need some reassurance

charlie91

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I recently brought a Russian tort about 4 months old, iv literally had him just gone 3 weeks. We first noticed somthing was not right when one of his eyes seemed slightly puffy underneath. We took him to the vets after about 4 days after purchasing him. The vets we took him to a vet that specializes in exotic pets and after inspecting him she said that one of his nostrils looks blocked and the back of his throat looked a bit muscly. She believed it could be the start of a RI and started him on eye drops and nebuliser, while waiting for a swab for mycrosplasma to come back. When we got him home he literally went down hill from that night, he stopped eating and drinking completely and became quite lethargic and we ended up taking him back to the vets a few days later (4 days). I told the vet what had happened. The vet confirmed that the swab had come back positive for mycroplasma and that is was most definitely RI, she kept him in for 2 nights and inserted an tube through his neck into his stomach so we can mix food and fluids and feed him that way. She also gave us injectable antibiotics and a de-wormer. He seemed to pick up for a few days but then today, i have took him back to the vets because his nose has started running and he has started sneezing (still not eating or drinking). The vet gave me some more of the same antibiotics to continue for longer, an anti-inflammatory and some powder to help with breaking up the mucous. We are bathing him twice aday for 20 mins while he is not drinking and we keep him in a tort table with heat bulb and Uv light (temps are fine).
Is there anything else i can do to help him?
what are everyone elses experiences with RI?
what is the prognosis like?

We did quite alot of research about what enviroment is best to keep them in (table of viv) their diet etc, however, I have to mention i did get him from a pet shop, i know a lot of online forums are against it, but i know a few people who have brought torts from pet shops and they have been fine. I feel so guilty :/

So all together we are injected him twice a day bathing him twice a day, currently mixing de-wormer anti-inflammators with his liquid food in his tube along with fluids and nebulising him. I really hope he pulls through.

xxxx
 

G-stars

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Hello and welcome.

I know you said temps are fine but it would be helpful to know what they are. Warm side, cool side, basking and night?
 

charlie91

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  • Basking Spot: 85-87° Daytime cool end Temperature: 70-80° F
  • nightime 65-75°F
 

charlie91

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Also when i brought him, he was in a viv and when i brought him home i put him in a table, i am worried this had made it worse, but i dont like the idea of vivs due to the poor air circulation and unable to control the humidity very well
 

wellington

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Hello and Welcome. Basking spot needs to be higher, 95 would be much better. I would not let the temps drop that low at night while he is sick. I would keep the temps day and night at 80 still with the 95 basking. Good luck and keep us posted.
 

G-stars

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Agree basking should be higher 95-100. And I would try to keep temps no lower than 75 until he gets better.
 

mini_max

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I have a russian also who got an RI within a few weeks of us getting him. I received the advice to bump up his temps by 10 degrees all around. I let it get no colder than 80 anywhere in his enclosure, had basking in the low 100s and kept night time in the low 80s. I found this night temp to be particularly important for us. Any cooler and he'd seem to wake up worse not better. We kept this up for a good 3 weeks. Tented his whole enclosure with foil to make it work. This really seemed to be the missing piece when I was starting to question why the meds weren't helping.
 

Tom

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Also when i brought him, he was in a viv and when i brought him home i put him in a table, i am worried this had made it worse, but i dont like the idea of vivs due to the poor air circulation and unable to control the humidity very well

You've got this backward. The air in a viv is totally controllable, stable and better for tortoise. In an open table the tortoise gets whatever is in the room which is usually much too cold and dry.
 

Tom

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I have a russian also who got an RI within a few weeks of us getting him. I received the advice to bump up his temps by 10 degrees all around. I let it get no colder than 80 anywhere in his enclosure, had basking in the low 100s and kept night time in the low 80s. I found this night temp to be particularly important for us. Any cooler and he'd seem to wake up worse not better. We kept this up for a good 3 weeks. Tented his whole enclosure with foil to make it work. This really seemed to be the missing piece when I was starting to question why the meds weren't helping.

This is good experience based advice. I've seen the same things and thank you for sharing this with us.
 

Yvonne G

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Tortoise-keeping is not stationary. We are always learning and changing. We used to say glass vivs are not good. But we've changed and now realize they do have their place.

One must always be willing to see new ideas and give them a try. Don't be stuck in the past. (mimi_max: Thank you so much for sharing your first hand experience with us)
 

charlie91

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Unfortunately, my tortoise died yesterday. We are very upset about it but thank you for your help.
 

Yvonne G

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Wow, that was quick. I'm so sorry this happened.
 

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