Help! Help! Help! Worried newby

[starpython]

First let me apologize as I am new here and have not properly introduced myself or been able to post any pictures of my little red foot. I posted before looking for advice on improving Sicily's enclosure and I thought I'd finally found a good balance until a few days ago. It turned really cold here getting down to the 20's at night and I've been struggling to keep my little guy warm and hydrated.
His current behaviour is very strange and unlike anything I've seen him do in the past so I need help. He's obviously too dry, but when I put him in water he doesn't want to stay in it. Before he used to love his water time and would blow bubbles and drink right up. Now - nothing. Temps in his enclosure seem ok, but I can't seem to keep the humidity up. He won't open his eyes and is walking blindly around his enclosure running into things and has tipped himself over twice in the past 24 hours. Both times while I wasn't there so who knows how long he was actually upside down which almost gave me a heart attack.
I have a humidifier and hand spray the enclosure, but it's not doing the trick. Today I took out all of the plants and anything that he could run into and tip himself over again. I added some more damp spag moss, left him some fresh food and water and am now at work.
Another strange behaviour is that he lifts his head really high and opens and closes his mouth several times. Not sure if he's yawning or gasping for air or hoping rain will fall in his mouth.

Please - any suggestions - guess to his strange behavior or is it normal? I'm freaking out right now. He won't eat or drink or open his eyes. Btw - my little red foot Sicily is approx. a year old or so - I adopted him in August from a dealer that guessed his age. I thougth I could give him a better home, but I'm starting to doubt myself on that one.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He is gasping for air because he has an upper respiratory infection and needs to be taken to a Vet. I would judge that he is very sick. You need to take him to a Vet right away and get him on antibiotics...

 

[starpython]

I'm currently making calls to all vet offices in my area trying to find one that is familiar with treating reptiles. I was worried about it being a respiratory infection.

 

[Candy]

I agree with Maggie you need to see a vet asap. If you don't have one then go to the main page of TFO and click on Vets. I was going to post them for you here, but there are too many in Florida and I'm not sure what part of Florida you're in. Good luck and keep us posted and by chance the vet wants to give a vitamin shot the more experienced keepers on here say don't.

 

[Yvonne G]

In the mean time, while you're waiting for your vet appointment, go to a feed store and buy Terramycin water soluble powder by Pfizer:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MQNW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Put 1/4, that's one quarter, teaspoon for each quart of warm water, in a small bowl or plastic tub and soak the tortoise whether he likes it or not for about a half hour.

He's not holding his eyes shut. They are stuck shut. The soaking will loosen them and help them to open. And the Terramycin will help the respiratory infection.

Also,set him up in a smaller habitat temporarily (a hospital habitat) so that you can increase his overall temperature to about 85 degrees.

 

[starpython]

Unfortunately there's not a vet on that list that is near me. I did find a vet in town that has one doctor that claims to have experience with reptiles. I'm currently waiting on a call back. If I don't get that call soon I'll go with one of the vets on the list which is about two hours away.

And thanks Candy for reminding me about the vitamin shot. I did read several posts about this. I won't be letting the vet give that shot to my little tort.

 

[starpython]

I finally heard back from the vet and she's recommending a drug called Fortaz (ceftazidime) instead of Baytril. Has anyone heard of this? She says it's better for treating reptiles with respiratory infections. It's supposed to be administered by shot every 3 days. Before I see this vet and agree I'd like some input if possible.

This vet also said that the terramycin soak would most likely not be helpful, but I'm trying it anyway. Thanks for this suggestion Yvonne.

 

[Yvonne G]

Quite often now, vets are prescribing Fortaz instead of Baytril. Baytril still works a bit better, but it is SO painful to the tortoise. Fortaz will do the job.

I know its not what the vet would recommend, but this is what I do:

I see symptoms of a respiratory infection, so I...

1. Leave the tortoise alone to just be a tortoise, but I increase the temperature in the habitat

2. Symptoms don't go away in a week or so so I soak in Terramycin powder 1/4 tsp per quart of warm water for at least a half hour every day

3. Symptoms get worse or tortoise stops eating so I start the Baytril injections.

I've been rescuing turtles and tortoises for over 35 years. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've had to resort to #3. Most of the time they're ok after #1, but when I do have to go to #2, it only takes a week and they're better.

Good luck with your vet visit. Keep us informed.

 

[starpython]

Thanks so much Yvonne.
I just spoke to a friend of mine here in town that has been keeping red foots and sulcatas for years and his advice is pretty much the same as yours. Before I rush to the vet I'm going to follow these steps. If he's not doing any better by the end of the weekend I'm taking him straight to the doc on Monday.

One more question though. I moved him just last night to another room of the house that's warmer, but how can I further increase his temps and humidity while he's sickly? I've got a 150 watt CHE and UVB for day and black or red light for night, a humidifier outside his enclosure that doesn't seem to do a thing. I spray the enclosure with warm water and have a coconut coir and spag moss substrate. To help at night I've also been using a tin foil tent over the CHE to keep the heat from escaping - it seems to help a little. Any suggestions on what else I can do?

 

[Candy]

I have to admit after reading Yvonne's post I feel better about your tort. She's the female version of Danny! Good job Yvonne.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You can use a regular incandescent 100 watt bulb to increase the heat as well as your foil over the top. Use a smaller container. My hospital container is 13"X20". I have the 100 watt bulb and foil over the top. At night I use a black light bulb. As I am typing this I see we are talking about a Redfoot so I am unsure about the 100 watt bulb, that may be too bright. Try just the CHE a black light bulb and the foil and see if that helps the temp...
I have/use that powdered Terramycin regularly with sick tortoises and I haven't had one die yet.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, transferring the tortoise to a smaller hospital tub makes it easier to get it warmer. And the foil cover is a great idea too.

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I have to admit after reading Yvonne's post I feel better about your tort. She's the female version of Danny! Good job Yvonne.

Oh Please! I only wish I were half as good a Danny. But thanks for the vote of confidence!