Sulcarta tortoise

[Darren counter]

Hi I have a sulcata tortoise it's started making a sound like it's got trouble pass something through its bowel, we did by mistake let him or her get cold as he got out when the door was open and we didn't realise until the next day, so we brought him in and warmed him , the tortoise was eating and seemed fine, but now it's sounding distressed and making loud noises from its tummy and breaking wind, it's breathing seems OK and there is know bubbles from its nose or sunken eyes, but we are really worried about him her, any information would help

 

[Sa Ga]

I'm wondering if he ate something he shouldn't have (like a rock or piece of plastic) while he was out.

I give Morla, my Russian tort (she's only 700 g, so adjust accordingly), a single thin (0.25 inch) slice of banana when she's constipated. She always poops within 24 hrs. You can try that.

But if there continues to be straining or no poop, take him to the vet as he may have an obstruction, and that is very serious.

 

[Tom]

Hi I have a sulcata tortoise it's started making a sound like it's got trouble pass something through its bowel, we did by mistake let him or her get cold as he got out when the door was open and we didn't realise until the next day, so we brought him in and warmed him , the tortoise was eating and seemed fine, but now it's sounding distressed and making loud noises from its tummy and breaking wind, it's breathing seems OK and there is know bubbles from its nose or sunken eyes, but we are really worried about him her, any information would help

Where are you? Where is Truro?
What was the overnight low temperature?
What size sulcata?
How often do you soak the tortoise?
Is it in an enclosure of some sort? What door was left open? The cage door?

 

[Darren counter]

Where are you? Where is Truro?
What was the overnight low temperature?
What size sulcata?
How often do you soak the tortoise?
Is it in an enclosure of some sort? What door was left open? The cage door?

Hi there we live in the UK, the tortoise lives in the house with us it has a heat lamp that's on permanent and it goes where it likes, the temperature in the day was 14 degrees c and sunny but at night it would have dropped to 4or5 degrees c, the tortoise is quite big probably 14 inches long and we soak her once twice a week, I am soaking it now

 

[Darren counter]

Hi there we live in the UK, the tortoise lives in the house with us it has a heat lamp that's on permanent and it goes where it likes, the temperature in the day was 14 degrees c and sunny but at night it would have dropped to 4or5 degrees c, the tortoise is quite big probably 14 inches long and we soak her once twice a week, I am soaking it now

It's making like a wining sound or belching sound but it seems to be coming from his shell

 

[Tom]

Someone else will need to answer you. I don't have anything nice to say, so my mother taught me to say nothing at all.

 

[Darren counter]

I'm wondering if he ate something he shouldn't have (like a rock or piece of plastic) while he was out.

I give Morla, my Russian tort (she's only 700 g, so adjust accordingly), a single thin (0.25 inch) slice of banana when she's constipated. She always poops within 24 hrs. You can try that.

But if there continues to be straining or no poop, take him to the vet as he may have an obstruction, and that is very serious.

May be but not sure what as is a garden unless he got the dog food biscuits

 

[Sa Ga]

Someone else will need to answer you. I don't have anything nice to say, so my mother taught me to say nothing at all.

You could say it nice-ly.... Tom, u have lots of great info--share it (and I know u can be at the very least civil about it!). Zeropilot can teach u! ????

 

[Darren counter]

Someone else will need to answer you. I don't have anything nice to say, so my mother taught me to say nothing at all.

Well we have had him eight years from a tiny baby he has had the run of the house, and once in that time he has got out, without us knowing, we care about our tortoise and I just looking for information, not to be judged, as we are worried about him, he is well looked after

 

[Sa Ga]

Well we have had him eight years from a tiny baby he has had the run of the house, and once in that time he has got out, without us knowing, we care about our tortoise and I just looking for information, not to be judged, as we are worried about him, he is well looked after

Don't pay him any mind, Darren. @ZEROPILOT , do you have any input? I know you've given people priceless info--and very kindly!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Don't pay him any mind, Darren. @ZEROPILOT , do you have any input? I know you've given people priceless info--and very kindly!

I can't ad much on those descriptions.
But it sounds like that tortoise needs a vet visit.
The symptoms aren't anything I'm familiar with. And I'm not sure I understand what's going on.

 

[Darren counter]

Generally speaking if a tortoise this big gets cold over night what is the worst case, as he's never got cold before, as he lives in the house with us and there is under floor heating around the house

 

[Darren counter]

Generally speaking if a tortoise this big gets cold over night what is the worst case, as he's never got cold before, as he lives in the house with us and there is under floor heating around the house he only goes out in the summer

 

[Darren counter]

I'm wondering if he ate something he shouldn't have (like a rock or piece of plastic) while he was out.

I give Morla, my Russian tort (she's only 700 g, so adjust accordingly), a single thin (0.25 inch) slice of banana when she's constipated. She always poops within 24 hrs. You can try that.

But if there continues to be straining or no poop, take him to the vet as he may have an obstruction, and that is very serious.

Hi If the tortoise has eaten something to big to pass how long from eating it would there be symptoms

 

[KarenSoCal]

I'm thinking he may have eaten or drank something he found in the house. The transit time could be anything...if it is a solid object it could get hung up any place inside him from his throat on through.

Or is there anything chemical available to find inside or outside? Have you thoroughly checked his body for any signs of damage? This sort of situation is why we strongly discourage torts free roaming the floor.

I would raise his temp under his basking light to 100degF. If he lives on the floor he has no ambient heat mechanism...it would be good if you could enclose him and raise his ambient heat to 85F all the time. He needs to be kept warmer than usual. He needs to be very well hydrated, so soaking twice a day. Feed him sparingly, but give him cucumber, aloe, opuntia...wet foods to add water to the bowel. Put some baby food pureed carrots in his soak water. If he'll drink it, it will give some nutrition.

I wouldn't wait more than a day or two to get him to a vet for x-rays. If he declines, get him there fast.

If it is not a foreign body in his gut, then I have no idea.

Please keep us updated. I want to hear when he is all better and feeling good!

 

[Darren counter]

I'm thinking he may have eaten or drank something he found in the house. The transit time could be anything...if it is a solid object it could get hung up any place inside him from his throat on through.

Or is there anything chemical available to find inside or outside? Have you thoroughly checked his body for any signs of damage? This sort of situation is why we strongly discourage torts free roaming the floor.

I would raise his temp under his basking light to 100degF. If he lives on the floor he has no ambient heat mechanism...it would be good if you could enclose him and raise his ambient heat to 85F all the time. He needs to be kept warmer than usual. He needs to be very well hydrated, so soaking twice a day. Feed him sparingly, but give him cucumber, aloe, opuntia...wet foods to add water to the bowel. Put some baby food pureed carrots in his soak water. If he'll drink it, it will give some nutrition.

I wouldn't wait more than a day or two to get him to a vet for x-rays. If he declines, get him there fast.

If it is not a foreign body in his gut, then I have no idea.

Please keep us updated. I want to hear when he is all better and feeling good!

Thank you so much for your reply he or she seems to be a bit better this morning as I stayed up with him soaking him her in the bath through the night, I do understand that people like to keep there tortoise in an enclosure, but we like our animals to have the run of the house, we keep our house around 23 degrees and we have underfloor heating which I have raised to 25 degrees c, I put the bigger red light bulb back in his light which doubles the one in, he uses this when he likes, he also likes to lay with the dogs in front of the log burner, the tortoise has a little routine, we have lots of animals in our home so it is animal friendly, he has the run of the house and the in closed rear garden. So there is nothing there he could of eaten and he's not been out yet this year, although the other day we had a lot on and the front door was open and he when out and we didn't know this is the first time in 8 years, but I have had a good look around and its just a normal garden and yard there is dog poo, but do you think that the cold might of upset him, are you able to here him breath as I can at the moment or am I being paranoid I'm going to soak her him again now

 

[Darren counter]

I'm thinking he may have eaten or drank something he found in the house. The transit time could be anything...if it is a solid object it could get hung up any place inside him from his throat on through.

Or is there anything chemical available to find inside or outside? Have you thoroughly checked his body for any signs of damage? This sort of situation is why we strongly discourage torts free roaming the floor.

I would raise his temp under his basking light to 100degF. If he lives on the floor he has no ambient heat mechanism...it would be good if you could enclose him and raise his ambient heat to 85F all the time. He needs to be kept warmer than usual. He needs to be very well hydrated, so soaking twice a day. Feed him sparingly, but give him cucumber, aloe, opuntia...wet foods to add water to the bowel. Put some baby food pureed carrots in his soak water. If he'll drink it, it will give some nutrition.

I wouldn't wait more than a day or two to get him to a vet for x-rays. If he declines, get him there fast.

If it is not a foreign body in his gut, then I have no idea.

Please keep us updated. I want to hear when he is all better and feeling good!

Hi Karen just an update coby has just started to eat again the noise has declined quite a bit, coby has had two soaks today and hasn't pooed but he's eating and seaming a lot less stressed I will keep you updated, here is a couple of pictures him her, we are. Not sure whether a boy or girl

 

[Sa Ga]

Hi If the tortoise has eaten something to big to pass how long from eating it would there be symptoms

Pretty quickly I'd think, but I suppose it depends on what it is and if things can pass thru for a while bf it starts clogging up.

It sounds like you really love and care for your (big!) guy, and so i would really recommend taking him in to a tortoise vet. (Find a good vet by contacting other tort owners in your area that can recommend one.) It is not cheap but it's so worth it--both to relieve his suffering and peace of mind for you that you're doing all you can.

Cuz if it's not an impaction, it could be something like kidney stones, which may need treatment or cause lifelong illness.

Please keep us posted and let us know what the vet says

 

[Darren counter]

Yes we do love him and so do the dogs as they all ly together in front of the fire, I have been trying to find a vet but the UK is on lockdown but I have contacted a local zoo and there getting back to me, that's why I joined this forum to get some information, I will feel happy once he's made a mess, thank you for your time it's much appreciated

 

[CincyTort26]

Yes we do love him and so do the dogs as they all ly together in front of the fire, I have been trying to find a vet but the UK is on lockdown but I have contacted a local zoo and there getting back to me, that's why I joined this forum to get some information, I will feel happy once he's made a mess, thank you for your time it's much appreciated

Hi Darren. I'm pretty new to all of this too, but I think part of the reason you got some of the responses that you did is because allowing a tort to free roam is a HUGE no-no. They don't stay warm enough, they don't get the humidity they need, etc. How his shell spikes up like that? That's not good. That's called pyramiding. If you go to the sulcata specific forum there are a TON of posts with GREAT info. We're mostly all here to learn, so I hope you'll find some helpful info there that can help you set up a safer enclosure. Even though he's been ok to date, the bigger he gets, I would think the more things he can get into/eat, etc, and the more likely you are to have problems of unknown cause like this.