My Rocky isn’t well

[Rockysmum]

So, I adopted my little Rocky about 3 weeks ago. He is 5 years old and I’ve noticed a slight wheeze when he breathes. I can’t get him in to see an exotic vet until Monday. He doesn’t have bubbles coming out of his nose or any mucus in his mouth but he sounds like as asthmatic 💔 and every now and then will part his mouth. He is coming out to eat a little and I am soaking him daily but aside from that he is in his cave asleep. Is there anything I can do to help him from now until Monday?

His substrate is fine orchard bark so not dusty for him, his temp in basking end is set to 35 degree C and cool end sits at around 25.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
What are humidity levels in the enclosure?
You mentioned, that at night temperatures drop to 15-18C. Can you keep them higher (around 25-27C)? Either with a room heater or to get a ceramic heat emitter?

 

[TammyJ]

I hope you have a good reptile vet, and not one who will immediately prescribe a course of injections without any tests or diagnosis. Your tortoise likely will quickly respond positively to warmer temperatures. Night temperatures are too cold for sure.

 

[Rockysmum]

Hello!
What are humidity levels in the enclosure?
You mentioned, that at night temperatures drop to 15-18C. Can you keep them higher (around 25-27C)? Either with a room heater or to get a ceramic heat emitter?

I don’t have a device that reads his humidity but I do mist it every other day. Yes I can keep his temps up during the night. His basking light is a ceramic heat emitter

 

[Rockysmum]

I hope you have a good reptile vet, and not one who will immediately prescribe a course of injections without any tests or diagnosis. Your tortoise likely will quickly respond positively to warmer temperatures. Night temperatures are too cold for sure.

What do you suggest to night time temperatures I am in the uk and it does get chilly overnight at the moment. I keep his heat emitter on at 30 at the moment to maintain the temperature but his cool end still dips significantly

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I don’t have a device that reads his humidity but I do mist it every other day. Yes I can keep his temps up during the night. His basking light is a ceramic heat emitter

Misting the substrate isn't very effective. Pouring some water in the corners of the enclosure works better (you have to do it once in a week or two). You may do it now, but not too much - unless temperatures are sorted out and you don't have a hygrometer we may risk his health (cold and wet isn't safe, but warm and humid - is fine)

To measure temperature and humidity you can get a simple digital (with a display) meter from a hardware or home goods store (should be around 10 pounds or less).

Can you make a photo of your enclosure? This will help to make meaningful suggestions on heating. Ceramic emitters are great to maintain ambient temperatures, but are not really purposed for the basking zones, you will need an incandescent bulb for that (it's not urgent right now). If he sleeps in a hide in the cold part of the enclosure, you can offer him another one, closer to heat emitter or move the CHE to the middle of the enclosure (what is easier for you).

 

[Rockysmum]

Misting the substrate isn't very effective. Pouring some water in the corners of the enclosure works better (you have to do it once in a week or two).

To measure temperature and humidity you can get a simple digital (with a display) meter from a hardware or home goods store (should be around 10 pounds or less).

Can you make a photo of your enclosure? This will help to make meaningful suggestions on heating. Ceramic emitters are great to maintain ambient temperatures, but are not really purposed for the basking zones, you will need an incandescent bulb for that (it's not urgent right now). If he sleeps in a hide in the cold part of the enclosure, you can offer him another one, closer to heat emitter or move the CHE to the middle of the enclosure (what is easier for you).

So this is his enclose he has a little hide in the middle which he will sometimes use but the majority of the time he sleeps in his cave. The strip at the back is UVB and the blank lamp hanging down is where the heat emitting bulb is.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thank you! A photo helps a lot!
1. I would move a ceramic emitter to the middle or a bit closer to the cave if possible and set the thermostat to 25 degrees. The wooden ramp can be moved to the left. The thermostat probe (I guess it is hanging from the vent) can be left as it is.
2. In the vivarium, humidity is easy to maintain. I guess, it's a bit lower than needed, but not extremely low.

You may move a cave closer to the CHE (in place of the wooden ramp), but I'm afraid he would prefer to sleep under the ramp instead of cave.

 

[wellington]

I don't believe that is a Russian. It looks like a hermann but not a Russian
The enclosure is way too small for him. With lack of room, he will be high risk of not walking correctly in time and insides possible not work correctly. They need room to roam.
Get at least a 4x8 enclosure. The care is similar to a Russian.

 

[Rockysmum]

This is him

 

[Rockysmum]

I don't believe that is a Russian. It looks like a hermann but not a Russian
The enclosure is way too small for him. With lack of room, he will be high risk of not walking correctly in time and insides possible not work correctly. They need room to roam.
Get at least a 4x8 enclosure. The care is similar to a Russian.

Oh really

 

[Rockysmum]

Thank you! A photo helps a lot!
1. I would move a ceramic emitter to the middle or a bit closer to the cave if possible and set the thermostat to 25 degrees. The wooden ramp can be moved to the left. The thermostat probe (I guess it is hanging from the vent) can be left as it is.
2. In the vivarium, humidity is easy to maintain. I guess, it's a bit lower than needed, but not extremely low.

You may move a cave closer to the CHE (in place of the wooden ramp), but I'm afraid he would prefer to sleep under the ramp instead of cave.

So move the heat emitter to the middle to maintain temp at 25degree C and fit an additional bulb as mentioned above to the left? I am aware his enclosure is smaller than he needs and will be replacing with a much bigger one. I have only recently acquired him so still learning lots. I have a video of his wheeze but it won’t allow me to upload, only option is for photos

 

[Rockysmum]

I hope you have a good reptile vet, and not one who will immediately prescribe a course of injections without any tests or diagnosis. Your tortoise likely will quickly respond positively to warmer temperatures. Night temperatures are too cold for sure.

I am a first time tortoise owner so can’t comment on whether the vet is good or not but has come recommended to me from my dogs vet who doesn’t deal in reptiles. The vet I am seeing is a reptile specialist. Consiltation alone will cost £60 🙈

 

[wellington]

So move the heat emitter to the middle to maintain temp at 25degree C and fit an additional bulb as mentioned above to the left? I am aware his enclosure is smaller than he needs and will be replacing with a much bigger one. I have only recently acquired him so still learning lots. I have a video of his wheeze but it won’t allow me to upload, only option is for photos

Videos need to be loaded on YouTube first then from there to here. I don't do it so I don't know exactly how it's done.

 

[wellington]

For now get the temps correct
All over 80 do this day and night while you are hearing the noise.
Basking 95-100
I would hold off on the vet visit and get temps correct ASAP and see if that doesn't correct the noise. Many times tortoises are just to cold and once things are corrected, they are fine.

 

[Rockysmum]

For now get the temps correct
All over 80 do this day and night while you are hearing the noise.
Basking 95-100
I would hold off on the vet visit and get temps correct ASAP and see if that doesn't correct the noise. Many times tortoises are just to cold and once things are corrected, they are fine.

Thank you for your advice it is much appreciated. So maintain those temps day and night - no drop in temp over night at all? I will adjust temps now before I got to bed. If I do this when should I expect to see an improvement? I have just ordered a flood bulb from Amazon so I can switch that at day time and put his heat emitter back in at night (just an interim fix until we get a bigger enclosure).
Also last question (sorry) how do I know if he is a Russian or Hermanns? I was told he was a Russian 🙈

 

[Rockysmum]

Videos need to be loaded on YouTube first then from there to here. I don't do it so I don't know exactly how it's done.

This was before I replaced substrate as was advised that might be causing it but this is how it sounds again now

 

[wellington]

@Yvonne G

 

[wellington]

Yes keep temps up for now. If you see/hear improvements, then keep temps up for another week after noise is gone then place temps back to normal.
Try looking in his nostrils to see if there is anything in them.
He is for sure not a Russian, 100%.
90% sure it's a hermanns.

 

[Rockysmum]

Yes keep temps up for now. If you see/hear improvements, then keep temps up for another week after noise is gone then place temps back to normal.
Try looking in his nostrils to see if there is anything in them.
He is for sure not a Russian, 100%.
90% sure it's a hermanns.

Thank you so much. Aside from his wheeze do you think he looks healthy otherwise? He currently weighs 538g