Help Please=/

[I_Heart_Leo]

Hi..

My Forest Hingeback Tortoise's eyes and nose have been runny for about a week now, and he has been a bit lazier than usual. I just noticed a small boil in his chin...
I he a 75w lamp on during the day, and heating lamp for night time... is that not warm enough? And I give him an assortment of fruits and veggies..so I don't know what it could be! Or should I take him to the clinic? Im a first time owner and have only had him for 3 mths so i am veryam worried. Any advise is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know anything about Forest hinge-back tortoises, but since this is in the general discussion thread, I'll give you my opinion: I think the tortoise has an upper respiratory infection and should see a vet ASAP. I don't know what the boil on his chin is, but when you go to the vet he'll be able to tell you.

Besides upper respiratory infection, too-dry substrate causes runny eyes and nose. What are you using for substrate? And how moist is it?

Yvonne

 

[Candy]

I find a trip to the vet alway good especially if your a first time owner. The eyes and nose don't sound good. How old is he/she ? I'm a first time owner also, but as soon as we got our Cherryhead it was off to the vet we went to get him a checkup. Good luck. Candy

 

[tortoisenerd]

If you take the temperatures in the enclosure (min and max at least) and post them, someone familiar of the species may be able to give their opinion on if it's warm enough. What type of bulb is the 75 watt?

I agree a trip to the vet is needed. If you have trouble finding a vet experienced in torts/reptiles, if you post your area there are some members here who have a vet directory and could help.

Usually with respiratory problems, you want to bump the temps up a few degrees, but without knowing what the temps are we couldn't advise yet.

Best wishes. Hope your tort is feeling better soon!

 

[Kristina]

I would assume that either temps are too high, humidity is too low, or that your tort has a respiratory infection. If you can tell us more about your current set up, we can help a little bit more.

These tortoises are NOT like any other tortoise, IMO. They need a lot of humidity, love the water, and are insectivores. Mine will barely touch veggies, instead prefering earthworms, darkling beetles, mealworms, snails, and mushrooms. I have gotten them to eat some fruit, but very little in the way of veggies other than yellow squash.

It would also help to post some pictures, so that we can tell for sure if it is a forest Hingeback or one of the other Hinges. The care requirements are a bit different.

Either way I feel that a trip to the vet is in order, since these guys come in from the wild with a pretty heavy parasite load most of the time.

How old is he/she ?

There is probably no way to tell. It is 99.9% likely that this is a wild caught tortoise.

Kristina

 

[I_Heart_Leo]

I have him in a 20 gallon aquarium.. I used alpha meal as bedding(which was very messy) then I switched over to some type of small red bark the pet store recomended(which i very easy to swallow) I have a 75 watt lamp that may not be enough(shoul I use 100?). The pet store was not helpful at all!!! Should i get a bigger cage and a stronger light?? They said he is only a few months old.(But the again the pet stre told me.)

 

[Meg90]

please post several pictures of your setup, and of your tortoise. How big is he? Measure the bottom of the shell, not the top, in a straight line.

 

[Laura]

Find care sheets fro your type of tort. the pet store gave you bad info.. Its diet sounds wrong and these are difficult torts to raise.. not a beginner species.. However.. if you find the right info here.. and you will.. you can make changes and hopefully get him healthy again.
Looking at one of my books i just grabbed off the shelf.. it says expereinced keepers, they are a delicate species, high humidty, mix of soil and orchid bark, very shy, tropical, dont tolerate cold, needs temps upper 70s low 80;s, leafy greens, soft fruit, and some meat. and they dont hibernate. require large enclosures, wild caught are high stressed, high parasite load and high mortality.
Does the pet store know the history? I would talk to the manager about NOT carrying these and or better carea nd advice to buyers. ..

 

[I_Heart_Leo]

yea def. I was accually planning on puchasing a Russian Tortoise(they gave me good info at Petco) But then I went to Pet Land and I saw my Tort. I felt bad for him so I want to give him the best! They knew nothing about him. They said silly stuff like(they only need a small dish,and dont need one to soak in) After that I was hoping they wouldnt sell anymore. I went back they had another=/

 

[nrfitchett4]

of course they had another. They sold one, so now they will try to sell more. Unfortunately, that is how they work.

 

[Itort]

I would suggest you get a larger enclosure for the tort (a large cement mixing tub, a large underbed storage container, ect). Fill it with a mix of 1/3 humis,1/3 cypress/hardwood mulch, 1/3 sphagum moss mix as substrat. Give it soaking/wading bowl of at least 1.5 times shell length (terra cotta plant saucers work well).It needs a hide box (they are shy) and no need for bright light, so I suggest a ceremic heat emitter. They are highly insectvorous so earthworms are good and eat soft fruits. Mine will eat greens but some will not. Covering the habitat will help with humidity as will misting at least twice a day. If you have access to leaves these are greatly liked by these guys for hiding under. Do get him checked out by a vet because they do carry a heavy parasite load. Check out www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/testudo/v3n3homes.htm