Possible RI? Please help!

[otisthetortoise]

Hello.
Otis is 6 months and has a healthy appetite, is soaked daily each day in warm water, and has a basking temp of 31C, cool temp 18C, and I moisten the substrate a few times the day with mist and water. She burrows each night and goes to sleep, and is active during the day.
Recently I have noticed during her baths that she retracts her head a lot and makes squeaking sounds every so often, almost like sneezing. As soon as she's out of the water she stops. She has never liked baths, and I noticed only once that a small, clear bubble came from her nose while she was basking after a soak. It hasn't happened since.
As soon as she's back in her enclosure she is perfectly fine again. Her breathing is steady and soundless.
My only concern is that the winter is closing in and that my room, where Otis is kept, drops into low 60s at night. I don't have a CHE on a thermostat as recommended, despite trying to find one in several pet shops.
At the moment I have an electric heater that I move into the room from 7pm to when I go to bed, around 10-10:30pm. This raises the temperature of the room by around 7/8 degrees, but it declines of course over night, which is what I'm worried about.
Could these symptoms be a possible RI developing? Please offer any criticism or advice, I'm open. I just want what is best for her, I love her dearly.
Thank you,
Olivia

 

[otisthetortoise]

Also, may I add, she is pooping regularly and releases urates / urine in her soaks every other day.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Olivia: This is what HermanniChris says about night time heat for your Hermanni:

"Hermann's tortoises need a night time cool down or they will suffer later on in life (some sooner than others).


This "need to provide overnight heat" has been a very common misconception in Hermann's tortoise keeping that has surfaced a lot this past year. If the temperature in your house, where your indoor habitat is being kept, is not dropping below 65F consistently, then there is absolutely no need for nighttime heat.


Hermann's tortoises are not heat lovers and should never, ever be subjected to it constantly especially while babies. Should you insist on night time heat, then at least move the heat emitter further away from the animal so that it is less of a basking spot and more of a way to slightly warm the air around it."

Since you say your room drops below 60F at night, it's pretty important for you to get a CHE and turn it on at night. And if you cover the enclosure at night it will help the warm air stay inside. Many people put their CHE on a thermostat so it only goes on when the temp drops below a certain setting.

I wouldn't worry about the occasional nose bubble when near water. It's ok and common.

 

[otisthetortoise]

Hi Olivia: This is what HermanniChris says about night time heat for your Hermanni:

"Hermann's tortoises need a night time cool down or they will suffer later on in life (some sooner than others).


This "need to provide overnight heat" has been a very common misconception in Hermann's tortoise keeping that has surfaced a lot this past year. If the temperature in your house, where your indoor habitat is being kept, is not dropping below 65F consistently, then there is absolutely no need for nighttime heat.


Hermann's tortoises are not heat lovers and should never, ever be subjected to it constantly especially while babies. Should you insist on night time heat, then at least move the heat emitter further away from the animal so that it is less of a basking spot and more of a way to slightly warm the air around it."

Since you say your room drops below 60F at night, it's pretty important for you to get a CHE and turn it on at night. And if you cover the enclosure at night it will help the warm air stay inside. Many people put their CHE on a thermostat so it only goes on when the temp drops below a certain setting.

I wouldn't worry about the occasional nose bubble when near water. It's ok and common.

Thank you so much Yvonne, you've calmed my nerves a little.
As for the CHE, I will keep looking. I have ordered one from Amazon, but it says it will only arrive around Jan 10th, and I don't want Otis going too long without one (I can cancel this order if I find one before it arrives). I know it is a concern but when I first bought her, the breeder said she would include a CHE + thermostat, but didn't. At the time, I was too busy goggling at my new Hermann's tortoise that I didn't notice, as everything was stuffed in a box that I didn't delve into until I was home setting up.
I know of the misconception of night heat for this species, which is why I put the heater on low, just to bump the room temperature to low 70s, but it isn't an option to leave it on all night because of the electricity cost, plus I would be sweltering in bed! This heat solely adds to the room temperature, also. Luckily I did put the heater a distance away and kept checking the temps near the table.
I feel awful for not going to purchase a CHE sooner, but with the Christmas hols, all the shops have been shut for a while and I've been forced to reside to my house over this period as family is over etcetera.
I will cover the table each night and update from there.
Olivia

 

[otisthetortoise]

@Yvonne G
A CHE is proving hard at this time... Costs is one problem. Although the ceramic heat emitters are not too expensive, the electricity bills long term are.
This isn't my decision on the reluctance around purchasing one, but sadly, I don't see my persuasion getting any further.
While I progress, I am going to cover the enclosure with either foil or a towel soaked lightly in warm water each night.
I am glad to say that Otis has stopped squeaking, and I just bathed her and after some distressed movements she stopped, padded around, and seemed generally fine. I covered the tub partly with a towel, lightly sprinkled with warm water, and when I bent down and "smelt" (I find you can smell humidity...) it actually made a difference. Hope I'm not just imagining that and you dismiss me as crazy
I am also proceeding with the heater.
Olivia

 

[Yvonne G]

Be careful it doesn't get cold. Humidity with cold is not good.

Try to find black light bulbs. They look just like an incandescent bulb, but they are black glass. They run about $3 and fit in a regular light fixture. You can run the black light for heat at night. Some people don't like them but I use them with no problems.

 

[otisthetortoise]

Be careful it doesn't get cold. Humidity with cold is not good.

Try to find black light bulbs. They look just like an incandescent bulb, but they are black glass. They run about $3 and fit in a regular light fixture. You can run the black light for heat at night. Some people don't like them but I use them with no problems.

Yes, I did think of that shortly after, and replaced the first towel with a completely dry new one that had been on the radiator warming. I have now taken it off as the temperature is 24 degrees celsius, a pleasantly mild night.
Unfortunately the black bulb, even though it may use less, still uses electricity and is left on from 7pm to 6:30am...that's the problem that I am trying to solve.
It's not me that is rejecting this idea, I assure you...family can be troublesome when they don't understand a tortoise's proper needs, especially this young.
Do the black bulbs use a considerable amount less than the CHE? Sorry for all the bombarding of questions, just wondering whether I should choose which is best for the long run.
Thanks,
Olivia

 

[Yvonne G]

The black light is usually only 60 watts, while the CHE is 100 watts.

 

[otisthetortoise]

The black light is usually only 60 watts, while the CHE is 100 watts.

Thank you.
I will put my persuasion methods to the test.
Olivia

 

[otisthetortoise]

Good news...
Otis has only been "blowing" bubbles in the bath and shortly out of the bath. So I'm pretty sure it's just water in her nose.
Also, there was a problem with my radiator. For some reason, there was an air blockage which meant heat couldn't emit successfully out, and now that's solved, I've ditched the heater and now my room is toasty (not too hot of course...settles at 23C), and I've covered the table in case.
It's still 23C degrees now with the radiator switched off, so fingers crossed this is a temporary solution.
Olivia

 

[Tom]

You also need to raise your basking temperature. Your basking area should be 36-37 during the day. This allows the tortoise to warm up properly and get its immune system and digestive system fully functional.

CHEs are available in 50, 60, 100, 150 and higher wattages. They use the same amount of electricity as a black light bulb of the same wattage, but give you 20% more heat for your money. A 60 watt bulb running all the time will not be discernible on an electric bill. The thermostat will make it even more efficient as it will never be on when it doesn't need to be.

 

[otisthetortoise]

You also need to raise your basking temperature. Your basking area should be 36-37 during the day. This allows the tortoise to warm up properly and get its immune system and digestive system fully functional.

CHEs are available in 50, 60, 100, 150 and higher wattages. They use the same amount of electricity as a black light bulb of the same wattage, but give you 20% more heat for your money. A 60 watt bulb running all the time will not be discernible on an electric bill. The thermostat will make it even more efficient as it will never be on when it doesn't need to be.

Okay. Will scout out for a CHE.
Thank you I'll bump my temps.
Olivia

 

[otisthetortoise]

Tom - just checked my basking temp, it's 36C and only just warmed up. I've changed my thermometers since I posted this thread, the other was a stick on, now it's a proper digital one so I'm thinking the other one was inaccurate.
Thanks again ,
Olivia