Have you ever seen this before? Not good

[diamondbp]

There is a local pet store that frequently buys my hatchling sulcatas and has never had any issues. But they called me today about a customer that bought a pair of sulcatas a few weeks back. One is doing great and the other rapidly developed eye issues and swollen skin on the face. The customer brought it back hoping the pet store could aid the baby. Well the worker placed the sick baby with the other healthy babies and now two days later one of the stores babies is developing the same issues.

I can't diagnose it being I know so little about how the first infected baby was kept but I'm honestly puzzled at what it could possibly be?? Any thoughts??

The one of the left was the baby purchased and brought back, the other is the one that just started what seems to be a rapid decline.

Any expert opinions are welcomed

 

[Randi]

How long did the person who returned them have them? Do you have any idea as to how they were kept there? How are these babies being housed currently? It could be due to husbandry (lighting, humidity, vitamin a deficiency) but I think it's an illness if it's contagious (URI, bacterial infections, etc).

The one on the left looks very unwell. Will it hold it's head up on it's own? I would keep these two quarantined separately. Any that are ill need their own room to be in and strict procedures need to be in place to prevent any further spread. Use gloves when handling, wash hands before and after, don't transfer items between one enclosure and the other, etc. They will do better individually and you can monitor their progress better. Keep them warm, soak numerous times a day to keep them hydrated and of course ensure they are eating. I am wondering if a carrot baby food soak would be of any benefit. Always quarantine before mixing and matching. The healthy ones will have to be monitored for any signs. Really hope the others are ok.

Someone with more experience will be along shortly.

 

[Killerrookie]

Is any mucus coming out the nose or mouth?? What substrate are they using? What is the temp in there enclosure? Looks like they have some swollen eyes. Are they always under the light basking? Do they eat?

 

[Yvonne G]

That top picture actually looks like there's a chunk taken out of the head between the eyes.

Sorry, there's just no way for us to know what's wrong with them. All I know to do is isolate in a smaller chamber, heat it up to about 85F degrees and alternate soaks in Terramycin Antibiotic Water Soluble powder one day then carrot baby food water the next. I don't go to the vet except as a last resort, but I'm thinking these babies definitely would benefit from a good tortoise vet intervention.

 

[Carol S]

Poor babies, they look so sick. I hope that get well.

 

[Robertchrisroph]

They look over heated. The color of there heads are really dark. Just hope they get better. Good luck

 

[diamondbp]

I think I just noticed what looks to be fleas on the neck of the not so bad one? Perhaps mites?
They aren't in my possession so I have no clue how they were being kept.
Has anyone ever heard or fleas or mites being an issue on a tortoise?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I thought I noticed a chunk missing from the head, too...

Sorry man... I hope you get answers somehow.

 

[wellington]

Wow that is really too bad. Sure hope you can solve this. Maybe @Tom or @tortadise will have an idea. Poor things good luck and keep us posted

 

[Len B]

Not a tortoise, But I have seen a young eastern box turtle that was so severely dehydrated by some type of small mite looking bugs that it didn't make it.I have always had small bugs live with box turtles, This case looked to be a population explosion of them for some reason and really put a hurting on the little fella, Hope They Both Make It.

 

[Tom]

Did this person have other reptiles? See the neck lesions on the left one? Secondary bacterial infection due to some other primary cause. Possibly cryptosporidia which is very difficult to diagnose. And there is no cure. And its very contagious.

It could just be bad husbandry. Too cold at night, too dry, wrong diet, no UV or worse yet, bad UV source like a coil bulb. The immunosuppression due to the chronic stress of living as a pair could be a contributing factor. Big notches in their shells where the growth lines should be coming in. This is a sign of desiccating conditions, even though they look wet and recently soaked in the pics.

Perhaps the store could put you in contact with the customer to get some more answers?

 

[bouaboua]

Very sorry to see baby torts in such sad looking condition.

 

[diamondbp]

Did this person have other reptiles? See the neck lesions on the left one? Secondary bacterial infection due to some other primary cause. Possibly cryptosporidia which is very difficult to diagnose. And there is no cure. And its very contagious.

It could just be bad husbandry. Too cold at night, too dry, wrong diet, no UV or worse yet, bad UV source like a coil bulb. The immunosuppression due to the chronic stress of living as a pair could be a contributing factor. Big notches in their shells where the growth lines should be coming in. This is a sign of desiccating conditions, even though they look wet and recently soaked in the pics.

Perhaps the store could put you in contact with the customer to get some more answers?

I think you may have nailed it because I suspect the aquarium the petstore keeps them in has been used for various reptiles in the past. The person had bought a pair and one of the two is still doing great and the other is obviously on a rapid downward spiral.
I did tell the lady at the petstore to offer my cell # to anyone who may have questions about their tortoise but have never once received a call. This makes me hesitant to continue selling them my babies .

 

[ascott]

I think you may have nailed it because I suspect the aquarium the petstore keeps them in has been used for various reptiles in the past. The person had bought a pair and one of the two is still doing great and the other is obviously on a rapid downward spiral.
I did tell the lady at the petstore to offer my cell # to anyone who may have questions about their tortoise but have never once received a call. This makes me hesitant to continue selling them my babies .

I would no longer do business with them personally....both of those babies are very ill, that is a shame.

 

[Robertchrisroph]

If you blow the pic up those black dots look like mouse feces. Just a guess. Sorry no help.

 

[Tom]

I think you may have nailed it because I suspect the aquarium the petstore keeps them in has been used for various reptiles in the past. The person had bought a pair and one of the two is still doing great and the other is obviously on a rapid downward spiral.
I did tell the lady at the petstore to offer my cell # to anyone who may have questions about their tortoise but have never once received a call. This makes me hesitant to continue selling them my babies .

I am just making a guess based on what I see here. I would like to be wrong and discover that it was only some bad husbandry that caused this problem.

 

[stojanovski92113]

oh my gosh....these pictures kill me. I can't look at animals that are being abused, or neglected, not taken care of, or whatever. I usually never open up threads that I feel will make me cry or get choked up. I seriously can't handle to look at these torts

 

[AmRoKo]

I think either, or both of; eye infections, and, or being kept in a way to wet environment. Eye infections need to be treated with antibiotics right away, and, or they need to make sure these babies environment isn't totally soaked.

 

[Tom]

I think either, or both of; eye infections, and, or being kept in a way to wet environment. Eye infections need to be treated with antibiotics right away, and, or they need to make sure these babies environment isn't totally soaked.

What makes you think the environment was too wet? The carapace growth indicates a dry environment, even though they look recently soaked and still wet in this particular pic.

I've kept them very wet before and it did not do this.

 

[AmRoKo]

What makes you think the environment was too wet? The carapace growth indicates a dry environment, even though they look recently soaked and still wet in this particular pic.

I've kept them very wet before and it did not do this.

On the first picture, the baby tortoise looks like he has a blister like pustule on his eye, which is normally the start of a skin fungal infection due to being kept constantly wet over time. He could have also gotten the eye infection from his to wet environment which then he transfered to the tortoise that has been kept in the dry environment.