Please help. I think something is wrong with my Russian!!

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Bubba_Love

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Please help me. I have a russian tortoise and he is about 2 or 3. I just fed him not 20 minutes ago and he has a lot of mucus in his nose and keeps blowing bubbles an hissing loudly and jolting into his shell. I thought I was doing everything right, i dont know if I should take hin to the vet inediatly


I dont know what to do. This is my first tortoise and I wasnt really ready to get one and now I have him but I feel like i'm not doing things right. I live in indiana and it is cold now and the light in his cage doesnt give off much heat. I was thinking about a heater or something but i dont know. He just hissed and blew more bubbles again. I heard that if they do that they could have pnemonia. And I dont know how to handle that. The temperature in his tank is around 76-85 and I'm not sure what else to do, am I missing something? I feed him lettuce and some carrots and i fed him calcium pellets but they have only made him hiss and jolt into his shell. He peels quite a bit also around his face and legs and neck. I heard that is normal, but nothing else..
 

SailingMystic

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How long have you had him? Yes, please get to a vet - this is very serious. You need the proper lighting ASAP. Have you soaked him in warm water (they need to poop). Does he try to drink?
 

Bubba_Love

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I have had him for 11 months. I have soaked him. He just pooped.
 

Laura

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he needs heat... and prob a vet for meds.. but for now.. Heat.
And a better diet when he gets better..
Ceramic Heat Emitter.. or for tonight a neat pad under his enclosure and cover the top so the heat stays inside.
If he is eating.. that is good.
 

Bubba_Love

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I went to the pet store and turns out my little he is a she. She might have respitory infection and we are taking her to the vet tomorrow. I bought her new food. And she is loving it. Thanks so much for the help
 

Pokeymeg

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Good heat source, better diet, more warm baths, and (presuming its a respiratory infection) some antibiotics - This should help your tortoise feel better and KEEP her feeling better :)
 

SailingMystic

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Bubba_Love said:
I went to the pet store and turns out my little he is a she. She might have respitory infection and we are taking her to the vet tomorrow. I bought her new food. And she is loving it. Thanks so much for the help

Great! Keep us posted :) !! Let us know how the vet visit went. Glad you could get her there so fast.
 

Bubba_Love

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We scheduled an appt to the vet for tuesday. Thats all we could get. I gave her some different foods. Some apple and strawberries and carrots. Just a treat. The bubbles are gone and she is scarfing down everything and pooping fine. Is she getting any better?
 

Bubba_Love

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I read that some fruit is ok. This is only the first time she has had it.
 

SailingMystic

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Bubba_Love said:
We scheduled an appt to the vet for tuesday. Thats all we could get. I gave her some different foods. Some apple and strawberries and carrots. Just a treat. The bubbles are gone and she is scarfing down everything and pooping fine. Is she getting any better?

She's a fighter!! Keep her warm and definitely take her to the vet with a poop sample :) is your vet experienced with torts??
 

Bubba_Love

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Yes the vet is experienced. She is one of the only tort vets in the city.
 

SailingMystic

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Bubba_Love said:
We scheduled an appt to the vet for tuesday. Thats all we could get. I gave her some different foods. Some apple and strawberries and carrots. Just a treat. The bubbles are gone and she is scarfing down everything and pooping fine. Is she getting any better?

Any update? Hope things are well...!!
 

lynnedit

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Yes, let us know how your tort is doing! Be sure to soak him every day for now, but don't let the water get cold.

You can even use a regular house bulb and desk light fixture to add more heat to your enclosure.

Do you have an accurate way to check the temps? A PE-1 temp gun works very well.

Good luck at the vet!
 

sibi

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If you do everything that people here are telling you, your tort should be fine. She'll still need to get checked with the vet because she may still have some infection, and the last thing you want is for her to have a relapse. Her eating and pooping is a real good sign. Please keep us posted on her progress.
 
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