Sulcata Pyramiding and Respiratory Infection?

[Squirtle'sMommy]

I have a ~1.5-year-old African Spurred tort, but he was a little pyramided when I got him. Of course, it's gotten pretty bad and I don't know what to do. To add to that, he squeaks a lot from what I hear is a respiratory infection even though he eats all the time, sleeps a lot, and runs around his tank a lot.
I'm getting really overwhelmed and I need advice.
See, I'd take him to a vet but we legitimately don't have the money for that.
Is there anything I can do for him, to fix the pyramiding or his breathing?
Thanks, all.
Faith

 

[wellington]

Please give more info on his enclosure, temps, humidity, diet, substrate, etc. also, please read Toms threads below in my post for raising a hatchling sulcata. It will give you and idea of what he should have been start in, and what you should try to duplicate a little. His age, he could benefit from a humid hide if you can't do a larger part humid.

 

[ascott]

To add to that, he squeaks a lot from what I hear is a respiratory infection even though he eats all the time, sleeps a lot, and runs around his tank a lot.

Squeaking does not mean a RI---what is the humidity level and what temps do you keep? Have you looked in his nose to see if any food particles or dirt stuck in there?

A RI usually displays, lack of appetite, lack of activity---mucus type gook from the nose and sickly looking eyes....

What is the enclosure you are using? What is the basking spot temp under the basking light? What type of heat are you using for night time? Where did you acquire the tort from (private or pet shop)...

 

[Tom]

What is the night temperature and what are you using for night heat?

 

[Squirtle'sMommy]

I got Squirtle from a pet shop in Kansas last December. He was really small, about 4 inches long, but they never told me how old he was.
He lives in a 30-gallon or so fish tank with about an inch and a half of cedar flakes as bedding. He has one UV light and a heat lamp (maybe 175-watt infrared) about a foot and a half above one corner of his tank. I'm not entirely sure of the humidity of his environment, I think it's 40%? The thermometer on the wall a foot above his basking spot says 95 degrees, so that's about the temperature I assume his his basking spot is. He likes to sleep in different places, so I don't really worry about him overheating or getting too cold, because shade and warmth are both readily available. I turn on his UV lamp in the morning and off at night, so he gets about 12 - 14 hours of it. I leave the heat lamp on all the time because otherwise it would get too cold. I've considered getting a ceramic heat lamp so I don't have to worry about the light bothering him or not (half the internet says tortoises can see red light and it bothers them at night, half the internet says they can't even see it).
So far, I haven't been able to get him to eat anything but romaine (Rather, I've had some success. He enjoys the occasional apple or strawberry..he refuses carrots). I try to feed him timothy hay, but he ignores it. I've tried mixing it together with romaine and warm water and carrot, but he picks out the romaine and leaves the rest. I try to sprinkle his romaine (I feed him one or two large leaves of romaine twice a day) with calcium every two days or so, as I hear too much isn't good for him. Luckily, he doesn't mind the calcium.

Thanks for any and all advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi!

I see a lot of possible issues you are having here. First can you get a temperature gun? They are super handy. The stick on thermometers are often not too accurate, but if that is all you have to use take it off the wall and place it right down on the surface of the substrate (bedding) first under his UVB light, then under the other light, then also get a reading in other areas. It might not be accurate, but it will give you some better ideas of temps. Will also help us to give you more sound advise.

Many young sulcatas do not like the hay. Romaine as a small part of the diet can be okay, but not as a large part. Try to see if you can get him eating other greens. Something like Spring mix or a Santa Barbara mix seem to be good first choices, then move on to trying other greens like turnip for example. Or even with it being winter, if you look around you might find some weeds growing outside like dandelion or plantain. Those are great to feed if they are not where chemicals get put down. If you have a bit of a green thumb, you might want to think about raising some food inside for him. Are you giving him any calcium powder on his food? Does he have a water dish or do you give him soaks?

I am betting your humdity may be a lot lower then you think, especially this time of year with heating systems draining the moisture out of most homes' air. Those lights also can dry things out within an enclosure. Does he have a hide to go into? Making a hide more humid (and warm) can help with raising a spot atleast for him to be in a more humid environment.

Can you measure your tank to see what size it is for us? Gallons are not important it's the actual footage he has to use that counts.

I am so glad you have come here looking for advise, that makes you a good sulcata owner. It may seem we ask a lot of questions and may be telling you that what the store told or sold you is all wrong, but we only want the best for your little one. We also understand about money being tight, so we will try to offer you inexpensive ideas and slowly step by step get you and your tortoise to where you need to be. Welcome to TFO.

 

[Tom]

Jacqui has given you some excellent tips. We each have our own way of looking at this. Here are my views:

1. Cedar is toxic. You need to get him off the cedar RIGHT NOW.
2. 30 gallons is much too small. I won't even put a day old hatchling in something that small. They need room to move once all the furniture is in place.
3. They need it dark at night, but still warm.
4. They should not be fed fruit. While they can survive having a little bit once in a while, it is not "good" for them. In addition to Jacquie's food suggestions, get some of that organic wheat grass that some stores offer now, and get him eating some grass mixed in with the other foods.
5. What type of UV bulb are you using? The coil type compact florescent bulbs can sometimes burn their eyes and should not be used. The closer the bulb is, the more damage can be done.

Here is a care sheet that should help you. Just click and read:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html

Here is a sulcata diet sheet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

Here are a couple of general tortoise info threads:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-22635.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html

You need to first get the environment set up correctly, and then you can get to work introducing the right foods.