possibly respiratory infection

[tasha bason]

So I've recently adopted a sulcata and built what I thought was a great enclosure however I think Stallone now has a respiratory infection, it's not bad yet based in what I've read just a little bit of clicking and every now and then a bubble. I think its due to all the rain weve been getting here. He is still eating and roaming when I bring him inside, which he's been in for 2 days now. Any advise? Anyone in houston specificlly that I can talk to about housing indoors vs outdoors in this climate?

 

[tortdad]

So I've recently adopted a sulcata and built what I thought was a great enclosure however I think Stallone now has a respiratory infection, it's not bad yet based in what I've read just a little bit of clicking and every now and then a bubble. I think its due to all the rain weve been getting here. He is still eating and roaming when I bring him inside, which he's been in for 2 days now. Any advise? Anyone in houston specificlly that I can talk to about housing indoors vs outdoors in this climate?

I'm here in Houston

What size is your tort and how do you house him both inside and outside

 

[tortdad]

Ps. The first thing you need to do is increase the temps

 

[tasha bason]

This is what we made him. He's is approx 2?? Very small fits in Palm

 

[tasha bason]

We don't have an indoor in closure I've got a uv heat lamp I've been turning on in the laundry room and letting him roam.

 

[tasha bason]

I've been feeding him dandelion weeds from spouts kale and collard greens. I also planed wheat grass in his enclosure which he is not eating and just sprouted barley grass and he is also not eating. Bought 4.5 pounds of this seed! :/

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Tasha:

I don't think your baby is warm enough. He's only barely out of the egg at that size, no where near two years old...maybe two months old. He needs to be in a habitat that is warm (80-85F degrees) and moist, day and night.

 

[tortdad]

How do you heat him at night in that box

 

[tortdad]

You need to keep him inside in a closed chamber with proper heat

 

[tortdad]

Yvonne g beat me to it

 

[tasha bason]

He was owned by previous owner for at least 1 year and supposedly a year when That owner got it from the vreeder.. but I cannot confirm. I didn't hear him outside I just check on him alot. I let him out in the sun to wander and sit with him .that's when I heard it first and brought him indoors

 

[tasha bason]

I'm just going off what I was told

 

[Yvonne G]

In that case, he's not been taken care of properly. You may have a long hard struggle on your hands. At over a year of age he should be slightly bigger than a man's palm.

 

[tasha bason]

well that he is not... so please help what can I do?

 

[tasha bason]

We are bringing the enclosure into the garage tomorrow where we can turn on the uv lamp

 

[tasha bason]

But what else Should/ can I be doing?

 

[Yvonne G]

Soak in warm water for a half hour or so. But raising the temperature up to 80-85F is very important.

 

[Yvonne G]

I really don't think you should wait until tomorrow. Don't you have a little plastic bin or tub you can put him in and bring him inside under a light?

 

[tortdad]

well that he is not... so please help what can I do?

He's not big and strong enough to live outside 24/7 yet. You need to build him a closed chamber to spend most of his time in.

He needs a basking light for day time and a Che on a thermostat for night time. If you give him time is the sun (even if it's just 30 mins but more is better) a few days a week that will be good enough for his UVB needs. If you're going to keep him inside all the time you need a good UVB light.

 

[tortdad]

Don't leave him out tonight.