose another little guy

Please see Zovick's reply above

 

[DesertHerd]

The tortoises are getting URI's and/or pneumonia. They may have gotten too cold and been chilled at some point. No matter what the cause, though, I would recommend injecting the one(s) which show the symptoms you are describing with ceftazidime every other day for 10-12 days if you really want to save them.

Also you can put Neo-Poly-Dex drops into their eyes and nostrils once or twice daily while they are being treated with the ceftazidime.

The vet I recommended yesterday could help you.

Thanks for the response, I called a vet closer to me that was listed in this forum and they said that due to their size the only option is the eye drop as anything more concentrated/powerful would do more harm than good. Should I seek a second opinion or does that make sense.

The vet also keeps saying that usually only one will survive so anything more than that is lucky which seems insensitive and doesnt seem to be true based on all the success in this forum. The Vet I went to is Greek & Associates in Yorba Linda.

 

[DesertHerd]

I agree check the temps. Don't use one of those cheap puck like thermostats the pet stores sell. Get a digital and also a temp gun.
Post pic of the enclosure and type of heat and lighting.

I just bought this bigger enclosure yesterday and this is what I have set up so far, I am waiting on the uvb light to come in tomorrow and will add that.

 

[zovick]

Thanks for the response, I called a vet closer to me that was listed in this forum and they said that due to their size the only option is the eye drop as anything more concentrated/powerful would do more harm than good. Should I seek a second opinion or does that make sense.

The vet also keeps saying that usually only one will survive so anything more than that is lucky which seems insensitive and doesnt seem to be true based on all the success in this forum. The Vet I went to is Greek & Associates in Yorba Linda.

The vet says only 1 in 7 will usually survive? That is ridiculous. Sounds to me as though the odds with this vet are not good. Maybe he/she just doesn't feel like treating your tortoise(s). Either way, before I gave up and accepted that dire prediction, I would go elsewhere.

Also FWIW, I have injected tortoises smaller than yours with ceftazidime in a tuberculin syringe and they have done fine. In fact, I used it on one month old Western Hermann's hatchlings which I had imported from Germany. They were about the size of a quarter.