Sick Herman's

[Lexie]

Please help, my lil' Razkal is not doing so good, I'm bringing him to the vet in a few min but wanted to hear any opinions.
for the last few weeks he has had problems pooping, he goes but not as frequent as he use to, and he strains alot to go. I have been soaking him daily for 20-30 min and have been spraying his food down with water to try and hydrate him as much as possible. He has not been drinking water like he use to either, in fact I haven't seen him drinking out of his water dish in a very long time, which he use to always wake up an go straight for it for a drink every morning before I feed him. I've tried using a dropper to see if I can get him to drink out of that but not much luck.
So yesterday morning when I went to feed him he didn't eat at all (very unusual he ALWAY eats) but he was moving his mouth like he was trying to swallow something. He didn't appear to be choking, just kinda smacking his mouth, he turned away from his food and went and feel asleep near his basking spot. He slept there all day and didnt move. This morning he did the same thing when he got up, didnt eat and was smacking his mouth again but this time his tong was totally white, like no color at all in his mouth. That's when I called the vet. He's soaking right now and has stopped the smacking but still won't eat. I don't know what wrong. I feel like I have done everything I can for him, and I've read so many books and have researched like crazy to give him the best environment possible for him.

Here's a little but about him and his cage
He's a 2 year old Herman's tortoise, has a basking spot between 95-100 degrees and a range of temp in his table ranges from 75-90 degrees, his humidity is between 30-50%. He's in a mix of cypress mulch and fir bark with coco coir added in his hide box. He's under a brand new 100W powersun light and has been under that since I got him 1 1/2 years ago. He eats spring mix and the occasional cucumber and mazuri. I put a calcium supplement on his good every other day. He also has dandelion and mallow growing in his table readily available for him at all times but he does not eat them but maybe a few bites every few days.
He has had about 3 eye infections since I have had him, but I never took him to the vet. Every time he got them they cleared up by putting cod liver oil on his he's eyes a few times a day, increased his humidity in his table, and gave him baby food carrot baths. I feel like he is spoiled and is taken care of very well as I love my little guy, but it seems like there is always something wrong with him. Please help, if you have any advise or think I'm taking care if him wrong please point it out. I just want my little guy healthy to live with me till I'm 80!

 

[ascott]

He's under a brand new 100W powersun light and has been under that since I got him 1 1/2 years ago.

When you say this, do you mean that you purchased the bulb new 1 1/2 years ago and are still using that same purchased bulb? If yes, please be aware that you will need to replace this bulb at around 9 months to a year----the bulb can still be used for light but the uv rays diminish alot after around the 9 month mark---if your tort gets outside sun time at least 3 or 4 times per week for 30 minutes or so each trip then the bulb is not as important as if the tort is getting his primary uv exposure from the bulb....I would change the bulb just because it is well time....like I said, if this is what you mean by the above...

I would also suggest to not offer the calcium except for once or twice a week---too much can be as damaging as not enough---too much can inhibit absorption of other necessary nutrients from other foods...what is his diet normally consist of?

And hey, please understand that my comments here are NOT NOT NOT saying anything negative at you---simply sharing what popped in my mind strictly from the thread posted....okay.

---

Apology, I see where you show some of the diet you offer....when did he actually go off of eating his normal amount?

 

[WillTort2]

I'm on the east coast so humidity is much higher here. I'm thinking that your substrate may be too dry and dusty. I'm suggesting this because of the repeated eye infections and the current problems. I would try increasing the humidity in the room by adding a humidifier. I would also add top soil in place if the cypress and fir. Then increase the amount of coco coir to help keep the moisture in the substrate. Young torts need more humidity than adults.

With the white tongue, I would still see the vet.

Good luck.

 

[Pokeymeg]

I think 30-50% humidity is to low for a young Hermann. Bump that up to 50-60% if you can (I had to add a top to my torts enclosure to get that much during northeast winters. Depending on where you are you can try adding moss?).

The recurring eye infections are a bit of a red flag that something else is going on. Eye problems are sometimes a symptom of underlying issues.

Good luck at the vet! Let us know what they say!

 

[Lexie]

Thanks for the comments all. I took him to the vet, and he really had nothing to say other than adding more fiber to his diet (which I have been trying to do for the past 4 months but he's such a picky eater) any suggestions on other foods to give him?

Also the light is brand new, replaced it 2 weeks ago when I noticed he wasn't going to the bathroom well, had the old one for about 8 months.

He hasn't had any problems with his eyes since I put him in his tortoise table and changed his substrate, he use to be in an aquarium with that recycled paper bedding...a vet recommended that bedding, I used it for 8 months and that's when he had the eye problems. So since changing that, putting him in a tortoise table, and increasing vitamin A, he hasn't had any eye problems.

He has stopped doing the smacking thing, the vet didnt have anything to say about why he would have been doing that, as of course he didnt do it at all during the vet visit. I am still worried because he still has not ate. This makes day 3... The vet wants to do a fecal exam but he hasn't pooped in days, so I'm keeping a close watch for when he does. Ill try upping the humidity, probably going to have to put a top on the table somehow.

Thanks everyone, if you have anything else to add, Id love to hear it, I just want my lil guy better!

 

[Pokeymeg]

Do you have mazuri? Definitely give that a try if you haven't. Not eating for 3 days, while worrisome to us humans, won't hurt your tortoise. They can go a while without food. Though we definitely want to get him eating again

I would give him a bath twice a day if you can, maybe with some baby food mixed in. Some folks think that can help tortoises absorb some nutrients. It may also help move out whatever poo he has left in him!

 

[Lexie]

I do have mazuri and he isn't eating that either, although I will continue trying. I did give him a bath with baby carrot food in it, and he did finally drink a few sips! I'm happy about that, but hope he'll start actually eating soon, I've tried all his favorite foods, baby food carrot, cucumber, tomato, pumpkin, radicchio, endive... and still nothing. I'm sure he'll come around, he's a tough lil guy. Thanks for the advice