Best of luck to you. Glad there is improvement in the others.
Help, Mr. Blink can't open his eyes!!!
- Thread starter Amanda81
- Start date
Only guessing here. This sounds an awful lot like hatchling failure syndrome. It could also be a disease of some sort. In the interest of diagnostics:
What was the source of these tortoises?
Did the breeder use a brooder box or leave them in the incubator while they absorbed their yolk sacs?
How often did the breeder soak?
Where was the breeder and how much time did the babies spend outside daily?
What was the source of these tortoises?
Did the breeder use a brooder box or leave them in the incubator while they absorbed their yolk sacs?
How often did the breeder soak?
Where was the breeder and how much time did the babies spend outside daily?
Hey do you think maybe you can set up a little enclosure that's just for wednesday for now, sometimes some of them do better if they are by themselves and hopefully if she gets better add her back to the others.
I got them from a place called river valley tortoises. I had to wait on them cause he said they wouldn't be ready for another 2wks. The pics of them were of them soaking. (This part is my own fault if this is hatchling failure) I didn't ask about how they were hatched, how often they were soaked, or if they even went outside. I didn't even think about that at the time. Then when they got here they were so active and looked extremely well cared for. I had got the other 3 a month or so prior and 1 they got stuck in Memphis over nite, which freaked me out and 2 they were pretty ruff looking, I worried about them so bad and didn't give these two a thought cause they were perfect. I am certainly paying for my carelessness now.
I did, I put Wednesday in the "tortoise hospital" today. I no longer feel like whatever is going on is catchable but just to be safe, I separated her and I'm still dosing EVERYBODY with the medicated soaks.
That's good, I don't know if whatever it is can transfer to the others or not but I just think when they get sick they can become highly stressed just by the simplest things so isolating her for now could very well make a tremendous effort in her being able to recover.
They have a rock area for basking, it's right at 100 on the rock. They never really use it tho, they sit off to the side of the rock. And again, completely knew the info but just didn't do it, I didn't quarantine them. I know it doesn't matter and I'm learning my lesson for the stupid theory now but like I stated earlier, they looked so healthy and well raised to that point, I unboxed them, soaked them and added them in with the other 3. I honestly don't think it's anything spreadable now, my other 3 are fine as can be now, it's something that is just affecting those two. I am still learning my lesson either way and I feel that I, my carelessness, just cost a little tortoise, maybe two if Wednesday doesn't make a turn around, their life.
Ya I kinda went on the theory that I hate to be bothered when I'm sick and since she is having to be soaked twice a day and I'm sitting her in the food dish at times to encourage her to eat she didn't need to be bothered by the others, plus my hospital tank is in a low traffic area so between that and not knowing 100% the others won't catch it, I figured it was best.That's good, I don't know if whatever it is can transfer to the others or not but I just think when they get sick they can become highly stressed just by the simplest things so isolating her for now could very well make a tremendous effort in her being able to recover.
Amanda, I respect and admire your maturity here. I'm very happy you are sharing the lessons you are learning from this. Thank you.
A couple of things:
1. I would not have recommend the antibiotic soaks. I don't know if they are, or are not effective, and I don't see how anyone can know when we don't know what is wrong in the first place. I am not saying you are right or wrong in doing it, I just don't want others reading to think they should automatically treat with antibiotics whenever anything goes wrong. I also have to question the effectiveness when offered as a soak. I don't want you to feel berated or anything. I understand you wanted to do something, I'm just not sure this was the thing to do in this situation.
2. If this were me, I would want to know more about what is going on. Can you call or email River Valley Tortoises and ask them how they start their hatchlings, or if they can ask the breeder in the case that they are a re-seller?
If HFS due to chronic hatchling dehydration is the COD here, then it will not be because of something you did. The seller ought to know what they did wrong in that case, to prevent it from happening again.
A couple of things:
1. I would not have recommend the antibiotic soaks. I don't know if they are, or are not effective, and I don't see how anyone can know when we don't know what is wrong in the first place. I am not saying you are right or wrong in doing it, I just don't want others reading to think they should automatically treat with antibiotics whenever anything goes wrong. I also have to question the effectiveness when offered as a soak. I don't want you to feel berated or anything. I understand you wanted to do something, I'm just not sure this was the thing to do in this situation.
2. If this were me, I would want to know more about what is going on. Can you call or email River Valley Tortoises and ask them how they start their hatchlings, or if they can ask the breeder in the case that they are a re-seller?
If HFS due to chronic hatchling dehydration is the COD here, then it will not be because of something you did. The seller ought to know what they did wrong in that case, to prevent it from happening again.
Tortshort
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If you continue the antibiotic soaks I would check with your veterinarian to make sure the antibiotics are even safe. Reptiles can have very few antibiotics that are safe for them. A cow antibiotic maybe harmful.
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Amanda, I have had a very similar situation occur with one of my dry start Leo's . I treated with an over the counter saline solution until whatever it was cleared up in the eyes but at the same time was soaking twice a day in baby carrot food and pedialyte. There was a noticeable difference rather quickly.
I hope this will give you at least another option to try? I'm so sorry!
Katie
I hope this will give you at least another option to try? I'm so sorry!
Katie
I'm using saline for the eyes and I'm also adding electrolytes to the soaks. I'm hoping for a turn aroundAmanda, I have had a very similar situation occur with one of my dry start Leo's . I treated with an over the counter saline solution until whatever it was cleared up in the eyes but at the same time was soaking twice a day in baby carrot food and pedialyte. There was a noticeable difference rather quickly.
I hope this will give you at least another option to try? I'm so sorry!
Katie
I checked the safety of the antibiotics, electrolyte and vitamin supplement before I even got it. It's a recommended broad spectrum antibiotic and the vet said that's what he would recommend.
I guess I should have added that when I posted the earlier thread. I would not recommend running out and grabbing an antibiotic to anyone myself. And yes, me wanting to so something in attempts to help them played a part in my chose to do so. I don't believe the antibiotic helped or hurt, either way. And I sometimes forget that someone newer to tort ownership then myself might read what I write, only thing that was going through my head at the time was, " get on the forum and maybe someone can tell you how to fix it". With that being said, let me adjust myself...
Antibiotics aren't the solution, expectially when you don't really even know what's going on to begin with. You can mess up many things when dealing with medications, types, dosage, frequency of doses.
At this point I still don't know what the problem is. Mr Blink was perfectly fine on Wednesday and dead Friday night. Wednesday, his sibling, became very lethargic late Thursday, early Friday, she won't eat, she won't drink. The only difference between her and Mr Blink is 1- he would just sit in his soaks, after about 10 minutes Wednesday will start her water aerobics, 2- his eyes stayed closed, she will open hers when she starts her water aerobics, and 3- she hasn't passed away as quickly as he did. I sit this morning, watching her in her soak, wondering if she is slowly recouping or just dying a slow miserable death, suffering. We are basically at a stand still. She is no better but I don't see any signs of anything worse either. Everybody else is just fine. I have sent breeder an email about them, perhaps when I hear back from that I will have some answers for my questions.
Wow, I am so sorry this is happening to you and your torts! I hope Wednesday gets better soon.
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While this is a safe and correct thing to add....there is also margin for "trying anything you can" when dealing with a tort that is ailing and quickly....so do not bash yourself too much on this part....we can all read the entire thread, and should--before offering up any comments...in my opinion that is...
I contacted the breeder and he responded very quickly, thank goodness. He literally raises them as the care sheet Tom made says to. This is what I also follow. I explained to him what is going on, I'm hoping perhaps he can add something.
How long can a baby go without eating before that kills them? She hasn't eat since Thursday/Friday. I'm pretty sure she isn't drinking either. I say her over into her water dish and She opened her mouth and got water in it but then she closed her mouth it all came out her nose. Is this normal?
How long can a baby go without eating before that kills them? She hasn't eat since Thursday/Friday. I'm pretty sure she isn't drinking either. I say her over into her water dish and She opened her mouth and got water in it but then she closed her mouth it all came out her nose. Is this normal?
Thanks!Wow, I am so sorry this is happening to you and your torts! I hope Wednesday gets better soon.
Maybe she was yawning and got water in her mouth so she pushed it out of her nose? I have seen mine yawn sometimes during their soaks and do something like that so I don't think it's anything to worry about. Hopefully maybe the breeder can indeed add something, that's great that he responded to you.
