injured tortoise please help
- Thread starter Ymmjr
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- Jul 8, 2017
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- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Is the only injury the puncture on his head? Is his face OK?
Any idea how that happened?
Do you have any other animals that have been near him?
It doesn't look deep - perhaps it's an insect bite?
@Yvonne G may be able to help more
Maybe soak him and rinse the area with clean water so you can see it. If it is just a surface wound, dab it dry (with something like clean kitchen paper)
If you have any antiseptic creams post them here to see if you can use a tiny dab on it but you many not need to so wait and see what Yvonne or other tort 'medics' say.
Do you have any other animals that have been near him?
It doesn't look deep - perhaps it's an insect bite?
@Yvonne G may be able to help more
Maybe soak him and rinse the area with clean water so you can see it. If it is just a surface wound, dab it dry (with something like clean kitchen paper)
If you have any antiseptic creams post them here to see if you can use a tiny dab on it but you many not need to so wait and see what Yvonne or other tort 'medics' say.
Definitely give your tortoise a nice long warm water soaking.
well this is a male and there is a female with him in the cage
i dont know how this happened
i dont know how this happened
Tortoises should never be kept in pairs no mater what sex or even if siblings so you need to separate them asap in their own enclosures with their own heat and light sources
It could be that the other tort is bullying this one to try to get it to leave.
Torts are solitary creatures and do not like company. Sharing an enclosed space will be very stressful for them both and can cause illness and serious injury which will mean very expensive vet bills for you and possible death for one of your torts.
There's probably nothing to worry about. Think about how you would treat this same wound if it were on YOU, and do that for the tortoise.
Bullying behaviour can start from a young age and includes staring, following, nudging, being too close, mounting - all often mistaken for affection but is one tort intimidating the other. Hogging the food and best basking spots are other indications that this is happening.
It later becomes more aggressive with biting and barging which could be what's happened to your tort so don't risk more injury - they will both be much happier and healthier in their own spaces.
Can you post pictures of their enclosure?
It later becomes more aggressive with biting and barging which could be what's happened to your tort so don't risk more injury - they will both be much happier and healthier in their own spaces.
Can you post pictures of their enclosure?
Noelluene
Active Member
I would apply a little bit of betadine to disinfect the wound before putting some dressing on it. (Don't use a plaster tho)
Betadine can kill healthy skin. This is a very minor wound. Best to just wash it with water, pat dry and put some over the counter antibiotic cream on it and keep it clean. No dressing.
I suggest,
A Paper towel with a dab of peroxide, clean the wound, then a small dab of Neosporin, or other antibiotic ointment. Repeat daily. Till healed.
A Paper towel with a dab of peroxide, clean the wound, then a small dab of Neosporin, or other antibiotic ointment. Repeat daily. Till healed.
spike is ok now the wound is gone
Pleased to hear that, have you separated them yet? They will both be very stressed and feeling pretty miserable while together which will make them vulnerable to illnesses like RI, so the sooner they are apart the better. You could end up with a tort with a more serious injury or even find one dead if they stay together and there are plenty of stories here from people who have learnt the hard way.
you taught me years ago...if that was your child...how would you treat that wound...easy peasy
