help new sulcata tortoise owner

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
Hello I am new to this forum and also just recently became a proud mama to a 20 inch 40lb sulcata. Just before I got Mikey he was dropped by his previous owner and his shell broke just above his hind leg, the crack is thin but there was signs of dry blood that ran down his leg. When I asked the owner he said that tortoises are very strong and that he would be just fine.
Because I was not comfortable with the uncertainty of the cracked shell and I was unsure of the care for this large tortoise I took him to the vet. My vet gave me some care info and prescribed him antibiotics (Baytril) last week. I did not fill it because at the time I was not ready for the amount the medication was going to cost.
Yesterday i found a maggot that I assume is coming from Mikey's cracked shell and he is leaking what I could only guess is blood and it smells very fowl. I freaking out and tomorrow is Sunday my vet won't be open till Monday. Although I read so much negative information regarding Baytril at this point the benefit might outweigh the bad.
I found that a local feed store sells it over the counter should I buy it or can I wait till Monday.
Please your help is much appreciated.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hello and welcome.

Your tortoise has a rotting infection going and you need to take it back to the vet ASAP before the infection kills it. The time for over the counter treatments done at home is long passed. Imagine what it could to to you if you had a stinking, rotting, maggot infested wound on your body. Same thing for the tortoise. This might already be systemic, and treatment is needed ASAP if you want to save him.
Did the vet prescribe oral Baytril? Or injectable?

You should also note that while your vet should be able to help treat the infection, most of them don't know much about how to properly care for tortoises. With that in mind, where are you? How are you housing this tortoise? What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, overnight low? What equipment are you using to maintain these temperatures?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I wouldn't buy Baytril over the counter. It comes in two strengths and you don't know which strength to buy. You might kill your tortoise using too much of the wrong medicine. You can start by taking a syringe filled with sterile saline solution and try to flush out that wound to get the maggots out. You can buy the saline at the pharmacy. This will be good enough until you can get to the vet tomorrow. Also, the vet should be able to give you the Baytril. I don't understand why you had to "fill" the prescription. It sounds like you didn't go to a vet who is used to treating tortoises. Call around and find one who knows tortoises and who can give you the antibiotic injections without you having to fill a prescription.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I can't help you. Just wanted to say good luck and hope all turns out well.
I would bet the previous owner knew of this problem and needing vet care and either didn't have the money or didn't want to spend it.
Keep us updated.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
I live in the Fresno area, micky is walking an alert the Baytril prescription was injection but I am concerned that she did not know much about tortoises. I will take him in tomorrow first thing in the morning. I have him inside right now because the temperature out are not over the 70s with the exception of yesterday.
I also read that because of infection and of his cracked shell I should of not let him outside were he prefers to be he is outside raise and was on 100% grass fed. He refused all the food that I offered him.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
When I take him tomorrow is there something that I should let her know so I can make sure he get the treatment that he need or will the injections of Baytril be enough.
Again I live in the Fresno in a small town about 45 mins from the city.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
I can't help you. Just wanted to say good luck and hope all turns out well.
I would bet the previous owner knew of this problem and needing vet care and either didn't have the money or didn't want to spend it.
Keep us updated.
Yes I wonder that myself, And all will be forgotten at long as he is fine it just kills me to think what he can be going through. He is such a good boy, I have only have him about going on two weeks.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
Hello and welcome.

Your tortoise has a rotting infection going and you need to take it back to the vet ASAP before the infection kills it. The time for over the counter treatments done at home is long passed. Imagine what it could to to you if you had a stinking, rotting, maggot infested wound on your body. Same thing for the tortoise. This might already be systemic, and treatment is needed ASAP if you want to save him.
Did the vet prescribe oral Baytril? Or injectable?

You should also note that while your vet should be able to help treat the infection, most of them don't know much about how to properly care for tortoises. With that in mind, where are you? How are you housing this tortoise? What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, overnight low? What equipment are you using to maintain these temperatures?
He is inside right now I had ceramic head bulb and heat pad that he refuses to stay around. The Baytril was injections and I just need to pick them up at her office.
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
When you see one maggot there are much more !
In an infected wound the number of them can explode and they eat your tortoise from inside when he is still alive !
To visit a vet for reptiles is the only treatment that is possible. ASAP.
Can you soak him in warm water ? He needs a really long soak, mayby the maggots come out in the water.
I pray for your poor tortoise that it is not to late !
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
He is inside right now I had ceramic head bulb and heat pad that he refuses to stay around. The Baytril was injections and I just need to pick them up at her office.

Baytril injections are dangerous for tortoises. Baytil is highly basic and it burns them. Your vet should know this. There are a couple of related drugs that work just as well and are not so damaging and painful. My vet recommends Fortaz. Ask your vet about this. He/she may not know all this. I'd be happy to get your vet in contact with mine, so that yours can learn.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
When you see one maggot there are much more !
In an infected wound the number of them can explode and they eat your tortoise from inside when he is still alive !
To visit a vet for reptiles is the only treatment that is possible. ASAP.
Can you soak him in warm water ? He needs a really long soak, mayby the maggots come out in the water.
I pray for your poor tortoise that it is not to late !
No there was only two and I can't see any more they came out after I soaked him and he started to drain a lot more fluid so I was wondering if the soaking was doing him harm. What ever infection he has going on it must be internal and he pull his leg in and can't see no wounds.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
Baytril injections are dangerous for tortoises. Baytil is highly basic and it burns them. Your vet should know this. There are a couple of related drugs that work just as well and are not so damaging and painful. My vet recommends Fortaz. Ask your vet about this. He/she may not know all this. I'd be happy to get your vet in contact with mine, so that yours can learn.
That would be great, so tomorrow should I expect more then to walk out with medication and I will ask he for Fortaz.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
Baytril injections are dangerous for tortoises. Baytil is highly basic and it burns them. Your vet should know this. There are a couple of related drugs that work just as well and are not so damaging and painful. My vet recommends Fortaz. Ask your vet about this. He/she may not know all this. I'd be happy to get your vet in contact with mine, so that yours can learn.
Tom thank you, I am definitely taking Micky in tomorrow morning. Tempatures out today and yesterday are in the mid 70 and as soon as he sees sun he has learned to walk on my hardwood flood and heads straight the the door (Smarty pants) my guy.
When I was going to wash his rug that he sleeps on there was a large spot of ruptured fluid. I may not know much about tortoises but I do work as a clerk at a hospital, enough to know I think there might have been a abscess that ruptured. Should I let him out were he is most happy while temp are warm.
 
Last edited:

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
No there was only two and I can't see any more they came out after I soaked him and he started to drain a lot more fluid so I was wondering if the soaking was doing him harm. What ever infection he has going on it must be internal and he pull his leg in and can't see no wounds.

Believe me, I have seen living animals with a hundred maggots in a closed, deep wound. Terrible !
If there was a fly that lay eggs in the wound of the broken shell, that fly don`t lay only two eggs rather hundreds.
I wish you good luck for your tortoise.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I would not let him outside to roam on dirt or where more bugs could get into his wound. I would also keep him in his enclosure and keep him warm. Use paper towels for the substrate, no dirt, coir or wood chips, just paper towels for now and while healing.
 

Big Charlie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2,801
Location (City and/or State)
California
Tom thank you, I am definitely taking Micky in tomorrow morning. Tempatures out today and yesterday are in the mid 70 and as soon as he sees sun he has learned to walk on my hardwood flood and heads straight the the door (Smarty pants) my guy.
When I was going to wash his rug that he sleeps on there was a large spot of ruptured fluid. I may not know much about tortoises but I do work as a clerk at a hospital, enough to know I think there might have been a abscess that ruptured. Should I let him out were he is most happy while temp are warm.
I wouldn't let him outside. As long as he has an open wound, he needs to be kept in a sterile environment. I wouldn't even put him on substrate.
What vet are you seeing? Did you see the vet list on the forum? http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/california.29669/
I also have a name of a vet that specializes in reptiles in Visalia, but I've never used him so I don't know if he is any good.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
No she is not on this list and I am even more concerned now that I soaked him and pulled out about 30 maggots from the crack if his shell they were coming out as it was being submerged In water. I don't want to spend all sorts of money on a vet that is not going to be able to help him. I am need him checked as soon as possible and can't waste time or money I will try to contact the vet on the list for the Fresno area. I live in a small town (Reedley CA) and am in the middle of Visalia and Fresno so I can go to either one.
He is not going to be very happy having to stay in side, also does not know how to eat out of a bowl as I have offered him some veggies and greens and he won't eat them.
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
No she is not on this list and I am even more concerned now that I soaked him and pulled out about 30 maggots from the crack if his shell they were coming out as it was being submerged In water. I don't want to spend all sorts of money on a vet that is not going to be able to help him. I am need him checked as soon as possible and can't waste time or money I will try to contact the vet on the list for the Fresno area. I live in a small town (Reedley CA) and am in the middle of Visalia and Fresno so I can go to either one.
He is not going to be very happy having to stay in side, also does not know how to eat out of a bowl as I have offered him some veggies and greens and he won't eat them.

It doesen`t matter if your tort is happy staying inside. You have a very sick tort and if you don`t take this tort to a reptile vet ASAP it will die. That`s a fact.
 

Rosalet2

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
23
It doesen`t matter if your tort is happy staying inside. You have a very sick tort and if you don`t take this tort to a reptile vet ASAP it will die. That`s a fact.
I am going to keep him inside, and my plans are to take him as soon as my vet opens. Now my concern is that she might not now how to treat him and that his dies, I don't want him to die I have only had him going on 3 weeks but I love all animals and I can't imagine what he must be going through. I jus email a vet on the list of this forum and as soon as business hours come I will try to call her to see if she can see him today instead of the vet that has already seen him.
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
I am going to keep him inside, and my plans are to take him as soon as my vet opens. Now my concern is that she might not now how to treat him and that his dies, I don't want him to die I have only had him going on 3 weeks but I love all animals and I can't imagine what he must be going through. I jus email a vet on the list of this forum and as soon as business hours come I will try to call her to see if she can see him today instead of the vet that has already seen him.

Yes, please do that and please keep us updatet. Fingers are crossed for your tort !
 

New Posts

Top