How concerned should I be? (foam in the eye)

[Jodie]

My adult female Leopord tortoise that I have had for just over a week, did not eat today. She has normally been very active, but today not at all. I took a picture of her eye. It looks weird. The other one is fine. Her nostrils are ok too. What's with her eye though?

 

[Tom]

That happens sometimes. No big deal. Examine the temps and your set up. Everything okay?

 

[Jodie]

I think so. Her night box is causing me problems. It was in the upper 80s according to the thermometer in there, but my temp gun read the substrate at 78. The humidity stays in the 60% range. I am insulating it today to hold the heat n get a more consistent temp. She has a basking area that gets over 95 and the rest of her enclosure during the day is in the 80s. This is an indoor enclosure. She is outside when I am home n it is 80 outside. I soaked her last night n am going to again today. She has only pood a little bit since I have had her. Thinking that is her problem, but never saw an eye with bubbles in it before.

 

[Tom]

Are you soaking regularly?

You have a heated night box indoors?

 

[Jodie]

Well a humid hide that I keep 80 at night. Or trying to. Yes. I have had her for a week and have soaked her 4 times. It is an ordeal because she is so big. I use an extra large cement mixing tub in the bath tub when it hasn't been warm enough outside. Should I soak her daily?

 

[WillTort2]

What I'm seeing looks like a foaming or bubbling at the edges of the eye. Is that what you're referring to?

Can you post pictures of the entire head from both sides?

 

[Jodie]

Yes. It is mostly gone now, but looked like bubbles.

 

[Jodie]

She still has not pood and is very inactive. I have bumped her temps to 85F and long warm soaks, over 90, daily in the bath tub so she can move around. I have been feeding aloe, Xmas cactus and prickly pear pads with grassland tort food since Friday. I gave her some romaine with mineral oil this morning. Have to hand feed her to get her to eat. Is there anything else I can do to help her? I will get her to the vet Wednesday, if I can't get something moving.

 

[Neal]

The foam in the eye happens normally. I notice it more in my tortoises on a particularly hot day. Usually a good soaking clears it up.

The inactivity and not pooping would concern me more though. I think you are doing good by bumping up the temperatures. Keep her in the 85 - 90 degree range as a low until she starts showing improvement. Leave food for her around the clock. If you have to hand feed her, you should probably keep doing that until she eats on her own more readily. Do you know what her diet was like before you got her? Do you have Mazuri?

 

[Jodie]

I. Think she was well cared for until her owner passed away a couple of months ago. The owners sister kept her, 2 sulcatas, a couple of russians n some others for several weeks trying to sell them. I heard she was kept in a bathtub by the sister. The local pet store had her for a couple of weeks. She was in a small pen with the 2 sulcatas when I found her. They had straw sub and no water. Really wished I could buy them all. The poor Russians were very unhappy. Anyway... I do have Mazuri now. Your three are the only ones that will eat it. I am working on it. Lol. She will eat hand fed pieces of stuff. Really likes romaine, that is why I used it for mineral oil. She doesn't move on her own much at all. I have a basking light I am using to keep her good n warm during the day. I am worried about overheating her though. What is the safe upper temp if I use a temp gun on her?

 

[Neal]

She really doesn't need much more than 100 degrees if you are keeping her low end warm as well. 105 I would say would be a maximum. I would also soak her daily if you're able to. I know in another thread you said it was a bit difficult to do that, but maybe every other day at the least. Hopefully that will help her bowel movements.

Don't be afraid to offer her as much romaine or whatever types of food she as she wants to eat. That will at least provide her with some nutrition and help her settle in easier. Gradually introduce foods that are "better" and decrease the amounts of the other foods that may not be as good until she eats the better foods.

If you don't see any bowel movements by Wednesday, I would have the vet do an x-ray to find out if there is any blockage of sorts, but that is just what I would do and may be something for you to consider.

 

[Jodie]

Thank you Neal. I will take her in Wednesday, if needed. I am soaking daily in the tub. Not thrilled about cleaning tub after success, so was using a big cement mixing tub. She can move more in tub though n is easier to keep warm. Do what ya gotta do right. She was eating pretty good until Friday. Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[Jodie]

Surprised to report that I am very glad to have had to clean tortoise poo out of my bathtub tonight. She ate a decent amount today too. Hope she will be feeling much better tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[ascott]

The Christmas Cactus is one of my favorite year-round plants. In fact, I have propagated my personal collection from larger plants hailing from Washington, Massachusetts, and Northern and Southern California. Of these four plants, only my Southern California variety produces the characteristic fuchsia flowers this holiday season. Much to my relief, my canine companion, Cardiff, is uninterested in consuming any of the vast array of plants I propagate. Fortunately, if he were to consume parts of a Christmas Cactus plant or flowers (or the plant's relative, the Easter Cactus), he would suffer no directly toxic effects. The same lack of toxicity applies to cats. Yet, if the Christmas Cactus is consumed, the fibrous plant material causes mechanical irritation to the stomach and intestine, potentially leading to vomiting or diarrhea. -

Perhaps the consumption of this plant should be stopped for a few weeks to a month to see if the tort perks up some?

 

[Neal]

How is she doing now? Did you end up taking her to the vet?

 

[Jodie]

Nope. She is better. Has pood couple of times n is back to eating normal. By normal I mean everything I give her lol. I just keep giving more until she goes to bed. Still not super active so I am going to keep temps up n soak daily for a bit. Thanks for checking Neal. Your guys are doing great. Going to add an addition to their enclosure this weekend. They make a heck of a mess daily. What we have planned will more than double their space n have ramps to keep them busy.

 

[Neal]

Wow, good to see them. I cant believe how much they've grown.

 

[angie1980]

Could she be egg bearing?

 

[Jodie]

Could she be egg bearing?

Not as far as I know. She was the only leopard the previous owner had, to the best of my knowledge. The others were sulcatas Russians n Greeks, I think. What would be the symptoms, if this were the case? She has not paced or done any digging.

 

[Jodie]

Wow, good to see them. I cant believe how much they've grown.

I need to weigh n measure them again soon, but I thought so too. It is truly amazing how different they are from my other little guy. I am loving their colors!