Illnness passed between species?

[Little Texas]

I have a question about illnesses being passed between tortoises. I have had my little Redfoot for about a year now and, although he was not in great health when I got him, has been doing great.

About two weeks ago I took on my childhood Desert Tortoise who had been living with my mother and who does have chronic respiratory issues. My mom was worried about rattle snakes where she lives and didn't want to restrict her to being a solely inside tortoise so I gladly took her back and gave her her own large section in my yard free of snakes.

I thought I had been very careful not to possible transmit anything between the two and they have been kept separate however the Redfoot, only about 2 years old, became somewhat lazy/lethargic about 2 days ago. It was such a slight change that I almost thought I was imagining it. However this morning he had obviously taken a turn for the worse and I actually thought he had passed away. I was beyond shocked.

However he started moving his arms and legs but didn't open his eyes for quite some time. He struggled to eat at first but then did alright. I soaked him for quite some time and from an outward view seems to have returned to his normal behavior, but I know this is not the end of the story.

Has anyone had illnesses spread between tortoises like this? I am wondering if I transmitted something on my hands, even though I was always very cautious?

 

[tortadise]

Unfortunately I have had similar case many many years ago and learned my lesson. Always wash with a good hand soap and santizier before handling other species. Each species has its own unique antibodies and immune systems that can defend certain illnesses, sometimes some torts have an illness but show no sign its present and once transmitted to a different species can be deadly. I would get him to a vet and I hope he comes through. Good luck and be safe.

 

[ascott]

What is your set up for the Redfoot? You said he was not in the best health when you first took him in? What was his issues when you took him in?

Desert Torts are a higher risk species for RI...if you DT has chronic RI's then I would be sure to have him outdoors everyday in the warm heat...provide him a cool DRY hide/burrow that you can get to him each day....I would be sure that he makes his way out into the sunshine and heat at least once in the am and again before evening...this will assure him an opportunity to dry out a bit at the start of the day and just before the cooler night temps....or if he is suffering in an obvious way you may want to have him retreat to an indoor area that is kept at 80 degrees through the night....the increased warmth as a constant will give his immune system a well needed boost....have you ever had him tested for an actual RI diagnosis or does he simply have a bubbly nose?

You can transfer germs on your shoes, your hands, your clothes and any dishes that you may bring in with you and set down and then bring with you back to the other enclosure and do the same....they really do need to be treated as two separate worlds, especially if one of them is ailing....

Perhaps sharing more info in regards to your Redfoot would let us help you out a bit more and if you can post a pic of your RF (face and profile) we could help...and as awlays if you are there and you see rapid failure in your torts health then a trip to a REPUTABLE REPTILE/TORTOISE vet may be in order....

 

[Little Texas]

My Redfoot (Texas) is in a 6'X2' tortoise table basically. He has a warm side and a cool side and a giant water dish that he lounges in daily, along with warm soaks outside of his tort table. His issue when I got him was that he would only eat those "lovely" tortoise pellets and not surprisingly based on his diet his shell had already started to pyramid by the time he was 1. However from the day I took him in he has never had those pellets again. After having him for about a month his diet and energy level had improved 100%. He has been fine since then. Eats a variety of different things all the time and is very active.... until a couple days ago, which is what made me wonder if he had gotten something form my DT.

I thought I had washed my hands after each encounter but its possible that I did spread something to Texas from Shelly. I feel horrible.

I am not particularly worried about the Desert Tortoises respiratory issues, at least at the moment. She sees the vet on a somewhat regular basis for it and on occasion does get injections for it. However she has done much much better this summer and does not even have a runny nose right now. I live in the desert and she gets as much sun as the sky will allow. She is outside full time during the warmer months. Although I wish she did not have any health issues, hers are well maintained and she is one of the happiest torts I've ever seen and has a very nice set up, indoors and out.

 

[ascott]

But what are your RFs temps in the enclosure (which by the way sounds like a fun roomy size )...sometimes the temps alone can delegate the activity of them....?

Also, how long has it been since you brought in the DT? I mean if you really think about that time frame, has enough time passed for an affect to be seen?

You also may have a tort (rf) that is just doing what they do, sometimes they change a little on their behavior for a short time (a few days or so) then back to their routine....you know what I mean?

Sounds all good on the DT also I live in the high desert and the CDTs here love the weather for sure....

 

[Little Texas]

Ive set up his enclosure literally as a temperature gradient going from left left to right about 65-95 if that makes sense. He has numerous hides in several different temp spots and he moves about them freely. The DT has been here for about 2 weeks, which was my main wonder. I don't know if that is enough time for the RF to get sick and start showing symptoms???

He is definitely not just having an off day, although I wish it was only that. He was clearly close to death this morning. I don't know if it is completely unrelated to the other tort or not?

Has anyone ever seen a tortoise vomit? I don't know that Texas did? I'm now wondering if he ate something bad because the more I soak him the more he keeps going to the bathroom...... much more than normal. He seems uncomfortable and I am wondering if he had a blockage?

 

[tyrs4u]

Sounds like he was uber constipated ... poor soul... longer daily dips until you see normal stool on a daily if not every other day until you see him/her go 'naturally'...

 

[dmmj]

Does you DT have the myclopasia ( I know I spelled that wrong), if so I was pretty sure that it was a organism exclusive to CDT's. While I encourage hand washing and separate enclosures, for a bacteria or organism to pass you usually have to come into contact with body fluids ( blood, mucus, and such).

 

[Tom]

You'd have to euthanize both torts and pay around $500 each to have them necropsied to be sure something was passed from one to the other. It seems possible in this case, but I'm not sure how likely, given that you were so careful and they have never had any contact or shared an enclosure.

I think 65 is too cold for a RF, especially one that was not, or is not, doing well. I would warm the whole enclosure up to 80 if it were mine. I'm going to guess that something in your husbandry is off, and that is the cause of the redfoots illness.

BTW, the pyramiding was not caused by the pellets. It was caused by a lack of moisture, humidity and hydration during that first year.

 

[ascott]

I think 65 is too cold for a RF, especially one that was not, or is not, doing well. I would warm the whole enclosure up to 80 if it were mine. I'm going to guess that something in your husbandry is off, and that is the cause of the redfoots illness.

BTW, the pyramiding was not caused by the pellets. It was caused by a lack of moisture, humidity and hydration during that first year.

Totally agree here, in addition to lack of humidity/hydration---lack of proper nutrition and lack of or too little uva/uvb exposure contributes to pyramiding....