Help my Russian, Avery!

[Melissa9987]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I have a Russian Tortoise who is under a year old. Three days ago she was diagnosed with a lower respiratory infection. She has been on antibiotics for three days and has also not eaten in three days. I was wondering how long until I should start force feeding her and how should it be done? I know there are risks involved. Today, I gave her a soak in 50% Pedialyte and 50% water, but she is very lethargic.

Additionally, I have her in a plastic container lined with paper towels with a UVB light and a heat lamp at 93/94 degrees and around high seventies/80 on the cool side. She is staying on the cool side. I am also keeping the heat lamp on at night because my house gets a little cold. She has a container of water, but she doesn't go near it on her own. Humidity is 30- 50%.

Please let me know if I am doing anything wrong or if I could be doing anything better! Any advice/input is greatly appreciated! I'm so worried about her. Thanks so much!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

How cool does your horse get at night? Are the paper towels damp?

 

[Reptilelove]

Welcome to the forum, I would up the humidity slightly, I hope she gets better soon

 

[Melissa9987]

Hi, my house is around 70 at night maybe even a little lower. The paper towels are dry cause my vet told me to make sure she stays dry? I put a damp towel over her container which seems to be helping to increase the humidity.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

May I ask you a few questions first?

1. Are you sure the tortoise is 1 years old?
2. Where did the tortoise come from? How long have you had it?
3. What antibiotic is being given? Did the vet give any vitamin shots, too?
4. Is the plastic container her normal encourage or a temporary hospital tank?
5. Are the paper towels your planned substrate or just being used during treatment?
6. What do you use to measure the 93/94F temps?
7. Does the night heat lamp produce white light or a black/red color?

 

[Melissa9987]

Sure! I can't thank you enough for taking the time to help me!

1. She is probably a little under a year old. The place I got her from said she was slightly under a year. She's 4 and 1/2 inches long if that helps?
2. I got her from a reputable local reptile shop. I'm not sure where they got her from, but they told me she was captive bred from a breeder. I've had her about almost 3 months now.
3. Her antibiotic is Ciproflaxin. The vet did give her a vitamin shot about 4 days ago.
4. The plastic container is her regular home, but I try to let her spend as much time outside as possible (when it's over at least 75 degrees).
5. The paper towels are just being used during treatment. I had her in a mix of play sand and coconut fiber substrate which was always getting dusty, but grew mold when I added water to it. Very frustrating and probably why she has a respiratory infection now.
6. I am using a National Geographic brand digital thermometer/hydrometer. Measuring from ground level.
7. The night lamp is a purple color.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Ok, I doubt she is under 1yr old if she's already +4 inches. Sounds like sub adult size to me. The stores rarely know the ages and frequently underestimate them.
I'd say it's safe to assume you have a wild caught sub adult. Not many captive bred hatchlings are sold through pet stores. And they'd be pretty small.
Not that WC is an issue..I bring it up for age. There is slightly different advice for a baby/ yearling than for an adult.

What are the dimensions of the enclosure?

Where in the world are you? Can you set up a large outdoor enclosure for the majority of it's time? The great outdoors does wonders (especially for Russians).

I'm not familiar with that brand thermometer. Is it analog? Digital? Probe?

Night heat is usually not needed for Russians unless your house temps drop into the 50sF. Right now while she's getting better the colored night heat is ok (white light at night would be the worst) but once she is better I'd say ditch the night light all together.

I have no experience with vitamin shots or antibiotic treatments.

Personally, I wouldn't force feed.
I would get your tortoise set up properly with a big enclosure (outdoors is very important IMO) proper substrate, lots of plants and correct burrows/hides.
Hopefully others can chime in on your meds...

 

[johnsonnboswell]

You have a real substrate problem. I don't know how it got moldy, that's not usual, something wrong there. Too much water? Dust & dryness contribute to respiratory problems.

I find that mixing soil (preferably my own aged compost) into the coir is ideal.

The environment needs to be fixed, not just the animal.

 

[Melissa9987]

I'm not sure of the exact dimensions, but it is about the size of two 40 gallon breeder tanks put together.

The thermometer is a digital one.

I live in PA. It is usually nice in the summers, but this summer has been damp, rainy, and kind of cool so she doesn't have a permanent outdoor enclosure. She has a fenced in area I put her in on nice days. It's just on regular grass with some dandelions and safe weeds growing around. She has a water dish out there and a half log for shade, but like I said, she hasn't had many days out there because of the weather.

 

[Melissa9987]

You have a real substrate problem. I don't know how it got moldy, that's not usual, something wrong there. Too much water? Dust & dryness contribute to respiratory problems.

I find that mixing soil (preferably my own aged compost) into the coir is ideal.

The environment needs to be fixed, not just the animal.

I did switch to a mix of soil and coconut fiber after the sand wasn't working, but I think it was too late. I just dumped everything when she got sick and am using paper towels now until she is better. Do you think the paper towels are okay until she is better or should she be in something more natural now?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I'd have her on an earthy substrate, even now.

The only time I've used paper towels were during treatments of plastron shell rot. Even then, they only spent 2 hours or so on the paper towels after medication application, then went back onto substrate

 

[Melissa9987]

I'd have her on an earthy substrate, even now.

The only time I've used paper towels were during treatments of plastron shell rot. Even then, they only spent 2 hours or so on the paper towels after medication application, then went back onto substrate

What kind of substrate do you use? I don't want to put her back into something that might hurt her again.

 

[Camryn]

What kind of substrate do you use? I don't want to put her back into something that might hurt her again.

You can buy a block of coconut coir at a local petstore. Maybe even mix it with soil for a more "natural substrate".
Good luck

 

[Levi the Leopard]

When I kept Russians, I only housed them outdoors. I have no experience keeping them indoors so I can't share first hand experience on how to keep them that way.

If I had to keep one inside, I'd use a 4'x8' space with a deep...deep layer of substrate (probably +8"-10" soil) to help keep moisture. I'd have a basking area on one end and then lots and lots of plants everywhere else.