New, Adjusting or Sick? Russian

[MajestyRotForMe]

I am EXTREMELY new and have a Russian Tortoise named Vergil and hate to ask questions already posted but couldn't find what I was glooking for.... I gave him a day or two to adjust before getting worried. Bought him from PetCo and THEN did research, turns out the associate helping us was ALL WRONG!! I have a glass tank with a basking and night bulb (double lamp) and water dish and everything.
She told me he was TROPICAL!!!! Not a problem until you realize he's, uh, NOT!!
Anyway he eats and poops fine (I think) I have soaked him and am using Coconut Fiber Substrate (Just learned about spraying it down, THANKS!!) But he sneezes a lot, weezes (I think) and has a runny nose.
For the first two days he sat in his 'Hide' and didn't come out unless I put him on a towl on the carpet to walk around (Still a new home though, adjusting, right?). Now I have cardboard around the sides of the glass and he is trying to dig (CONSTANTLY) Under the glass... Should I be worried? Thanks a TON!!

 

[SailingMystic]

Welcome! Have you made an appointment to see a vet? Your little one may have a respiratory infection.... So one of your most important things is warm temperatures and lights. Let us know more about your set up! He's eating!! That's good!

Try to see a vet and take a poop sample. This is something you should do since he's new.

I got my little one from Petco too. He saw a vet right away, and needed help with his shell. That's why I got him-- no one would buy him and he needed help. A good resource: http://www.russiantortoise.org/care_sheet.htm

Take note about what fresh greens to feed your little one. Sometimes the pet store employees only recommend the food in the store-- there are critical vitamins in fresh greens that your russian should be eating. And most important - is real sunshine. Take him outside for sun and try to build a pen area to bask in during the day. Sunshine is very important !!

This forum is terrific- I need to run... I'm hoping you get some good lighting tips to help with the temps!

 

[Radiated]

Do u have a MVB or any UVB source in your tank? You might want to take it to a vet if the runny nose doesn't stop.

Just my opinion

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How are the temps and humidity in there?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi MajestyRotForMe:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?

and may we know appx. where in the world you are?

I would add something to the coir. I personally don't like coir, but if that's what you've decided upon, many people use and love it. But by itself, it might be what's causing the sneezing. Maybe add some dirt to it. Clean dirt with no pesticides or fertilizers in it. Mix it all up and keep it a bit moist.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome.

With regard to the runny nose, I too would get him to the vet to be checked out; he may need a short course of anti-biotics to clear it. The poop sample is a good idea. Torts are very susceptible to worms, so your vet will check that out at the same time.

Tortoises are notoriously slow to adjust to new surroundings - weeks rather than days, so don't expect too much too soon. Russians just LOVE to dig. They tunnel in the wild to avoid the extremes of weather and predators.

Establishing a routine will help your tort to settle and learn to trust you. Do the same things at the same time each day. e.g. Lights on, heat on, soak (see later) then breakfast.

It is very important that your tort stays hydrated, especially if he's (possibly) ill. If the pet store didn't look after him too well, he may be dehydrated anyway. A daily soak will help with this. Russians are not always the best bathers. Many don't like it to start, so take it easy!

For the soak:

1. Do it before your tort has warmed up properly as he'll find it less stressful and is less likely to attempt escape

2. Use a plastic box or washing up bowl with high sides that isn't see-through.

3. Put enough warm (not hot) water in to come up over your tort's plastron (undershell). If the water is too cool, your tort won't like it. Get it right and your not-warmed-up tort is more likely to sprawl and absorb the warmth!

4. Let your tort soak for a good 20 minutes. It is quite likely he will wee and/or poop. If the water gets too disgusting, change it, but generally the torts don't mind and will sometimes eat the poop. Don't worry about that either, it's said to improve gut flora.

5. Don't worry if you don't see him drink, torts apparently can absorb water through the skin, so the soak still helps.

 

[MajestyRotForMe]

Hi all, and thanks so much.
Sorry about that, I'm Brenda and I will be moving back to Arizona (Sweet sunshine!!) In August but for now I am in Alaska... not quite "Take your tortoise for a stroll" kind of weather. But the days are getting longer and I have him set up by a window I open every morning (He likes to hand out under the basking lamp and where the sun falls now, and there is a lot of sun).
Set up... The tank is for reptiles (Looks like an aquarium with a screen on top) and is 36"Lx18"W.
I have a card board "Log" for him to hide under (Which he likes), a water bowl with a ramp for him to climb into. A little dry "Tortoise Pettet" Dish and a lettice (Greens) dish.
I'll try to post pictures.
I have not taken him to a vet, not sure who would look at him here in Anchorage but I'll start research to have him checked out
Thank you guys SO much!!

 

[MajestyRotForMe]

Hello and welcome.

With regard to the runny nose, I too would get him to the vet to be checked out; he may need a short course of anti-biotics to clear it. The poop sample is a good idea. Torts are very susceptible to worms, so your vet will check that out at the same time.

Tortoises are notoriously slow to adjust to new surroundings - weeks rather than days, so don't expect too much too soon. Russians just LOVE to dig. They tunnel in the wild to avoid the extremes of weather and predators.

Establishing a routine will help your tort to settle and learn to trust you. Do the same things at the same time each day. e.g. Lights on, heat on, soak (see later) then breakfast.

It is very important that your tort stays hydrated, especially if he's (possibly) ill. If the pet store didn't look after him too well, he may be dehydrated anyway. A daily soak will help with this. Russians are not always the best bathers. Many don't like it to start, so take it easy!

For the soak:

1. Do it before your tort has warmed up properly as he'll find it less stressful and is less likely to attempt escape

2. Use a plastic box or washing up bowl with high sides that isn't see-through.

3. Put enough warm (not hot) water in to come up over your tort's plastron (undershell). If the water is too cool, your tort won't like it. Get it right and your not-warmed-up tort is more likely to sprawl and absorb the warmth!

4. Let your tort soak for a good 20 minutes. It is quite likely he will wee and/or poop. If the water gets too disgusting, change it, but generally the torts don't mind and will sometimes eat the poop. Don't worry about that either, it's said to improve gut flora.

5. Don't worry if you don't see him drink, torts apparently can absorb water through the skin, so the soak still helps.

Thank you SO much for the information, was researching online and they said about five minutes of a soak and he would hate it, but he didn't seem to mind either way and drank a lot so I am betting he was dehydrated. And it's good to know to soak him every day, I read somewhere every two to three days.
And I agree with the ruitine He was very timid of me at first (still is but I optimistacly feel he is relaxing a bit).
And "Breakfast", does that mean I feel him more than once a day? I read that I should feel him for ten minutes every day than take it away so he won't over eat.

 

[MajestyRotForMe]

Do u have a MVB or any UVB source in your tank? You might want to take it to a vet if the runny nose doesn't stop.

Just my opinion

---

How are the temps and humidity in there?

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He gets a LOT of sun from the window so I would think that means the UVB stuff is covered? (Would have bought one to begin with if the woman had been compitant... I'm bitter... Glad I did research)
I am not sure how to check the humidity but the coconut stuff is moise and I have started spraying it down to help with dust (And hopefully the sneezing)

 

[MajestyRotForMe]

How are the temps and humidity in there?

The temp is saying 75 Degrees (F) But it is first thing in the morning and I will keep an eye to see how much it warms up

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Brenda:

If the window is closed, the UVB bounces off the glass. So no UVB is coming through to your tortoise.

 

[ascott]

Hi also he needs a warm basking spot at least 90 degrees so he can raise his body temp for proper digestion and function (they are like an old truck --in warm weather they get to gettin rather quickly, in the winter they need much more time to get warm and movin )

Also, as Yvonne mentioned if the only uvb that he has been getting is near the window then he has been essentially doing with very little to none...and yup, sometimes the pet shop clerks do not know what they need to in order to give advice....annoying but just what it is sometimes...

Glad you are doing your research and great to have you hear oh yeah, Welcome to the Forum and we LOVE PICS

 

[JoesMum]

Thank you SO much for the information, was researching online and they said about five minutes of a soak and he would hate it, but he didn't seem to mind either way and drank a lot so I am betting he was dehydrated. And it's good to know to soak him every day, I read somewhere every two to three days.

While he's getting established and not entirely healthy, soak him daily. Once he's definitely healthy, active and eating normally then you can reduce the number of soaks.

And "Breakfast", does that mean I feel him more than once a day? I read that I should feel him for ten minutes every day than take it away so he won't over eat.

Russians can be piggies and eat everything going. By "breakfast", all I meant was a feed. It's the start of the day, so I called it breakfast.


A main feed once a day is probably enough, but your tort will appreciate something to browse on - perhaps a tray of supermarket "living lettuce" that he can go help himself to when he feels like it.

Do u have a MVB or any UVB source in your tank? You might want to take it to a vet if the runny nose doesn't stop.

Just my opinion

---

How are the temps and humidity in there?

---

He gets a LOT of sun from the window so I would think that means the UVB stuff is covered? (Would have bought one to begin with if the woman had been compitant... I'm bitter... Glad I did research)

---

UV does not come through glass - that's why you don't get sunburn inside your house. Your tort will need a UV source to keep him healthy. Once you move to AZ, he can go outside and get plenty of natural UV which will be better (Start planning that outdoor enclosure now - it needs to be escape-proof as Russians are very good at escaping! )

 

[GBtortoises]

"I gave him a day or two to adjust"

Not nearly enough time for a tortoise, especially a newly captive tortoise to acclimate to new surroundings. The constant digging is what Russians do. They're are burrowing species and are accustomed to spending a lot of time underground where they feel safe and to escape environmental changes (a new home with new surroundings) and weather extremes.

Check out this website for some pointers: www.russiantortoise.org