New here & to Torts, I brought home a sick hatchling Hermann from my Grandson

[Sabrina8797]

I'm so thankful I found this forum, it looks like a great group to be involved with. I live in Central Illinois, USA (Cold winters!). I have a hatchling hermann approximately 4-5 months old, that I took from my Grandson when it seemed to be ill. I noticed his eyes were staying shut, not eating well and not moving around like he was. I've had it to the vet twice, she felt it could be viral, or bacterial infection or vitamin deficiency (undetermined in other words). He hasn't had any discharge from his nose or mouth. The inside of his mouth is pale, she said. She has me giving him injections of Ceftazidime (100mg/m) every 3 days. This was started on 11/30, he had a re-check on 12/19. She felt he had a little more fight to him so decided to give him 10 more rounds of the injection. Basking temp 100, cool side 85, humidity 25-40%, warm soaks 30 minutes daily, spraying the sphagnum moss for humidity 4-6 times daily. Diet offering, dandelion, turnip greens, parsley, yellow squash, prickly pear cactus, collard greens, timothy hay & endive. I've tried softening Mazuri & Zoo Med grassland pellets with no luck even when he seemed fine. Substrate is zoo med repti bark. He hasn't pooped in his water for over 3 weeks. I rarely see him eat. His eyes for the most part are still closed. I will see them slightly opened once in awhile. I hope I've given enough information to give you a good idea of what I've got going on and what I can change to make things better. I've attached photos in hopes this would help also. Thanks for including me in this group!

 

[TechnoCheese]

Welcome to the forum!
Where did your grandson get this tortoise?

 

[TortoiseRacket]

Hello, and welcome to the forum! First things first- remove the hay from your tank. It will mold. Humidity should be 85-95% for baby tortoises. @Tom or @Yvonne G can help you with a better enclosure, as they know a lot about tortoises! Where did you get him from? Hope that helped!
-Mickey

 

[Ray--Opo]

Hello and welcome! You are on the right forum. Good luck with the little tort. Keep us posted on the recovery.

 

[Sabrina8797]

Welcome to the forum!
Where did your grandson get this tortoise?

Welcome to the forum!
Where did your grandson get this tortoise?

We had ordered it from Backwater Reptiles.com for his Birthday in late August this year.

 

[TortoiseRacket]

Okay, backwater reptiles does not have a very good reputation, but we can’t worry about what happened before, we have to solve what is happening now. Make sure he is hydrated. He should start to open his eyes if he is hydrated. Does he have UVB lighting?
-Mickey

 

[TechnoCheese]

We had ordered it from Backwater Reptiles.com for his Birthday in late August this year.

Sadly, backwater reptiles is one of the worst places you can get a reptile. Try doing a search for them here to see the reviews. It’s likely sick because of how it was started from the breeder, and may be going through renal failure.

 

[Sabrina8797]

Hello, and welcome to the forum! First things first- remove the hay from your tank. It will mold. Humidity should be 85-95% for baby tortoises. @Tom or @Yvonne G can help you with a better enclosure, as they know a lot about tortoises! Where did you get him from? Hope that helped!
-Mickey

Thanks Mickey! I will remove the hay. I'm having a heck of a time keeping that humidity up! I've covered the top with the white towels trying to keep temperature and humidity more stable. I know my enclosure is not up to par but I was waiting to see how the little guy does before i make major changes. The vet didn't give me much hope in his survival. She said they show sickness very slowly and can be very sick before we notice the signs.... He came from Backwater Reptiles.com

 

[Sabrina8797]

Okay, backwater reptiles does not have a very good reputation, but we can’t worry about what happened before, we have to solve what is happening now. Make sure he is hydrated. He should start to open his eyes if he is hydrated. Does he have UVB lighting?
-Mickey

Shoot about Backwater, darn it! Ok, moving on! Hydrated... what soak him more than 30 minutes a day??? and or get that humidity up? UVB is on 12 hours per day on a timer.

 

[TortoiseRacket]

Thanks Mickey! I will remove the hay. I'm having a heck of a time keeping that humidity up! I've covered the top with the white towels trying to keep temperature and humidity more stable. I know my enclosure is not up to par but I was waiting to see how the little guy does before i make major changes. The vet didn't give me much hope in his survival. She said they show sickness very slowly and can be very sick before we notice the signs.... He came from Backwater Reptiles.com

I use a solo pump mister. You can get them on amazon. They look like those things that you use to blow up water balloons. I’ll post a picture of one in a second. It makes spraying really easy if you do it a lot. Backwater reptiles doesn’t start tortoises well. Do your best to keep him healthy and keep us updated on his progress. I wish you and the tortoise the best of luck!
-Mickey

 

[Sabrina8797]

Sadly, backwater reptiles is one of the worst places you can get a reptile. Try doing a search for them here to see the reviews. It’s likely sick because of how it was started from the breeder, and may be going through renal failure.

I am so disappointed about our supplier... that's to bad. I even did some online searching for breeders. They were recommend, but that was before I found this forum. I've raised lots of animals in my day... I can't believe the controversy on torts on the net! Holy Cow, it makes it confusing for a beginner!

 

[Sabrina8797]

Sadly, backwater reptiles is one of the worst places you can get a reptile. Try doing a search for them here to see the reviews. It’s likely sick because of how it was started from the breeder, and may be going through renal failure.

I assume not much you can to for renal failure?

 

[TortoiseRacket]

I am so disappointed about our supplier... that's to bad. I even did some online searching for breeders. They were recommend, but that was before I found this forum. I've raised lots of animals in my day... I can't believe the controversy on torts on the net! Holy Cow, it makes it confusing for a beginner!

You’d think tortoises are easy.. but there is sooo much you can do wrong, so there is always going to be bad places and information out there. The only thing we can do is educate people. Almost everyone here has gone through the same thing as you. All the information on this forum was based off of trial and error. We all make mistakes along the way, and all we can do is make better decisions in the future. Don’t feel like you failed this tortoise if the tortoise passes, because you didn’t. We’ve all had the same feeling as you. You are doing the right thing now.
-Mickey

 

[TortoiseRacket]

I assume not much you can to for renal failure?

I don’t know but just do what you are doing and hope for the best. Also, you can talk to the people at backwater reptiles and tell them what they did to your tortoise. We’re all rooting for you!
-Mickey

 

[SweetGreekTorts]

Thanks Mickey! I will remove the hay. I'm having a heck of a time keeping that humidity up! I've covered the top with the white towels trying to keep temperature and humidity more stable. I know my enclosure is not up to par but I was waiting to see how the little guy does before i make major changes. The vet didn't give me much hope in his survival. She said they show sickness very slowly and can be very sick before we notice the signs.... He came from Backwater Reptiles.com

One way to help increase the humidity is to moisten the substrate. A mixture of organic topsoil and coco coir work great at staying damp. I also recommend adding a humid hide, that will be a huge help as well.

 

[TechnoCheese]

I assume not much you can to for renal failure?

There are few that make it through, but I would keep trying in case it’s not renal failure, or he’s one of the ones that make it. Just keep in mind that your chances likely aren’t the greatest

 

[Sabrina8797]

There are few that make it through, but I would keep trying in case it’s not renal failure, or he’s one of the ones that make it. Just keep in mind that your chances likely aren’t the greatest

Ok, thanks. Do you agree with continuing the antibiotic?

 

[Sabrina8797]

One way to help increase the humidity is to moisten the substrate. A mixture of organic topsoil and coco coir work great at staying damp. I also recommend adding a humid hide, that will be a huge help as well.

Ok, thanks! I've got to get that humidity up!

 

[Tom]

I'm so thankful I found this forum, it looks like a great group to be involved with. I live in Central Illinois, USA (Cold winters!). I have a hatchling hermann approximately 4-5 months old, that I took from my Grandson when it seemed to be ill. I noticed his eyes were staying shut, not eating well and not moving around like he was. I've had it to the vet twice, she felt it could be viral, or bacterial infection or vitamin deficiency (undetermined in other words). He hasn't had any discharge from his nose or mouth. The inside of his mouth is pale, she said. She has me giving him injections of Ceftazidime (100mg/m) every 3 days. This was started on 11/30, he had a re-check on 12/19. She felt he had a little more fight to him so decided to give him 10 more rounds of the injection. Basking temp 100, cool side 85, humidity 25-40%, warm soaks 30 minutes daily, spraying the sphagnum moss for humidity 4-6 times daily. Diet offering, dandelion, turnip greens, parsley, yellow squash, prickly pear cactus, collard greens, timothy hay & endive. I've tried softening Mazuri & Zoo Med grassland pellets with no luck even when he seemed fine. Substrate is zoo med repti bark. He hasn't pooped in his water for over 3 weeks. I rarely see him eat. His eyes for the most part are still closed. I will see them slightly opened once in awhile. I hope I've given enough information to give you a good idea of what I've got going on and what I can change to make things better. I've attached photos in hopes this would help also. Thanks for including me in this group!

What type of UV bulb are you using?
What are you using for night heat and what is the overnight low temp?

Why is the vet prescribing antibiotics? Is there some sign of bacterial infection? Little babies can't handle stuff like that. Did the vet address and correct the cause of the problem, or is she just shooting the tortoise up with some heavy duty medicine and hoping for the best?

 

[Sabrina8797]

Hi Tom, thanks for the response. Bulb: Zilla Desert 50 series T8 UVB & UVA, Heat: I'm using a Fluker's ceramic lamp & bulb for day and night. My temperature drop over night is probably only 5-10 degrees.

I do believe the vet is shooting him up hoping for the best with no real diagnosis. She looked like the best bet in my area. She is listed as an exotic vet. I did ask and she has treated torts and turtles....The only symptoms he has had are, eyes closed, not eating, and not moving around much. One thing I do notice I find odd... is when I pick him up to move him, it's like he stiffens, doesn't move for a while, and he's legs (stretch in and out) and head (up & down) will move. Not sure if this is normal for these little guys.

To be honest I was to inject him 12/25 and I've been holding off thinking maybe it was upsetting his stomach or not the right course of treatment the more I've been researching....