My 60 lb tort has no discharge but every time he is startled and retreats into his shell and exhales it is followed by a pause and the what sounds like he is trying to hock something up...sound like a respiratory problem?! I tried to call my house call vet but the number no longer works!! I am trying to find another one in my area.
Time for the vet??
- Thread starter ckromulus
- Start date
Could be. How are you housing him and what are his temperatures? How are you achieving those temps?
Usually a safe bet to warm things up in a case like this.
Usually a safe bet to warm things up in a case like this.
I'm assuming this tortoise lives outside? Are you sure the temperature inside his shelter are warm enough?
Yes she lives outside and I have a large deck box with three ceramic heat emitters to distribute heat evenly without causing too much concentrated heat in one area by having to use a higher wattage emitter. I took him to a vet out in Loxahatchee at bird and wildlife sanctuary. They keep about 8 sulcatas on the premises and the vet used to breed them for abt 10 years. Anyway she seemed to think the noise was normal. I had never heard any of my torts make the noise before. She also said the lungs sounded clear through her stethoscope. At the very least I found a great vet close by.
The best part was the large pasture that scooter could graze while we water!
The best part was the large pasture that scooter could graze while we water!
The temps stay about 15 degrees warmer than the outside temp. If it drops below 55 I cover the opening with a piece of tarp I attached Velcro to and that keeps it about 25 degrees warmer than outside. If I can't keep it above 70 she comes in (found out she's a girl at the vet!). I'm in south prods so I rarely see temps below 70 inside the deck box.
The vet you found in Loxahatchee is very good! There is another, Zeitlin, on Dixie Hwy just north of Forest Hill Blvd that is also excellent. He is hard-core but very knowledgeable and experienced.
Adding some insulation and a door will keep your tortoise much warmer. Then you could keep her outside safely all the time. Here are some ideas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
