Impaction symptoms

[J.T.]

Hi, I really need some quick help... My little Marple (11 month old Hermanns) hasn't been eating for 3 days now and she seems lethargic. She sleeps under her basking light all day and when the light goes off she just stays there. She's never really been very active but lately it's just basically gone down to zero. I soak her every day for 30 minutes in warm water. I thought it might just have been the stress. I've been handling her a a lot because I've been worried. She was eating just fine until 3 days ago. Now she won't even open her eyes when I put her food right in front of her. I feed her different kinds of "salads" like rocket and romaine for example mixed with a dried weeds mix that i soak before feeding. She has a Sand/Soil mix as bedding, but I never feed her on the bedding. She usually eats on slate tiles in a separate box. I've been meaning to change the bedding since I read that it's dangerous, but I've just been too scared to stress her out even more. Now I'm afraid it's too late... I don't know if she's been pooping. I can never really find any poop lying around and she shares her enclosure with another 11 month old Hermanns. I have a vet appointment scheduled for next wednesday, but I'm scared she won't make it. Right now I've put her in her bath with her basking light over her. She's just lying there sleeping as usual... What can I do?

 

[teresaf]

Does she wake up for her bath? You aren't using the coil type bulbs right? They aren't good. Causes eye problems which leads down the road to eating issues and lazy issues...make sure yo keep the temps up above the min for her species. I think 80f 24/7 would be ok as a min.

 

[J.T.]

I use the Lucky Reptile Bright Sun 70w Desert Flood combined with and Exo Terra Repti Glo 150 UVB - 25w bulb. Is any of those a a coil bulb?

 

[J.T.]

And no she doesn't wake up for her bath either. She just opens her eyes looks around and decides she might as well keep napping.

 

[teresaf]

You would know a coil bulb. They are shaped like a coil not round like a regular bulb. keep her temps up and maybe @Yvonne G will have more help for you. Welcome to the forum. sorry under such sad circumstances.

 

[Lyn W]

Have you tried adding Gerber carrot baby food to her warm soak to try to get some Vits in her? That may perk her up. Hope she is OK

 

[J.T.]

Thanks... I hope I can get some more replies on the impaction issue... I still have her in the water right now... She raises her head every once in a while and looks around, then walks two or three steps and settles down again. I have a leaf in the water with her, hoping she'll nibble on it. No such luck so far. I can't loose her... I've tried so hard to have the little one be healthy and happy. I'm such a horrible tortoise parent... I don't think they have Gerber here in Germany... Would other carrot baby food be ok as well?

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks... I hope I can get some more replies on the impaction issue... I still have her in the water right now... She raises her head every once in a while and looks around, then walks two or three steps and settles down again. I have a leaf in the water with her, hoping she'll nibble on it. No such luck so far. I can't loose her... I've tried so hard to have the little one be healthy and happy. I'm such a horrible tortoise parent... I don't think they have Gerber here in Germany... Would other carrot baby food be ok as well?

Keep her warm, try adding the carrot baby food to the water when she has her next soak. Do you have a CHE on a thermostat to provide heat at night so she can have total darkness?
I think you can even blend a carrot to a pulp, soak in water and add that to the bath but if you google Gerber Carrot baby food and check what's in it you may find an alternative,

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

this is the coiled bulb they are saying not to use .

 

[J.T.]

The room temperature never goes below 20 Celsius, even when the lights are off... Is that enough or should I keep her warmer?

 

[J.T.]

Thanks for the picture! That way I know what to stay away from!

 

[J.T.]

How much baby food should I add?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

And one more thing you don't have both torts in the same enclosure , with one that might be sick keep them a part .

 

[ascott]

Hi, I really need some quick help... My little Marple (11 month old Hermanns) hasn't been eating for 3 days now and she seems lethargic. She sleeps under her basking light all day and when the light goes off she just stays there. She's never really been very active but lately it's just basically gone down to zero. I soak her every day for 30 minutes in warm water. I thought it might just have been the stress. I've been handling her a a lot because I've been worried. She was eating just fine until 3 days ago. Now she won't even open her eyes when I put her food right in front of her. I feed her different kinds of "salads" like rocket and romaine for example mixed with a dried weeds mix that i soak before feeding. She has a Sand/Soil mix as bedding, but I never feed her on the bedding. She usually eats on slate tiles in a separate box. I've been meaning to change the bedding since I read that it's dangerous, but I've just been too scared to stress her out even more. Now I'm afraid it's too late... I don't know if she's been pooping. I can never really find any poop lying around and she shares her enclosure with another 11 month old Hermanns. I have a vet appointment scheduled for next wednesday, but I'm scared she won't make it. Right now I've put her in her bath with her basking light over her. She's just lying there sleeping as usual... What can I do?

The behaviors you describe along with the set up sounds more like an issue of forced captive pairing of two tortoise..there is no way to know what sex each tort is at this age..but you can bet they know. You see in the wild this type of firced cohabitation is simply something that would not happen. Tortoise do not need company. Tortoise are designed to be solo..except for mating. In a forced captive envuronment there will be a dominant tortoise which requires the other into a forced submissive role..the forced submissive tortoise will stop eating..sttop drinking..stop moving about freely...the dominant one will not always outwardly attack the other..but they are masters of the subtle bullying..the problem is that more times than not...the submissive tort can literally waste away into death...if I were you I would create a second enclosure and let the ailing tortoise have a break....I would not over handle...but I would offer up a routine that the tort can begin to rely on..

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm sorry your little one is sick, J.T. I think you should call the vet and see if you can have the appointment moved up. Tell them you don't think your tortoise is going to last until next Wednesday. I'm afraid I really don't have any words of wisdom for you.

 

[Robertchrisroph]

20c is to cold

 

[Robertchrisroph]

No lower than 26c or more till better. A 25 watt light? I would think is to little. If I read that right. I hope she gets better

 

[J.T.]

Hey guys... I just wanted to thank everyone again for their advice. Unfortunately Ms. Marple died sunday. I took the other tort and Marples's little body to the vet anyway. He looked at some poo samples and couldn't find anything wrong. He said that sometimes you just loose some tortoises when they're still so little. Anyway I just thought you deserved to know how everything turned out.

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw, dang it. I'm so sorry you lost Ms. Marple.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Thanks for letting us know. We share your sorrow.