Greek tortoise sneezing

[Seaturtle93]

Hi, today will be the third day I've had my Greek tortoise, and I can't tell if he did it yesterday (I have a feeling he did), but when I was feeding him today he pulled back a little and sneezed! He has sneezed three times within the last hour and 10 minutes
I've been feeding him Romaine lettuce, and I give him carrots too but he doesn't seem to like them very much, I'm going out later too grab a bigger variety of foods for him. But! when I gave him the food it was still a bit wet could that be the problem

I'm using cypress mulch, how moist should it be?

I just got him his UV-B bulb yesterday, its a mercury vapor 100W, I would have had it on him sooner but the one the employee helping me gave me was a ciol bulb which I later found that day out was dangerous.

The UV-B side is 90F and his Basking side is is 90F with about 55-60% humidity.

His hide box is between the two lights right now as I have a portion of his inclosure blocked off because I need to go get more mulch.

He is active, and eats pretty well, he is also pooping and peeing well.

I will say yesterday and the day before, I only had newspaper down, in the box- because I was trying to find a good substrate to put down, that wasn't the red fir bark recommended to me at the store.

Also do I need to give him soaks? I don't know how old he is.
Does he also need calcium supplements?

currently he is napping under his basking light.
Is it normal for him to be laying out while he is sleeping/napping or should he be in?
Thanks!

 

[wellington]

Every time you heard it, did he pull his head in? If so, that is normal and not a sneeze.

 

[theelectraco]

Every time you heard it, did he pull his head in? If so, that is normal and not a sneeze.

This is also what I was thinking. My greek pulls his head in, and makes a hiss noise, which is normal.


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[Seaturtle93]

Every time you heard it, did he pull his head in? If so, that is normal and not a sneeze.

This is also what I was thinking. My greek pulls his head in, and makes a hiss noise, which is normal.


0.1.0 Dachshund
0.0.1 Redfoot
1.0.0 Greek
0.0.1 Crested Gecko

Yep! He does pull his head in, good to know its normal! So if he isn't pulling his head in then it's sneezing ( just so i know in-case)?

 

[JoesMum]

Re: RE: Greek tortoise sneezing

H

Hi, today will be the third day I've had my Greek tortoise, and I can't tell if he did it yesterday (I have a feeling he did), but when I was feeding him today he pulled back a little and sneezed! He has sneezed three times within the last hour and 10 minutes

I have never ever known a tort sneeze. This probably the rapid exhalation when he pulls his head in.

I've been feeding him Romaine lettuce, and I give him carrots too but he doesn't seem to like them very much, I'm going out later too grab a bigger variety of foods for him. But! when I gave him the food it was still a bit wet could that be the problem

Your tort should be on a diet of mostly leafy greens. It cannot digest sugars properly; too much sweet food will make him sick. Carrots, fruit, tomatoes and bell pepper should only be fed very occasionally. Write a list of all the plants you can find outside and in the grocery store and then look them up on the Tortoise Table Plant Database to find out what's good to feed. http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Serving food wet is fine. It's ensuring that extra water gets taken on board and helps with hydration.

I'm using cypress mulch, how moist should it be?

Can't help here. My Greek lives outdoors.

I just got him his UV-B bulb yesterday, its a mercury vapor 100W, I would have had it on him sooner but the one the employee helping me gave me was a ciol bulb which I later found that day out was dangerous.

The UV-B side is 90F and his Basking side is is 90F with about 55-60% humidity.

You need to get the temperature under the basking lamp up to 100-105F... lower the lamp a little to do this.

His hide box is between the two lights right now as I have a portion of his inclosure blocked off because I need to go get more mulch.

He is active, and eats pretty well, he is also pooping and peeing well.

I will say yesterday and the day before, I only had newspaper down, in the box- because I was trying to find a good substrate to put down, that wasn't the red fir bark recommended to me at the store.

Sounds good so far

Also do I need to give him soaks?

It is a good idea to give a new tort soaks as they are often dehydrated if they have come from a pet store. The soak also gets them used to being handled.
Soak in a deep dish that he can't see through. Do it at the start of the day, just after your lights come on (use a timer) before he has warmed up properly. The water should be warm, not hot. Get the temperature right and he'll relax for 20-30 minutes. Once he is eating properly, do it twice a week.

I don't know how old he is.

Neither do we. They all grow at different rates depending on diet, environment and whether they are wild caught or captive bred. Any age is a guess unless you know the hatch date.

Does he also need calcium supplements?

Not if your tort has a good diet, though many people dust food with a little calcium a couple of times a week.

currently he is napping under his basking light.
Is it normal for him to be laying out while he is sleeping/napping or should he be in?
Thanks!

If your tort is relaxed he will sleep sprawled untidily... it is very normal

 

[Greektortnamedleo]

currently he is napping under his basking light.
Is it normal for him to be laying out while he is sleeping/napping or should he be in?
Thanks!

If your tort is relaxed he will sleep sprawled untidily... it is very normal
[/quote]

Leo (tunisian) pretty much sleeps like he just lost interest in moving. I found it entertaining but always wondered what it meant. Thank you for clearing it up.

 

[Seaturtle93]

Hi! Thank you so much for all of the information it really helps a lot.

But today I've been sitting next to his enclosure , and I'm positive he sneezed, he did pull his head back but I saw little bubble come out of his nose. He reached over to one of his front legs to wipe his fave a little, and that's when I picked him up to see it he had any thing on his nose, I didn't see anything but I did find snot. There was some snot on his leg and some still on/near his nose. Is this a normal thing or could he be sick? How can I tell if he is sick? Also what should his normal breathing sound like.

 

[bingbongbibidybobbo]

Sounds like a respiratory infection. Keep your temps up and a trip to the vets sounds like its in order

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[JoesMum]

Re: RE: Greek tortoise sneezing

Hi! Thank you so much for all of the information it really helps a lot.

But today I've been sitting next to his enclosure , and I'm positive he sneezed, he did pull his head back but I saw little bubble come out of his nose. He reached over to one of his front legs to wipe his fave a little, and that's when I picked him up to see it he had any thing on his nose, I didn't see anything but I did find snot. There was some snot on his leg and some still on/near his nose. Is this a normal thing or could he be sick? How can I tell if he is sick? Also what should his normal breathing sound like.

The most important thing here is to get your heating, lighting and diet correct.
I have already said that you need to boost the temperatures under your basking lamp. Please can you do this and then confirm the 4 important temperatures: Warm end, Cool end, directly under the basking spot and overnight minimum.

What type of lighting are you using for UVB? When did you last change the bulb?

I have also given help with diet above.

The snot could be the signs if an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) starting. Getting the temperatures right now is important.

 

[Seaturtle93]

Hi! Thank you so much for all of the information it really helps a lot.

But today I've been sitting next to his enclosure , and I'm positive he sneezed, he did pull his head back but I saw little bubble come out of his nose. He reached over to one of his front legs to wipe his fave a little, and that's when I picked him up to see it he had any thing on his nose, I didn't see anything but I did find snot. There was some snot on his leg and some still on/near his nose. Is this a normal thing or could he be sick? How can I tell if he is sick? Also what should his normal breathing sound like.

The most important thing here is to get your heating, lighting and diet correct.
I have already said that you need to boost the temperatures under your basking lamp. Please can you do this and then confirm the 4 important temperatures: Warm end, Cool end, directly under the basking spot and overnight minimum.

What type of lighting are you using for UVB? When did you last change the bulb?

I have also given help with diet above.

The snot could be the signs if an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) starting. Getting the temperatures right now is important.

I did boost the temperatures yesterday like you said to do and did get the temperature to raise. His warm end is 98-100F. I'm going to try and lower it more so its in that 100 to 105 range. Right now its dead center on 100F.
Directly under the basking spot is 103-105F
Cool end is 85-90F <- his hide box a closer to this.
The lowest it gets at night, that I have seen- staying up till midnight checking it is 75F.

I am using a UV-B mercury vapor bulb that is not a coil or spiral bulb and it is brand new, only two days old.

I did see about the diet and I used the website, I have him on romaine lettuce, organic barley grass, and lambs lettuce. I'm working on finding seeds for some of the other plants they have listed, so i can grow them and give him more of a variety.

I'm trying to get an appointment set up with our local veterinarian animal hospital to get him a check up. And see if he could possibly have a URI.

Thank you again for all of your help.