Please help (possible poison)

[ForTortel]

My sulcata tortoise isn't feeling well, he keeps on bubbling out of his mouth and nose. He is 1 years old and He was perfectly fine earlier today. He is barely responding to anything but he is still awake, I walked him out and I think he ate a dead flower that has been out for a while. He is constantly trying to expell wastes and His eyes are halfway open. I have been giving him warm water and some heat. I am very scared right now I'm not sure if he ate something posionous. my yard isn't fertilized at all. Is there any other way I could help him?

 

[Jacqui]

RE: Please help

Sounds like either over heating or poison. A dead flower should not have caused it, unless it was poisonous in some way. Any way you can take him to a Vet?

 

[ForTortel]

RE: Please help

Sounds like either over heating or poison. A dead flower should not have caused it, unless it was poisonous in some way. Any way you can take him to a Vet?

yes I tried but the vet is closed right now i have to see them tomorrow

 

[ForTortel]

RE: Please help

Sounds like either over heating or poison. A dead flower should not have caused it, unless it was poisonous in some way. Any way you can take him to a Vet?

Its been about 4-5 hours and he is making squealing noises once every 30 minutes. bubbles come out of his mouth and nose. I'm really worried. Doe anyone know whats happening?

 

[macky9326]

That's horrible I feel greatly for you

Do any of these match up with symptoms?

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/commondisease.html

Get the little one to a vet or emergency vet ASAP and please keep us updated!

 

[Yvonne G]

Set him in a shallow pan with tall sides of water. Position a light over one end of the pan to keep the water warm, and just leave him sitting there. Its quite ok to leave him there for more than an hour, even more. He was either overheated, or ate something poison. If the problem was overheating, make sure you don't continue that problem with your light over the water. Keep it at from 75 to 80F degrees. If it was poison, then sitting in the water helps to flush it out of his system. I wouldn't leave him overnight when you can't be watching him, but I'd leave him there for as long as you can watch him.

 

[ForTortel]

It also could be a respiratory infection but my tortoise was doing well this afternoon I don't know what could have changed him too quickly

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This is how he looks

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It also could be a respiratory infection but my tortoise was doing well this afternoon I don't know what could have changed him too quickly

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This is how he looks

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[AZtortMom]

Aww! Poor thing!

 

[ascott]

The frothing is usually a sign of overheating...what are the temps in the enclosure? The swollen eyes can be representative of many things.....

Have you soaked this tort? Does he drink?

 

[Laura]

I would not stress him out more by moving him around. Leave him in his enclosure and keep an eye on him..
could he have over heated?

 

[macky9326]

Any update on the little guy?

 

[Jacqui]

Any update on the little guy?

I have been wondering that, too.

 

[Yvonne G]

After looking at the new pictures, I'm thinking that what you're seeing is a pain response. What kind of light are you using, and how close is it to the back of the tortoise?

 

[ForTortel]

Hey guys, He went to the Vet today. He has respiratory problems and he is under critical care. He is staying overnight. He has nutritional problems because I haven't been giving him grasses/calcium and his shell was a bit soft. My negligence caused me a lot for the Vet as well as almost his life. The Vet said if he doesn't have any obstruction in his intestine then he should be fine if he makes it out of his sickness. I have been giving him light, water, and all he ever ate was weeds outside. He also isn't as big as he should have been Its all my fault. I looked up and researched stuff about him but then the only thing he wouldn't eat is grass. I never fed him fruits, or anything that would hinder his body. The doctor gave him Antibiotics and also tubefed him nutrients as well to keep him hydrated. The UVB light I have is about a feet away from him in his home and he also has a place to hide. I am going to see him tomorrow morning and I really hope the vets know what they are doing. One of the vets own a huge Sulcata tortoise so i hope she knows what she is doing.

He wouldn't eat or drink all of a sudden yesterday after he walked outside and had a meal. When I brought him in he started barely responding to anything and he was basically barely responsive.

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I don't think it is a obstruction in his stomach/intestines because He usually checks and smells something if its edible or not.

 

[macky9326]

Hey guys, He went to the Vet today. He has respiratory problems and he is under critical care. He is staying overnight. He has nutritional problems because I haven't been giving him grasses/calcium and his shell was a bit soft. My negligence caused me a lot for the Vet as well as almost his life. The Vet said if he doesn't have any obstruction in his intestine then he should be fine if he makes it out of his sickness. I have been giving him light, water, and all he ever ate was weeds outside. He also isn't as big as he should have been Its all my fault. I looked up and researched stuff about him but then the only thing he wouldn't eat is grass. I never fed him fruits, or anything that would hinder his body. The doctor gave him Antibiotics and also tubefed him nutrients as well to keep him hydrated. The UVB light I have is about a feet away from him in his home and he also has a place to hide. I am going to see him tomorrow morning and I really hope the vets know what they are doing. One of the vets own a huge Sulcata tortoise so i hope she knows what she is doing.

He wouldn't eat or drink all of a sudden yesterday after he walked outside and had a meal. When I brought him in he started barely responding to anything and he was basically barely responsive.

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I don't think it is a obstruction in his stomach/intestines because He usually checks and smells something if its edible or not.

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I'm really sorry to hear that, but it's obvious you love him lots and lots, and unfortunately you have learned the hard way about tortoise care. The vets is the best place for him at the moment, and I'm sure if you need support everyone on this forum will help you out, in my opinion you took the little guy on and never noticed how important things like this can be, but hopefully he can pull through and you will be able to learn from this, don't beat yourself up, keep us updated and use this forum if you need to talk or feel like you need
some help!

 

[kathyth]

I agree that you clearly love your tortoise! Because you do care, I would bet nothing like this ever happens again, on your watch. . I'm glad he is at the vet's getting the care he needs.
Stay connected to the forum and read absolutely everything you can about the care of your species of tortoise. Look at diet, appropriate enclosure needs, heating, lighting, soaking, signs of illness, etc.
Good luck!!!

 

[Jacqui]

Keep in mind the important thing is you got help and are now making improvements to his life.

 

[ForTortel]

Thanks guys. I really hope he doesn't die. they put him in an incubator overnight and I hope I will be able to see him tomorrow alive. I don't even know if he is going to be better. He was really lethagic and unresponsive. I hope he makes it through

 

[wellington]

Just came on to this thread. I am so sorry you both are going through this. I so hope there is good news for you when you go to see him. Also, don't be so hard on yourself. We have seen it many times on here. On moment everything is fine, the next, not. If you could have seen what was going to happen, you would have tried to stop it. Your doing the best you can for him and that proves you are a great tortoise parent. Keep us posted and all the best of luck to you.

 

[ForTortel]

He is doing ok. I came this morning and he was actually responding and there isnt anymore mucous coming out from his mouth. He sleeps every now and then and he ate some strawberry/kale the vet gave him. As of now, he has to take .05cc or ml? of calcium supplement tubefeed. I'm still not exactly sure how to tubefeed him im scared because I saw the process and I have to handle him aggressively. He is also on antibiotics but at least now he is responding, moving around and eating somewhat.