Tortoise has bubbles in nose

[JessicaL95]

I’ve had my tortoises for about 4 years. I got them both from the same breeder. Ever since I’ve got them one has been a lot more active than the other. I started noticing bubbles in my least active tortoises nose. I took it to the vet. Got it some medicine, it stopped. We went through the same thing two or three more times throughout the next year and a half. My other tortoise remained perfectly healthy and continued growing well and still is. However, my least active one continues to barely grow and the bubbles have returned. I watch them eat to make sure the little one is getting food. The little one is very active when eating. Otherwise it just moves around a couple times a day in the enclosure. I give them mixtures of collard greens, veggies periodically, along with other greens and they get to go outside and munch on grasses whenever the weather is nice. I switch out their light regularly so I know they are receiving the right rays. And I check the temp of their home frequently (basking area atypically around 100-110). The little one will walk around when outdoors and much on things but only for about 10-15 minutes before hiding in some shade and going in it’s shell. So why does one keep getting bubbles when it’s in the same environment as my healthy tortoise?

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

1. Pairs should never be kept together.. they will both be stressed which can weaken their immune systems and catch RI’s more easily. Get each their own enclosure.
2. What are ur ambient temps? Day and night?

 

[JessicaL95]

1. Pairs should never be kept together.. they will both be stressed which can weaken their immune systems and catch RI’s more easily. Get each their own enclosure.
2. What are ur ambient temps? Day and night?

The cool side of their enclosure is around 75-80 degrees. It stays the same day and night. We only have one plug in for a lamp so at night I swap out the UV/heat light for just a heat light

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

I would separate them and raise ur ambient temps up to 85 day and night.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

What species of torts do u have?

 

[JessicaL95]

The cool side of their enclosure is around 75-80 degrees. It stays the same day and night. We only have one plug in for a lamp so at night I swap out the UV/heat light for just a heat light

My larger tortoise is always walking around the barrier of the enclosure while the smaller less active one is usually in the middle. My larger one will walk over my smaller one if he’s

What species of torts do u have?

leopard

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Separate them. Put "bubbles" in hospital set up. Rubbermaid tote, coco coir substrate, 80-85 degrees warmth, and raise the humidity to 65%-80% for at least two weeks. Reptiles don't get sick overnight, and they don't get better over night either. I've had reptiles that got "colds" and usually it was a drop in humidity. Takes a few weeks, but usually not something to worry about if it's just bubbles or a few sneezes.

 

[JessicaL95]

Thank you! I will try that.

 

[JessicaL95]

Separate them. Put "bubbles" in hospital set up. Rubbermaid tote, coco coir substrate, 80-85 degrees warmth, and raise the humidity to 65%-80% for at least two weeks. Reptiles don't get sick overnight, and they don't get better over night either. I've had reptiles that got "colds" and usually it was a drop in humidity. Takes a few weeks, but usually not something to worry about if it's just bubbles or a few sneezes.

Is the eco earth loose coconut fiber the type you are referring to?

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Is the eco earth loose coconut fiber the type you are referring to?

That works, but I find pet brands overcharge. I get mine at a local plant nursery. I get a brick that reconstitutes into 10gallons of substrate for $7.

 

[Tom]

What species of tortoise are we talking about?

 

[JessicaL95]

What species of tortoise are we talking about?

Leopard

 

[Tom]

75 is too cool, and way too cool for a leopard tortoise fighting an RI.

This is a classic case of why they should never be housed in pairs. The smaller one has been suffering terribly all this time, and the chronic stress is finally hampering the immune system. I would not move the smaller one. It is already stressed and sick. Leave that one where it is comfortable and move the other one into a new enclosure. I'm sorry you got them wrong info 4 years ago. I try to tell everyone not to house them in pairs. Its just not the answer people want to hear sometimes. The little one is likely to eventually die if you don't give it its own space away from its tormentor.

Once the bigger one is out, bump up the night heat to no lower than 85, and keep it there until two weeks after symptoms disappear. Your vet made the usual mistake that vets make. They attempt to treat the symptoms without discovering and correcting the cause of the sickness. If you eliminate the problem, the symptoms will go away on their own.

 

[JessicaL95]

75 is too cool, and way too cool for a leopard tortoise fighting an RI.

This is a classic case of why they should never be housed in pairs. The smaller one has been suffering terribly all this time, and the chronic stress is finally hampering the immune system. I would not move the smaller one. It is already stressed and sick. Leave that one where it is comfortable and move the other one into a new enclosure. I'm sorry you got them wrong info 4 years ago. I try to tell everyone not to house them in pairs. Its just not the answer people want to hear sometimes. The little one is likely to eventually die if you don't give it its own space away from its tormentor.

Once the bigger one is out, bump up the night heat to no lower than 85, and keep it there until two weeks after symptoms disappear. Your vet made the usual mistake that vets make. They attempt to treat the symptoms without discovering and correcting the cause of the sickness. If you eliminate the problem, the symptoms will go away on their own.

Is there a reason my little one will never stay in the hot spot of the enclose even when the other one is in his house out of the heat the little one will find a corner away from the heat.

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Is there a reason my little one will never stay in the hot spot of the enclose even when the other one is in his house out of the heat the little one will find a corner away from the heat.

Probably conditioned by bullying to avoid conflict over the basking spot. over time, its confidence will rebuild and it will act like a normal tortoise.

 

[jeneliza]

The way your biggest is walking the outside of your encloser is him bulling the little one, he's claiming it as his, territory, and the little one is being forced to stay in the middle, and not make conflict, little dude is probably not eating enough as well only what it has to, so not to have to. Fight over the food as well, and when he walks over top , this is him also bulling , if you can't get an encloser right away you may want to use a divider, of some kind, one that they can't see each other though or over, and that can't be push out of the way, to separate them,till you can get a different encloser, but you should do something very soon,

 

[JessicaL95]

The way your biggest is walking the outside of your encloser is him bulling the little one, he's claiming it as his, territory, and the little one is being forced to stay in the middle, and not make conflict, little dude is probably not eating enough as well only what it has to, so not to have to. Fight over the food as well, and when he walks over top , this is him also bulling , if you can't get an encloser right away you may want to use a divider, of some kind, one that they can't see each other though or over, and that can't be push out of the way, to separate them,till you can get a different encloser, but you should do something very soon,

We are going to put a board up to divide them and add an extra heat lamp to the little ones side while we build new enclosures for them.

 

[jeneliza]

That wo

We are going to put a board up to divide them and add an extra heat lamp to the little ones side while we build new enclosures for them.

well that would definitely help your little dude,

 

[JessicaL95]

That works, but I find pet brands overcharge. I get mine at a local plant nursery. I get a brick that reconstitutes into 10gallons of substrate for $7.

Thank you to everyone who gave me advice. They are now separate and I have never seen the little one move around so much! Hes been doing laps on his side for about 30 minutes

 

[Lisa Brooks]

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and keen insight. I learned some new things about tort behavior I did not know. I have a little and a very big but they don't live together. And definitely a Big Thank you to JessicaL95 for listening and making the changes needed to help your little tort. Bravo and may your little one grow to be a big one!