i think my tortoise had a URI

Joined
Sep 17, 2020
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belleville
hello! i have a one year old eastern hermanns tortoise and lately i’ve noticed only when he goes to bed he sneeze and i have heard some wheezing come from him. i’m really concerned and am convinced it’s a URI i already have a vet app set for his one year checkup but the problem is the closest app is two weeks away. i was wondering if there is any way i could slow the process if it is a URI or even just a at home method to help break up the mucus ? this is concerning to me and i have been focused on trying to keep him healthy while also working on his new enclosure. He’s still eating as much as he usually does, has been a littttttle less active but if i take him outside he acts normal and runs around, poops and pees have been normal, ( i gave him pumpkin last week just in case it was something to do with that). Any advice!!! i’m a concerned tortoise parent :( sorry if i seem bad at taking care i am a bit younger but i am trying my best and am reaching out to as many resources as possible!
 

Yvonne G

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Warm his enclosure to 85F degrees all over the whole enclosure, and keep it at that temperature, day and night!
 

Tom

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hello! i have a one year old eastern hermanns tortoise and lately i’ve noticed only when he goes to bed he sneeze and i have heard some wheezing come from him. i’m really concerned and am convinced it’s a URI i already have a vet app set for his one year checkup but the problem is the closest app is two weeks away. i was wondering if there is any way i could slow the process if it is a URI or even just a at home method to help break up the mucus ? this is concerning to me and i have been focused on trying to keep him healthy while also working on his new enclosure. He’s still eating as much as he usually does, has been a littttttle less active but if i take him outside he acts normal and runs around, poops and pees have been normal, ( i gave him pumpkin last week just in case it was something to do with that). Any advice!!! i’m a concerned tortoise parent :( sorry if i seem bad at taking care i am a bit younger but i am trying my best and am reaching out to as many resources as possible!
In addition to the warmer temps, what substrate are you using? Are you keeping it damp? Dry substrate can get dusty and cause the symptoms you are seeing too.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
37
Location (City and/or State)
belleville
In addition to the warmer temps, what substrate are you using? Are you keeping it damp? Dry substrate can get dusty and cause the symptoms you are seeing too.
uhm i don’t know the exact name of the tops stuff but it’s like little wood chips and then the bottom is coconut choir, i thought so too ab the dryness but i just recently changed the substrate so it’s still very damp, i try to keep it as damp as possible but i’ll get a timer to run his mister
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
37
Location (City and/or State)
belleville
Warm his enclosure to 85F degrees all over the whole enclosure, and keep it at that temperature, day and night!
any advice to getting his enclosure to 85 degrees at night, without an fans or ac or anything ( i moved the room i sleep in so i can keep his room warm) it’s staying at high 70s at night
 

Lyn W

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You may need a Ceramic heat emitter (CHE) run through a thermostat to control the temps. and make sure it doesn't get too hot.
humidity + right temps = healthy tort
humidity + too cold = sick tort.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
37
Location (City and/or State)
belleville
You may need a Ceramic heat emitter (CHE) run through a thermostat to control the temps. and make sure it doesn't get too hot.
humidity + right temps = healthy tort
humidity + too cold = sick tort.
okay i’ll try, uhm he’s been staying ab the same but has been getting up super early and then sleeping a lot but will run and walk around a bunch when he’s not in his enclosure ( i took him outside to eat today ) is that normal? he’s still wheezing and sneezing, wheezing is sometimes consistent and sneezing only when he sleeps like before
 
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