Help with Sick Russian Tortoise

[Aviara]

I have owned my Russian tortoise, Tank for about a year. Up until a month ago he has been very healthy with a big appetite, but now he seems to have fallen ill. He is lethargic and barely moves, and when I hold him, instead of retreating into his shell he seems very loose. He rarely opens his eyes. He has lost the scales around his nares, has lost weight, his eyes are sunken in and it has been a month since he last ate. Today his left eye was completely swollen shut, but after placing a warm piece of gauze over it and gently wiping it is now opening. I also found a small hole in the top of his shell, even though he could not have fallen in his cage and injured himself.

Here's a summary of my care information and the veterinary attention he has received so far:
His cage is indoors, although when the weather allows he spends a few hours in an enclosure on my apartment balcony. His cage consists of two large connected Rubbermaid bins. He is kept on eco earth (coconut fiber) with a UVB bulb (changed every 6 months) and heat lights. His basking temperature is around 100F, his warm side is around 85F down to 70F on his cool side, and night temperature is 70F. He gets fed daily (organic spring mixes, safe dandelions when I can get them, calcium and vitamin supplementation daily) and he also has fresh hay available to him. I used to soak him every other day, now I am soaking daily as I worry he is dehydrated. There have been no major changes in his life since I adopted him a year ago, and before these health issues he was very active, inquisitive and ate a small "shell bowl" portion almost daily.

When the health issues began, I brought him to the veterinarian, and he had a fecal done (negative) and was put on a course of oral antibiotics (Baytril) which we finished this morning. There has been no visible discharge from his eyes or nose, but our vet suspected a respiratory infection. I am not seeing any improvement in his behavior since we started the antibiotics and I am worried he may have a more serious illness. Any suggestions or advice will be welcome, as I am very worried about Tank and I will do anything possible to help him. I have always prided myself on being a responsible pet owner and only want him to feel better.

 

[tortdad]

How old is he? Also what is the humidity level? Get some baby food (carrot) and add it to his soak water so he can absorb the vitiman A. I would also take h back to the vet. Is your vet a exotic vet or a regular one? Hope he gets better.


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[lismar79]

Ditto on the baby food soaks! Also just out of curiosity do you use a coil bulb?

 

[Aviara]

I do use a coil bulb as the UVB bulb, but only because I have had bad experiences in the past with the long strip UVB bulbs and the only ones available to me have a thick plastic cover between the bulb and the cage itself. I plan to swap my current UVB bulb out for a Power Sun (mercury vapor bulb) in the near future. I know the stories of tortoises and other reptiles going blind with coil bulbs, and I know it doesn't give perfect coverage throughout the cage, but I use what I have available to me and have raised healthy diurnal lizards on the same bulbs. The humidity level fluctuates throughout the day, as I live in Texas and we have very dry conditions, but I keep the substrate moist. I do not use humidity gauges to measure relative humidity in his cage as I find them unreliable. I'll be trying the baby food soaks. I'll add he usually drinks a bit during bath time, he just doesn't have any appetite.

The veterinarian I use is one of two in my town who treats "exotics", and the other one is rubbish. She mainly treats dogs and cats, but has some experience with reptiles and does plenty of research every time we have brought her a tough case. As for the age, I have no idea because to the best of my knowledge he is a wild caught tortoise. He doesn't appear to be too old though, his shell is not at all faded and he is relatively small. I hope this information helps.

 

[dmmj]

coil bulbs cause a lot of eye problems up to and including blindness. I would switch it IMHO.

 

[Aviara]

Bad news...I tried soaking Tank twice a day (some soaks with the carrot baby food too) and returned to the vet, who was pretty stumped. Tank seemed like he was improving, if only slightly, but then began to swiftly decline yesterday. He passed away this evening. I will not be performing a necropsy, but I get the feeling his being wild-caught was a big element in his illness. I have never owned a wild-caught reptile before, and if I adopt another tortoise in the future it will be captive bred. Thank you everyone for offering advice. Tank will be missed.

 

[dmmj]

condolences
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especiallyclose to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands againcaress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm so sorry. This is a heck of a way to welcome you to the Forum. I guess we'll never know what went wrong. Too sad.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I'm so sorry o you and poor Tank WCs can tend to be stressed on their journey, and sometimes it can end badly. I'm sorry.

 

[smarch]

You saying that he was WC basically ends up being the only answer you may ever need, but the fact that you had him for so long is the hardest part. But basically some find the stress of captive life too much. Me and my lil Russian Nank send our sympathies.
May I also just add input when you say another would be CB? And you may take it or leave it as you want. Many torts from craigslist are WC, but many have also been in homes for a while and are used to people, as long as they seem healthy when you get them and get them checked up on there's nothing wrong with a WC guy/gal, or through a credible rescue where they're also more likely wild caught. Basically they've had to adapt to captivity already and their traumas of getting there have passed.

Also it sounds like you have a good vet, knowing theyre not an expert but do their research to help you