New Baby Redfoot Enclosure and Help with Respritory Infection

[Si00z24]

We just got our baby Redfoot about a week ago. He has been so much fun to watch and has a great personality. I am wondering if some of the experienced red foot owners could help could critique his enclosure and help with his Respiratory Infection which he got a few days after we got him.

Three days after we got him he started making "clicking" noises in his throat when being soaked. He would also quickly move his head quickly inside his shell as though the top of his head itched and would rub his eyes. Well we were concerned and took him to the vet. The vet ran a sample of his mucus and came back with a respiratory infection. He has been perscribed .02cc of cefazolin every day for a month. He has been on the medicine for 4 days and there seems to be more mucus than before and is making more "clicking" noises in his throat.

We started off with a closed top on his 48x24 enclosure to keep the humidity up. There is also a humidifier on a timer which runs every 30 minutes on and off to keep up humidity. That plus misting twice a day we have humidity between 60-90. With the top fully enclosed I was concerned about ventilation. I read that the stale air can stay trapped at the bottom of the enclosure. The only ventilation was around the bulbs. So I removed the top and made a stand for the CHE and MVB bulbs and have two 25 Watt clamp bulbs for ambient light. We have a 125 Watt Solar Glow MVB bulb hooked up to a timer which stays at 95 degrees before shutting off. And the CHE is 75 Watts and is only used for night time in front of one of his hides.

The top is all plexiglass with mess in the front right and back left for the bulbs.

We put aluminum tape around some of the mesh to keep more humidity in.

Other side with MVB

Top removed to show inside. There are a couple live plants and some moss. You can also see where the humidifier goes in.

I then removed the top and mounted the MVB up higher. The CHE is also now mounted to the same fixture.

Ambient temps are 75 on the cool end of the enclosure up to the 95 at the basking bulb. The substrate is organic top soil with some spagnum moss in the corners and his hides. We soak him twice a day and always have a water bowl. His diet has been mostly spring mix, lettuce, some fruit, and Mazuri. He has been eating.

With so many factors for a respiratory infection plus his itchy eyes I am not sure what to do, replace the top soil with different substrate, use a different UV bulb, enclose the top. I know its only been 4 days since his medication started but I want to do everything I can to hope for a speedy recovery. Any input would be a huge help!

Here is one of my favorite pictures of him soaking:

 

[ascott]

Ok, so take a deep breath . First off, I would turn the humidifier off, remove alot of the top coverings to the enclosure---let the fresh DRY air in for awhile. While you are treating the tortoise with the meds I would help him out by drying out the enclosure some (you can offer a warm humid hide into the enclosure to still offer up this option while the rest of the enclosure is drying up some)..the tort needs to be supplied fresh air, stale used air is not healthy...old air needs to have some fresh air exchange or you will have an ailing tortoise....I understand the need for humidity but without air exchange daily the tort will not do well....also, you will want to offer a place within the enclosure later on that allows the tort a way and place to dry out some to maintain their health...

I would also not let the coolest part of the enclosure drop below 80-85 degrees, especially while the tort is healing up...I would offer a daily warm water soak for 30 minutes....what illness did the vet say the tort has, I mean I know he advised RI, but did he say what he found (bacteria, viral???)

 

[Si00z24]

Thanks for the help. I turned the humidifier off to help dry out and right now the top doesn't have anything covering it to help with air flow.

I'll try to find a way to raise the night time temp up another 5 degrees to be around 80-85.

I asked the vet what kind of RI it was and he said there weren't any mold spores in the sample so I'm thinking that means it must be a viral infection.

 

[ascott]

He has been on the medicine for 4 days and there seems to be more mucus than before and is making more "clicking" noises in his throat

.

If the tortoise is getting worse while on the meds then that is not good....I would contact the vet and ask him to explain to you specifically what the tort has...No mold spores does not really mean anything.....

Clicking does not mean RI, while soaking a tortoise will often do the behavior you described....so I would really find out exactly what the test that was done and what exactly the results were....is the vet a specialized exotic reptile vet?

 

[Si00z24]

Ok, so I called the vet today to get some more info on the results of his test. Turns out I was wrong and that it is a bacterial RI.

I asked for a description of what was found in the test. The receptionist pulled the file and it said "moderate number of gram posive rods and occasional hetrophil"

I know it's a vet that can handle exotic reptiles. I confirmed before setting up the appointment and the vet seemed quite capable.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

I never let my temps fall below 80 degrees for my little ones - especially when the humidity is high. Since your baby is sick, I would bump it up even higher (maybe no lower than 85 on the cool side) until he starts to get better. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Si, and welcome to the Forum!!