I dont know whats normal...new DTs

[LittlefootNCera]

so a bit of back story on my two new-to-me CDTs
Littlefoot roamed a true desert property and lived off of natural plants catus etc up until a few months ago when her previous host moved. it was then that she was placed into a dog kennel, and finally a repile cage the floor space on this is about 3ftx4ft(at the most) i was told she was slowing down for the past month and was only eatin ga few times a week. at the point i brought her home she had been asleep "for about two weeks" she was indoors with a light(not sure of type) about 24inches above her. She is fully grown and estimated age i was given was 30ish. she needed to be rehomed so i happily welcomed her. when i finally got things at home set up i went to get her. she was awake when i got home and had peed and pooped and passed urates. for that(and many**) reasons i am trying to keep her up. i honestly dont know what is normal behavior and whats not, i just know #1 shes been moved(again) and i am sure she is very stressed out. shes eaten a few nibbles, and its possible she drank some during the soak i gave her though i am not sure. shes been here 3days. i have her in a temporary indoor pen which is small(about 5feet by 3feet) i have a substrate of the purest "dirt" i could buy at lowes(no manure in it) i have a zoo med 100w mvb at one end(temp about 90-95) and a CHE at the other end(keeping temp between 75-80) at night i let the temp drop to 70. i also have a few lamps for ambient light. she has a plant and a hide plus a 18" soaking dish that should be easy for her to climb in and out of. she wont go into her hide and just digs into one corner and sleeps. the times i have moved her she usually just stays where i put her with arms and legs streched out she flat with her head out and then pulls her head in to sleep. the first day she was flipping herself, now she just acts sleepy. yesterday and today the sun warmed up so i took her to her outdoor enclosure. both days it took her a bit to wake up but once she did she was really active and acted curious and alert for about an hr and a half and then dug into a corner and went to sleep. ive seen her bite a few plants/flowers but not actually eat anything. when i brought her inside this afternoon she just went to sleep in the spot i set her down it. i have also noticed some snot bubbles from her nose each day(nothing excessive but ive seen it atleast once each day.
what is normal and what isnt? am i doing things right? ugh i just feel so nervous.
i also have a 1.5yr old cdt i got from the same person who is very active alert eating and drinking great.

please let me know what any of you think. i hope i am over reacting i just feel nervous and worried about my big girl.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It sounds to me like she is either being kept too dry or she has an URTI. I personally would start her on antibiotics if she were mine. Maybe to make us and you feel better you should take her to see the Vet.

If they are kept too dry they will blow snot bubbles. Is her soil moist? She sounds very stressed, make sure you have her light on for 12 hours a day. She probably wants to hibernate. You could put her in a box in a cool closet for 3 weeks or so and that might fool her into thinking she'd hibernated. But here again if she were mine, I'd be feeding her more and keeping her up.

What are you trying to feed her? Snot bubbles and lethargy are generally an indication of a resp infection. So possibly you'd want to take her to the Vet.

 

[LittlefootNCera]

thanks. ive been feeding her what she was fed before(not wanting to change too much) so i bought organic spring mix and added some collard greens and shredded a bit of carrot on top(what i was told she ate before) ive also offered some grass and greens i grew myself and she doesnt seem interested. she is absolutly acting like she just wants to sleep...i also considered her lethargic until i put her outside where she just perked right up.....until she found a corner to sleep in that is.....

---

I made an appointment tomorrow at 10am. I need the peace of mind.

thanks. ive been feeding her what she was fed before(not wanting to change too much) so i bought organic spring mix and added some collard greens and shredded a bit of carrot on top(what i was told she ate before) ive also offered some grass and greens i grew myself and she doesnt seem interested. she is absolutly acting like she just wants to sleep...i also considered her lethargic until i put her outside where she just perked right up.....until she found a corner to sleep in that is.....

 

[LittlefootNCera]

Well they gave her subQ fluids, panacur, metronidazole, baytril(last 2 to give by mouth every and every other day) I'm bumping up temps and hoping she starts eating.

 

[ascott]

Wow...that sure is alot to be treating with at one time....crazy....IMHO that is.

I hope she does well

 

[LittlefootNCera]

Hey I agree. I'm at a loss. I went to a vet suggested here on this forum. I'm doing the best I can. I don't feel like the person I got her from is much help. I'm raising temps, I trying to keep things quiet and leave her alone and hope she comes around. The nearly 2 yr old eats drinks basks and sleeps the days away. Seems healthy alert and robust. This older girl seems very stressed and hasn't eaten or drank anything and has snot bubbles. The baytril and heat are for suspected(?) Uri and the other for potential paracytes. She seems more alter after receiving the fluids. Honestly my gut just tells me she wants to brumate and I don't think all the lights and heat are stopping her. I wonder if I didn't wake her if she would even move atall? I'm just trying to do what people here suggest, its hard when you've got the vet saying she needs to be eating drinking peeing pooping and really all she wants to do is sleep. I don't want to harm her, that was never my intent. I'm stressed too, and I'm sure it shows by all my posts here. Sigh

 

[Yvonne G]

Just go ahead with what the vet has given you. I would also soak her in warm water every day. Do all the medicating first, then the soak, then place her in front of the food. Every time you walk by the habitat, get her out and place her in front of the food. Be kind, slow and gentle. She'll come around.

 

[ascott]

This older girl seems very stressed and hasn't eaten or drank anything and has snot bubbles. The baytril and heat are for suspected(?) Uri and the other for potential paracytes. She seems more alter after receiving the fluids. Honestly my gut just tells me she wants to brumate and I don't think all the lights and heat are stopping her. I wonder if I didn't wake her if she would even move atall?

I have gone back and read through all of your posts in regards to this gal....i do have to say that in a later post you reference she was a sleep when you took her from the prior owner? Well, this would explain loads

Now, what I have to say will likely cause people to tell me to kick rocks, but, I am ok with that, I am a big girl I am going to speak to you quite frank, alright

If I were the one in the situation you are in, I would not offer meds to this species of tortoise UNLESS you were given diagnosis based 100% on test results for URI an parasites....it is too damn common these days, IMHO--lets not forget this---for vets to serve these meds up just for the sake of doing it...these tortoise are a tortoise that do not do well with stress, if left be for the most part they are a hardy tortoise....stress in them bring on the clear nose bubbles...this does not equal URI, not by any means. Parasites? hmmm the pic of the tortoise you shared on this forum in no way appears to be suffering from side affects of parasites...she is robust, she has clear--sharp (oh and gorgeous) eyes....her shell if magnificent and she I bet was doing just fine...now the meds given for parasites are a type of poison to kill the parasite---this killing dying affect has a way of making the tortoise sick to their gut so to speak....also Baytril to me is a great antibiotic (others have their own opinion, as they should) but as with most antibiotics they are hard on the organs of the tortoise---so to me this is why if there were no tests done and simply the clear bubbles from the nose should not warrant the use of the med.....again, IMHO.

I would always pay attention to your gut feeling---it is an amazing tool we were given---when we don't ignore it and shove it in the corner....if your gut is telling you that she will likely be just fine if you let her "be" more, then by all means do that.....you may not be able to set up an actual brumation this winter but you can offer her some down/quiet time in her make shift digs....the best part is that you can keep an eye on her without bugging and stressing her out more....the stress to me is the worst for this species....she will come around if allowed to settle in...and keep in mind she will not be too active in addition due to the time of year .....I believe brumation is an important and vital part of the life of a CDT, it just is and they have a gazillion years proof that is works out well for them, some will not agree---however, I do not really care ---I just felt it necessary to share this with you. There are loads of research that will assist you in learning the safe and secure way to brumate your CDT....as you can see there are real challenges to forcing one to remain awake when all of evolution has given the gift of sleep....IMHO.