I am worried about my 2 and a half year old Sulcata tortoise. About 1 month ago I took my baby to the vet because I noticed she was breathing heavy. The vet did blood work and an X-ray. No URI, but she did have sand from her bedding in her. I was advised to change the sand immediately and soak her a couple of times a week. The vet felt that she would poop out the sand. So I changed her bedding to Timothy hay and have been soaking her. I noticed when she poops that there is lots of sand in her stool. The heavy breathing eventually stopped. Last night before bed, I went to check on her and noticed heavy breathing again. I am worried and don’t know what to do. The vet is extremely expensive and I feel lost. She is eating normal and is very active.https://share.icloud.com/photos/07anPyOY2zVi0GC1bYhztm5zw#Hollywood_-_Gracewood
Heavy breathing
- Thread starter Normab86
- Start date
I'm glad the sand is passing through her, it is never recommended as a substrate because if ingested it can cause impaction of the gut which could be fatal.
This is the up to date caresheet for sulcata tortoises.
tortoiseforum.org
Check your set up against all the recommendations in it and follow the advice to make any changes needed. Make sure your temps and humidity are OK.
If you post a picture of his enclosure and the lamps you use, members can advise you on anything that may need changing, hay is probably too dry as well.
I would soak her more than a couple of times of week in luke/baby warm shallow water - it won't do any harm and may make her poop more.
Does she have a runny nose or bubbles?
Some of the members with more medical knowledge will be along soon and they'll know more about the breathing. @Yvonne @zovick @Tom @ZenHerper
This is the up to date caresheet for sulcata tortoises.
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? 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. Babies hatch during the...
tortoiseforum.org
If you post a picture of his enclosure and the lamps you use, members can advise you on anything that may need changing, hay is probably too dry as well.
I would soak her more than a couple of times of week in luke/baby warm shallow water - it won't do any harm and may make her poop more.
Does she have a runny nose or bubbles?
Some of the members with more medical knowledge will be along soon and they'll know more about the breathing. @Yvonne @zovick @Tom @ZenHerper
