Hi just joined really worried about my tortoise

[Daniel Jarrett]

Hi new to the forum I'm really really worried about my spur thy tortoise we have had him aged by vet a few years ago to be around 70 years old just took him out of highbination a few weeks ago he has the run of the garden noticed he hasn't been moving around as much pretty much just stays in one place found his head sinks to the left all the time and has troubled moving left legs it's been cold at night still so we do get him in at nights then put him out in morning went to get him out this morning and his mouth was full of gunk cleared it all and put him in garden still not much moving please please help many thanks in advance

 

[Stuart S.]

Hey Daniel and Welcome! Do you happen to have a picture of your tortoise? There are a couple of things that caught my attention in your post but would like to see your tort first. I'm sure the experts on here would agree!

Where are you located? What does his enclosure look like and consist of? You mentioned you keep him in at night, what does his indoor set up look like?

 

[Daniel Jarrett]

Hey Daniel and Welcome! Do you happen to have a picture of your tortoise? There are a couple of things that caught my attention in your post but would like to see your tort first. I'm sure the experts on here would agree!

Where are you located? What does his enclosure look like and consist of? You mentioned you keep him in at night, what does his indoor set up look like?

He is in a large garden all fenced off there are lots of different plants which he never eats at night we pop him in a card board box with straw in just like we have for years he hasn't moved very much since we have got him out of highbination I have found how to post a picture I will put a picture on tomorrow of him thanks again for any help or advice

 

[Pearly]

Sounds like a sick tortoise to me. I would keep him indoors in warm humid enclosure. Bump up the enclosure temps to 29 degrees Celsius (85F) and soak in warm water couple times a day. It is imperative to keep him warm to help his body fight the likely respiratory infection. Warm very humid air will help him breathe, if his nose looks clogged you can also irrigate it with sterile saline (buy at drug store). He may need antibiotics though. And welcome to the Forum! Hope you get this figured out and help your old shelled friend to get over this ailment. He may have gone into hibernation not feeling too well already and now things have just magnified. Is he eating? Drinking? Again, things to do IMMEDIATELY: 1) put him in warm bath (not deep, just up to his sides so when he sits in water his head is above water surface) water needs to be WARM you may need to get thermometer to measure it if you don't already have one. If it feels as warm as your own body temperature, it is little too cool, I like my tort baths to be between 37 and 39 degrees Celsius (that's about 99-102F). Such bath after about 20-30 min raises my torts bodies temp to 87-88F which is very nice for their inner workings (digestion, metabolism, chemical/gas exchanges become more efficient). This will help your tort's immune system fight off whatever is assaulting him now.

 

[Stuart S.]

He is in a large garden all fenced off there are lots of different plants which he never eats at night we pop him in a card board box with straw in just like we have for years he hasn't moved very much since we have got him out of highbination I have found how to post a picture I will put a picture on tomorrow of him thanks again for any help or advice

I'm afraid the cardboard box at night is probably not enough warmth for him, he'll some need to be pretty warm.

 

[Pearly]

Sounds like a sick tortoise to me. I would keep him indoors in warm humid enclosure. Bump up the enclosure temps to 29 degrees Celsius (85F) and soak in warm water couple times a day. It is imperative to keep him warm to help his body fight the likely respiratory infection. Warm very humid air will help him breathe, if his nose looks clogged you can also irrigate it with sterile saline (buy at drug store). He may need antibiotics though. And welcome to the Forum! Hope you get this figured out and help your old shelled friend to get over this ailment. He may have gone into hibernation not feeling too well already and now things have just magnified. Is he eating? Drinking? Again, things to do IMMEDIATELY: 1) put him in warm bath (not deep, just up to his sides so when he sits in water his head is above water surface) water needs to be WARM you may need to get thermometer to measure it if you don't already have one. If it feels as warm as your own body temperature, it is little too cool, I like my tort baths to be between 37 and 39 degrees Celsius (that's about 99-102F). Such bath after about 20-30 min raises my torts bodies temp to 87-88F which is very nice for their inner workings (digestion, metabolism, chemical/gas exchanges become more efficient). This will help your tort's immune system fight off whatever is assaulting him now. Do that twice daily and try feeding right after. He is more likely to eat after his bath. 2) put heating lamp over his hide in his indoor enclosure. You may need to change him out of the cardboard box due to fire safety issues. I'd get large plastic tote with a lid and partially cover the top to keep the humidity in 3) if you have access to reptile vet, take your tort in. He likely needs antibiotics. SORRY FOR THE REP. POST, was trying to edit

 

[Daniel Jarrett]

Fantastic reply thanks for taking the time to give me all that information we take him to the vet once a year for a check up we are popping him to vets next week your information about what to do with keeping him warm is fantastic thanks again thanks for your time

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[Daniel Jarrett]

Thank you, have all ready had some help and great information I do like these forums thanks

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Thank you, have all ready had some help and great information I do like these forums thanks

Now check out the CDR !

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Daniel, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[Daniel Jarrett]

Hi thank you for your welcome I have booked terry into the vet just to let him look at him they have a new guy who knows a lot about tortoises I have taken the advise from the above people thanks again, he's had a warm bath this morning he will have another in a hour thanks again for the advise to all of you I will put a up date tomorrow cheers

 

[Stuart S.]

Hi thank you for your welcome I have booked terry into the vet just to let him look at him they have a new guy who knows a lot about tortoises I have taken the advise from the above people thanks again, he's had a warm bath this morning he will have another in a hour thanks again for the advise to all of you I will put a up date tomorrow cheers

That's great news Daniel!

 

[Gus.]

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!

 

[Daniel Jarrett]

It is with great regret and sadness that our tortoise passed away in the night he was part of our family for nearly 70 years and will be missed loads can I just thank each and every one of you for your help support and advice you guys have been fantastic thank you

 

[JoesMum]

It is with great regret and sadness that our tortoise passed away in the night he was part of our family for nearly 70 years and will be missed loads can I just thank each and every one of you for your help support and advice you guys have been fantastic thank you

I am so, so sorry to hear this.

We had to have our tort put to sleep about a month ago due to a tumour after 47 years with the family. It is very hard for everyone. You simply cannot imagine these old torts not being there

Please accept the condolences of me and my family... and a big electronic hug. We had Joe cremated and scattered his ashes in the garden where he belongs.

 

[JSWallace]

It is with great regret and sadness that our tortoise passed away in the night he was part of our family for nearly 70 years and will be missed loads can I just thank each and every one of you for your help support and advice you guys have been fantastic thank you

I am really sorry to hear that, so sad. I had had my old tortoise for nearly 50 years when she died two years ago, also post hibernation. I missed her so much, summer wasn't the same without a tortoise wandering around the garden so I can imagine how you are feeling just now.

 

[Daniel Jarrett]

Thanks Joes mum and js Wallace for your kind words we will miss him plodding around the garden in the summer if we was out in the garden you would just see the bushes moving and out if would pop he had a great life and was looked after very well,thank you all again

 

[Pearly]

Oh, so very sorry to hear! Oone thing though, it may sound crazy but hang onto him for 24 hrs or so, just to make sure he is gone, we have had a tort here on this forum who had appeared dead but came back and is still around and doing well. It is kinda hard to tell with them, it's not like you can check for a pulse. Just keep him in warm place, if his soft parts are out of the shell, he will be stiffening up after a while, his eyes will be sunken in. I know it sounds morbid but I thought you may want to know. @ZEROPILOT is the member whose sick tortoise became reanimated. You can ask him questions if you would like. Again, sorry that you are going through this

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm so sorry to hear that. Please accept my sincere condolences.