FomTarro
New Member
Hello.
Our Russian Tortoise yawns a lot. At first we thought it was cute, but now that we've noticed she does it sometimes 3 or more times after waking up, we're beginning to worry, as parents do. Today she yawned 6 times in short succession after leaving her hide, prompting me to post here.
We've read that excessive yawning can be a symptom of respiratory infections, but all the other symptoms described (appetite loss, weight loss, nasal discharge, swollen eyes) are unarguably not present. I check her eyes and nose for blockages every time I pick her up. I can feel her breathing through her nose. She is constantly looking for more food and has gained weight since we first got her. In these respects she seems healthy. She also only seems to yawn after emerging from her hide, not during her adventures around the house. We're just concerned because she does it so much.
Her enclosure is kept at at around 72F most of the day, with a sunlamp providing a basking space that reaches well over 90F during the day. Humidity fluctuates between 25% and 60% depending on if we've just sprayed her pen down or not.
Here is an example of the behavior. Seems like normal yawning to me, but I am always compelled to worry about her.
Our Russian Tortoise yawns a lot. At first we thought it was cute, but now that we've noticed she does it sometimes 3 or more times after waking up, we're beginning to worry, as parents do. Today she yawned 6 times in short succession after leaving her hide, prompting me to post here.
We've read that excessive yawning can be a symptom of respiratory infections, but all the other symptoms described (appetite loss, weight loss, nasal discharge, swollen eyes) are unarguably not present. I check her eyes and nose for blockages every time I pick her up. I can feel her breathing through her nose. She is constantly looking for more food and has gained weight since we first got her. In these respects she seems healthy. She also only seems to yawn after emerging from her hide, not during her adventures around the house. We're just concerned because she does it so much.
Her enclosure is kept at at around 72F most of the day, with a sunlamp providing a basking space that reaches well over 90F during the day. Humidity fluctuates between 25% and 60% depending on if we've just sprayed her pen down or not.
Here is an example of the behavior. Seems like normal yawning to me, but I am always compelled to worry about her.