Something Stuck in Throat?

turtel.turtle

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Hello, I'm posting this thread because my baby Greek tortoise seems to be in pain. She keeps opening and closing her mouth, almost as though there's something stuck in her throat. She's writhing around her enclosure, and she doesn't seem to have much control over her body. I have her in her enclosure, on a towel I've soaked with warm water. She has her heat lamp over her head, and it doesn't seem to be getting better. I've previously posted a thread because I was concerned about her not eating well, and scratching at her enclosure walls like she wants to get out. Here is the thread, it also contains information about her enclosure:


Please check it out.

She has eaten some dandelion greens and spring mix today, sprinkled with some Repashy powder. Because she still hasn't been eating too well, I've recently been giving her carrot soaks. I've been giving her two soaks a day too.

She's stopped at the moment.

I want to take her to the vet, but all the vets I've contacted have told me they're closed because of the coronavirus, and only take people who have already visited them before.
 

nicoleann2214

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Hello, I'm posting this thread because my baby Greek tortoise seems to be in pain. She keeps opening and closing her mouth, almost as though there's something stuck in her throat. She's writhing around her enclosure, and she doesn't seem to have much control over her body. I have her in her enclosure, on a towel I've soaked with warm water. She has her heat lamp over her head, and it doesn't seem to be getting better. I've previously posted a thread because I was concerned about her not eating well, and scratching at her enclosure walls like she wants to get out. Here is the thread, it also contains information about her enclosure:


Please check it out.

She has eaten some dandelion greens and spring mix today, sprinkled with some Repashy powder. Because she still hasn't been eating too well, I've recently been giving her carrot soaks. I've been giving her two soaks a day too.

She's stopped at the moment.
@Tom
 

KarenSoCal

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Oh my! How distressing that must be to see!

Tortoises do not have a diaphragm, so they are not able to cough.

If something stuck is really the problem, there's only one method that I've heard of to try to get it out. I'm going to tell you, but I have never needed to try this, and don't know if it could possibly do damage to your tort.

I advise you to NOT try this until another member responds who is much more knowledgeable than me.

With that said, if my tort was choking to death in front of me, I would try this.

It's simple, and is usually used for a drowning. Get a really good firm grip on the tort's rear legs (and shell if possible). Let it dangle with the head toward the floor. Then swing your arm forward and backward fairly quickly...you are trying to dislodge anything in the throat. After a short while, if nothing has come out, stop and check the mouth.

This is certainly traumatic for the tort. I hope you don't need to do it. But please, keep us updated.

@Tom
@Yvonne G
 

turtel.turtle

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I've been researching a little, and I think it might be respiratory infection. My dad has tried calling a vet, and she thinks it's a cold? My dad says that what she means is a respiratory infection though.
 

KarenSoCal

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I've been researching a little, and I think it might be respiratory infection. My dad has tried calling a vet, and she thinks it's a cold? My dad says that what she means is a respiratory infection though.
Yes, that's another possibility.

Is he in a closed chamber? It's impossible to maintain the heat and humidity he needs in an open top.

Do you know the actual temps of his home? His basking spot should be 95-100 degF. All the rest should be 80degF, even in the farthest corners. And the humidity should be 80%, day and night. These temps and humidity are extremely important! Try to get these correct tonight. If his home has an open or screen top, try covering the top with aluminum foil, or plastic sheet, like a shower curtain.
 

turtel.turtle

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Yes, that's another possibility.

Is he in a closed chamber? It's impossible to maintain the heat and humidity he needs in an open top.

Do you know the actual temps of his home? His basking spot should be 95-100 degF. All the rest should be 80degF, even in the farthest corners. And the humidity should be 80%, day and night. These temps and humidity are extremely important! Try to get these correct tonight. If his home has an open or screen top, try covering the top with aluminum foil, or plastic sheet, like a shower curtain.

Yes, I have 95-100 degrees basking temps and cooler ends are always at at least 80 degrees. I try my best to keep humidity at 70-80 percent, and at night the temps are around 80 degrees, although I do keep a heat lamp above her while she sleeps, so a little warmer than that for where she sleeps. I put her in a smaller enclosure just so that it would be easier to keep her warm, but my dad recommended me to just cover the top of my original enclosure with a blanket to keep the warmth inside. I'm kind of hesitant on this idea, but that's what we're doing right now.

Also, she's stopped the mouth opening thing, she seems a little better now, but I'm still afraid it's going to happen again. Thank you for caring:)
 
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KarenSoCal

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The blanket should work fine for now. Just make sure it doesn't touch the lights.

I need to get to sleep, have to get up early. Keep us posted.
 

Yvonne G

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You can try to gently pry open the tortoise's mouth and take a good look inside and as far into the throat as you can. Not an easy task with a very small tortoise.
 

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