marbled cherryhead

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mking

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I was given a beautiful marbled cherryhead that was sick. We have an excellent exotic vet so I took it to get a stool sample and blood check and there doesn't seem to be anything major wrong. The vet has kept the tortoise for over a month on two separate occasions and with forced feedings, antibiotics, he or she starts doing better and eating on it's own but as soon as I get the tortoise home over time it progressively does worse again. My husband is cutting me off as far as paying more vet bills but I hate to see such a beauty be lost. I know at the vet it gets daily attention and maybe because I am only soaking it 3 times a week it isn't getting enough daily care to nurse it back to health. I am finishing my graduate degree and have been very busy. Anyway, If anyone wants to take over it's care you will be rewarded with a beautiful cherryhead if it pulls through. nice dark red head dark shell and contrasting large areas of white marbling but the last couple days it is not eating again and it moves away from it light. it will drink and one eye is swollen. i have eye drops and remaining baydril. I live in keller, texas in the dfw area. I am sad to lose this one but know that it needs more or is a lost cause.How do I add a picture?
 

wellington

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Go to photo bucket or tiny pics to post pic. It's usually easier. Also, if you are using a coil bulb, get rid of it. You can also do daily soaks and add baby food puréed carrots to the warm soaks. You might also want to try this that is on this thread
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-41739.html
Good luck, hope he does a big turn around.
 

tortadise

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This is right up my alley, i see this a lot in relinquished animals we get her. If you cant find a home for him. I am about 40 minuteIfs from keller.
 

mking

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tortadise said:
This is right up my alley, i see this a lot in relinquished animals we get her. If you cant find a home for him. I am about 40 minuteIfs from keller.

I sent you an email from your website but I didn't hear back. If you are up for taking it then let me know when you are available and I would be willing to drop this one off.


wellington said:
Go to photo bucket or tiny pics to post pic. It's usually easier. Also, if you are using a coil bulb, get rid of it. You can also do daily soaks and add baby food puréed carrots to the warm soaks. You might also want to try this that is on this thread
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-41739.html
Good luck, hope he does a big turn around.

What is wrong with the coil bulbs. I am NOT using any on my tortoises but I have one that my daughter uses in her chameleon's cage so I was wondering why they are bad.
 

LuckysGirl007

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Coil bulbs have been know to cause blindness in torts. It somehow can damage their eyes. I don't know about chameleons though.
 

mking

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LuckysGirl007 said:
Coil bulbs have been know to cause blindness in torts. It somehow can damage their eyes. I don't know about chameleons though.

You are not talking about the ceramic heat ones without light just heat? They are different than the other coil bulbs but they do look like a flat coil. I do use some of the ceramic heat one so I want to make sure that it is not those as well.
 

tortadise

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Oh man. Im so sorry. I replied. I wonder what happened to that email. Hmm. Well you can definitely come visit this weekend if youd like.
 

mking

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picture

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allegraf

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I was going to suggest you contact Tortadise but it looks like Kelly beat me to it! Good luck.
 

tortadise

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Yep. She attempted a bite of food today. Shes getting more actove with fluids, critical care, and vitamin A ingestion. She is active though which is good.
 

oldkid

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Kelly, would you give a step by step break down of what you are doing for this little guy, to help us beginners ? Thanks Tim
 

tortadise

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OK she Is attempting to eat carrots and cactus. The vet had her on baytril which I do not like using. She has a swollen eye, and lack of appetite and signs of lethargy. So this is what I am doing for her to get a perk for those that asked.

Step one in this regimen is to boost her electrolyte levels to help fight off her issues. In doing that, I soak her in a small tub with oxbow(critical care), a can of carrot juice, and a cup of pedialyte and the rest water. Day one she drank some of her soak bath, perked up a but, day 2 same, day 3 she attempted to eat carrots on her own. She ate some cactus this morning. She is also getting terramycin for her eye once it opens up. She seems to be showing signs of improvement just in these 3 days.

Heres some photos of the soak water and ingredients used for a stimulate or boost bath. The critical care is an awesome suppliment for cases like this. I also use it as a supplement in lieu of mazuri a few times a month. I dont really like mazuri.

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg580/tortadise
/farts351_zps437159b1.jpg
farts355_zpsfa7ef096.jpg

farts354_zps4e115676.jpg

farts352_zps543f6c92.jpg

farts356_zpsae89a522.jpg

Mix It up in a bowl with some water.
farts357_zpsbb7fc6aa.jpg

And let the animal absorb and hopefully drink a good bit of it.
farts358_zpsc74b3056.jpg

The attempt of carrot eating. The Carrot on the right is the one she took a bite out of.
farts359_zpsdf478417.jpg


Hope she turns a better fortune soon. I believe she has either pneumonia or psuedamonus.
 

Candy

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Oh poor baby. The eyes are very swollen. Good luck with this little one. :)
 

mayday29150

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Where r the photos of the bath and supplies. Also. Where do u get them from.
 

tortadise

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They are on my post. You might not be able to see them if your on a phone.

Pedialyte any store in the baby section. I get the unflavored.
Canned carrots, squash, pumpkin, any store. The key is percentage of vitamin A. These items need to be just plain carrots,squash, or pumpkin and nothing else added. You can also use baby food but its more expensive.
Oxbow Critical Care I get from a VET. I believe tortoisesupply.com has it now though.

This is not recommended as a weekly or daily soak regime. I only use this concoction for ailing tortoises that need a systemic boost to stabilize, and sometimes rid of the issues.
 

Kathy Coles

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Thank you for sharing. My redfoot isn't sick, thank goodness, but I like to keep up, just in case.
 

tortadise

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Update on this little girl. She is eating on her own now and becoming a lot more active. I kept her off any antibiotic for 8 days to flush the baytril out of her system. Stabilized her with vitamin A soaks, along with pedialyte and supplements. Round 2 of her antibiotics she began eating on her own. Shes still not out of the dark, but she is 100% bounced back.

Antibitoics given were Ceftazidime for bacterial pneumonia. Injections given every 72hrs.
 

mike taylor

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That great news keep us posted hay how far are you from houston
 
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