my sulcata is sick

[Spielberg]

About 4 months ago out our pest control service sprayed out backyard with chemicals they were not suppose to use. Our account was noted “Tortoise, do not granulate grass” but the tech overlooked it and granulated our yard anyway. We bought some sod and kept him off the grass for a month. He has been gradually getting sick and I think he has a RI. Do you think it could be from the chemicals? He has runny nose and eyes but he is eating just fine. We brought him in the bathroom with the heat light and today I put a humidifier in there too. I need some advice, what I should do.

 

[Missy]

How old is your tort? I believe some on here say keep them off granular chemical lawns for a year. I would do lots of soaks and call a vet ASAP. I hope he gets better.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Where do you live? What are the temperatures there now? I personally don't think a month is long enough, I would think the chemicals would last longer then that. I would set him up under a hot light with humidity just like you have done. It's winter now and possibly if he lives outside the nighttime temps are dropping low and he needs heat at night...If he has a RI he probably needs a Vet visit and antibiotics. You are lucky he is still eating...

 

[Spielberg]

How old is your tort? I believe some on here say keep them off granular chemical lawns for a year. I would do lots of soaks and call a vet ASAP. I hope he gets better.

He is about 5 years old (we have had him for less than a year). This is his first winter in Arizona. The temp is getting pretty low (from40-50) at night outside but we do have a covered area with a basking light for him. Do you think that will keep him warm enough? I am going to get a thermometer tomorrow. Is it better to have him outside with a heat lamp or inside at a constant temp of 77(house temp) and an area with a heat lamp?

 

[Missy]

If you have someplace inside I would bring him in for now since he may be ill. I know a 5 year old sulcata is pretty good size, I have one about that age. I live in a much colder climate so mine come in for the winter to a heated room in the basement. I think you should get the thermometer and try to get the night temps to around 70-75* You can get a pig mat/blanket and that should make it nice and warm. Keep us up-dated on how he is doing.

 

[Spielberg]

Hi Maggie
You said I should take him to the vet, which I have no problem doing, but my concern is can they do anything.

Treatment:
Treatment is about the same as LRTD above. There is no known specific treatment for URTD because the primary bacteria cannot be managed with antibiotics. Most of the treatment focuses on treating secondary infections and boosting the immune system.

This is what I read on the front of the forum and I am just wondering if I take him in are they going to say the same thing a doctor would say if you took a child with a cold in the the hospital, do you know what I mean? I want to get a good set-up for my sulcata outside but I don't want him to keep getting sick. I will build what ever it takes, I will take him to the vet if I need to (which the pest control company has already said they would help pay for) I just need some really good specific advice. I will send some pictures of what I have outside right now.

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I was also wondering, I have a salad garden (no chemicals) that I have been growing for Spielberg II, I have hibiscus plants, and a small grass area in his enclosure. Can he live off of this for the next 6 months until the chemicals are out of the grass.

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If you have someplace inside I would bring him in for now since he may be ill. I know a 5 year old sulcata is pretty good size, I have one about that age. I live in a much colder climate so mine come in for the winter to a heated room in the basement. I think you should get the thermometer and try to get the night temps to around 70-75* You can get a pig mat/blanket and that should make it nice and warm. Keep us up-dated on how he is doing.

I took him outside to eat today and you would not think he was sick if you did not see his nose and eyes. He was running (tortoise speed) all around the yard and eating everything. He really likes to be outside, I think? I am wondering if I am doing more harm having him in my bathroom. What do you think?

 

[dmmj]

I don't think pesticides would cause a RI, as long as a tortoise eats there is hope, eating is usually the first to go, I had a russian rehomed to me with an RI and it looked like she had not eaten in months, so I had to syringe feed her for 3 months or so while the meds did it's job. she had a runny nose and closed eyes, took 3 months of meds for it to go away.

 

[Torty Mom]

You can always grow some grass indoors, I do. I bought a bunch of the little plastic trays from HomeDepot, the ones that go under pots) I put organic soil in them and sprinkled the grass seeds on top, I have 3 or 4 growing at a time, and when 1 is used up I plant another and in a few days it's ready! I am growing a tortoise grazing mix. So it has a few different types of grasses and some clover. It sounds like alot of work, but it really isn't. The hard part is trying to plan on how much to grow so I don't run out. I hope you try it! Mary Anne

 

[Spielberg]

You can always grow some grass indoors, I do. I bought a bunch of the little plastic trays from HomeDepot, the ones that go under pots) I put organic soil in them and sprinkled the grass seeds on top, I have 3 or 4 growing at a time, and when 1 is used up I plant another and in a few days it's ready! I am growing a tortoise grazing mix. So it has a few different types of grasses and some clover. It sounds like alot of work, but it really isn't. The hard part is trying to plan on how much to grow so I don't run out. I hope you try it! Mary Anne

I wish I could feed him a tray of grass at a time. I have a 4x5 foot area of grass and it is not enough for his big appitite. Maybe he is eating too much? That is why I had him start eating from the yard again.

 

[egyptiandan]

Pesticides aren't likely to be causing a respiratory infection. They would though damage the liver and kidneys. That would manifest as lower appetite, not urinating as much or at all, swelling of legs, lethergy.
Antibiotics will help with a respiratory infection. It's an infection that manifests itself as a runny nose. Not like our colds that are viral and run for a certain length of time. The infection wouldn't run a course, but only get worse. Until you get to a vets and when giving antibiotics, you need to keep the tortoise at a pretty much constant temperature of 86F. This helps boost the tortoises immune system which helps (with the antibiotics) to fight off the infection.

Danny

 

[Spielberg]

Here are some pics of SpielberII and his living area. Feed back please! I am planning on raising the covered area today for the heat lamp. I will post pics when it is done. How does Spielberg look. I dont have anything to compare him to.

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His face is pretty dirty because I caught him eating his own poop. yuck!

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Thank Danny
That is exactly what I wanted to know. So, indoor consistant temp is better than outdoor with heat lamps. And I will take him in on Monday.

 

[Torty Mom]

You can always grow some grass indoors, I do. I bought a bunch of the little plastic trays from HomeDepot, the ones that go under pots) I put organic soil in them and sprinkled the grass seeds on top, I have 3 or 4 growing at a time, and when 1 is used up I plant another and in a few days it's ready! I am growing a tortoise grazing mix. So it has a few different types of grasses and some clover. It sounds like alot of work, but it really isn't. The hard part is trying to plan on how much to grow so I don't run out. I hope you try it! Mary Anne

I wish I could feed him a tray of grass at a time. I have a 4x5 foot area of grass and it is not enough for his big appitite. Maybe he is eating too much? That is why I had him start eating from the yard again.

No wonder he is HUGE!!! Yep he's a lawnmower! What about those rack things that bread comes on, you could plant 3 or 4 of those and then just rotate. You can plant his favorite grasses in them and then maybe a grazing mix in the others. The grazing mix grows super fast, like in 4 or 5 days. Just a thought! You are doing a great job!! He is gorgeous even with his poopie mouth!

 

[Laura]

he needs a much bigger area to 'live' in.
he looks good.. gotta keep him warm to get over the RI.. if he loses his appetite, that isnt good.
You garden looks great.. I want to eat it! he can too. its just like salad mix from the store.. adda few more things occasionally and make sure he gets his calcium..

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You've already gotten great advice, I just wanted to say he is beautiful and I don't see running eyes or nose. When he had these running eyes was he inside his house with a heat lamp on? Could he have been too hot? That's one way a tort acts when they are too hot...

 

[Shelly]

I just wanted to say he is beautiful and I don't see running eyes or nose.

I thought the same thing. If that's how he looks, and he is active and eating, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Spielberg]

I went and got a thermomiter today and checked the temp in the closet. The high gets, about 87, when the humidifier is on it get about 90. The humidity gets up to 60 but I turn it off and on throught out the day. At night I leave the closet door open so he can room the bathroom. I will find out tonight how low the temp get in the closet with the door open. I know it does not get below 77 because that is what the house temp is set at. I bought another 150w red night light to keep him warm at night when I put back outside (when he gets better.) When I leave him outside for a few hours to eat his eyes and nose get worse.

 

[Shelly]

I know it does not get below 77 because that is what the house temp is set at.

You must have a huge gas bill.

 

[Laura]

the floor will be much cooler.. heat rises..

what happened to speilberg one?

 

[Spielberg]

I know it does not get below 77 because that is what the house temp is set at.

You must have a huge gas bill.

haha! its electric and after 400 dollar bills in the summer 150 does not seem bad at all.

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the floor will be much cooler.. heat rises..

what happened to speilberg one?
he died from heat stroke two week after we got him. That was a very sad day.

 

[REXANNismyprettygirl]

You have already gotten amazing advice so I have nothing to add that way but I wanted to share that I have been bringing Rexann inside for the nights as well. She is in a box with orchard grass bedding and as soon as the sun goes down I bring her in and she nestles around inside until she is comfy and then sleeps all night. I do put her back out as soon as the sun is warm in the morning and she roams around all afternoon before coming in again. She seems very happy with this set up and I can sleep at night knowing that she is warm.

And I am in TOTAL agreeance that with a $400 cooling bill in the summer the heat bill is nothing!! I am in Arizona too.

Your tortoise is a beauty!!