Flood panic!

[SouthernComfort]

Hi all I am rather stressed at the moment.
my tortoise, Saf, lives in an outdoor enclosure and has been thriving in it. Today we had unexpected heavy rains and her new sleeping spot flooded with her in it. As soon as I noticed I quickly went to get her out of that situation. Luckily, she was alive and within a minute of being picked up she had her head out an appeared perfectly alert although obviously a little cold.

sadly I don’t have access to any form of emergency enclosure (An oversight on my part) so she is in my room, currently nestled into a clean towel. I did offer food although she didn’t take it but she may just be too cold or stressed. I’m not sure which is part of my issue. I don’t have a heat lamp on her so she does not go into shock at a sudden temp change and I’m trying to keep the room dark and quiet to help her relax.

after that essay here are my questions: what signs should I be looking out for that she is getting sick or struggling after the ordeal? Is there anything I can do to prevent any complications besides what I’ve done so far?
Thank you for any help.

 

[KarenSoCal]

What species is she? And how old is she?

I would get some heat on her, preferably a CHE depending on her size. You want her core temp to warm up, maybe to 80°F or higher, again depending on species. To help raise temps, don't have her on the floor...floors are much colder than the rest of the room.

As far as things to look for, watch for lethargy, difficulty breathing, bubbles from mouth or nose, swollen eyes, loss of appetite.

 

[SouthernComfort]

Hi all I am rather stressed at the moment.
my tortoise, Saf, lives in an outdoor enclosure and has been thriving in it. Today we had unexpected heavy rains and her new sleeping spot flooded with her in it. As soon as I noticed I quickly went to get her out of that situation. Luckily, she was alive and within a minute of being picked up she had her head out an appeared perfectly alert although obviously a little cold.

sadly I don’t have access to any form of emergency enclosure (An oversight on my part) so she is in my room, currently nestled into a clean towel. I did offer food although she didn’t take it but she may just be too cold or stressed. I’m not sure which is part of my issue. I don’t have a heat lamp on her so she does not go into shock at a sudden temp change and I’m trying to keep the room dark and quiet to help her relax.

after that essay here are my questions: what signs should I be looking out for that she is getting sick or struggling after the ordeal? Is there anything I can do to prevent any complications besides what I’ve done so far?
Thank you for any help.

What species is she? And how old is she?

I would get some heat on her, preferably a CHE depending on her size. You want her core temp to warm up, maybe to 80°F or higher, again depending on species. To help raise temps, don't have her on the floor...floors are much colder than the rest of the room.

As far as things to look for, watch for lethargy, difficulty breathing, bubbles from mouth or nose, swollen eyes, loss of appetite.

She’s an angulate tortoise (native to my area) at about 2-4 years old. I do know that it’s best for a tortoise that young to be kept indoors for humidity but the entire situation is complicated and an outdoor enclosure is sadly the best I can do for her at the moment.
I will move her off the floor (thank you for telling me that)
I’ll put on a heat lamp in a little bit. I am still worried about putting her into shock at a relatively quick temperature change.

 

[Maro2Bear]

To avoid a “temperature shock” - you could run some warm water and soak your tort in nice warm water, gradually increasing the temperature. Your tort needs to warm up. Sounds like you are more worried about your tort getting cold than the “flood”? Remember, torts are reptiles and need an external heat source to warm up.

good luck

 

[KarenSoCal]

Do you have a heat supply that is dark? Like a CHE? It's best if it's dark at night, but if not, use the light.

I see that Mark suggested a warm soak...I agree. Keep increasing the temp slowly til the water is 95°F. Remember, you must go slow so the warmth gets all the way into her core.

 

[SouthernComfort]

Thank you all for your advice.
A soak sounds like an excellent idea even if she does tend to hate them with a passion.
I am feeling a lot better now thanks to the advice and the fact that she is snacking on a mulberry leaf and investigating her new surroundings so I imagine she is probably all ready over what has happened even if I’m not.
thank you all again!!