Tortoise spent several days in water pan

Status
Not open for further replies.

laccpa

New Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
My 45+ year old tortoise has spent several days in her water pan. She's had her head up and been looking at me when I look at her. This is in her outside home where she spends the summer. Today she looked like she had drowned. Head down in the water and very slow to respond when I touched her shell. She's usually quick to move her legs when I touch her even when she's asleep. So once I assured myself she was still alive I took her into her inside pen which has no water. Her legs where they enter the shell are very swollen and puffy. She laid all stretched out and when I picked her up was sort of floppy. All this was 2.5 hours ago. She's looking better now. Holding her head up and looking back at me when I look in the pen at her. Eyes and nose are clear and dry - no discharge. Her indoor pen is at 80 degrees. It was probably 85 degrees outside but it has been a lot hotter and she hasn't seemed to mind unless it was over 90 for several days in a row (not so far this year) and then I brought her inside to cool off. Any ideas about what is going on here? Has this happened to anyone else's tortoise?
 

laccpa

New Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Update - almost 3 hours out of the water pan and in the dry indoor house and she has a bubbly discharge from her nose. Doesn't look good to me. She may be coming to the end. She has pulled her head in and out of her shell and closed her eyes. Is responsive when touched. But still very puffy. I wiped her nose and the liquid seems very thick like mucus, not watery, but no more has come out.
 

TeamZissou

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
1,048
Location (City and/or State)
Albuquerque, NM
What kind of tortoise do you have? Feel free to post a pic or two if you do not know.

This tortoise needs to see a vet and get some Ceftazidime injections to combat the respiratory infection. Make sure to find a vet with tortoise experience. Hopefully you'll be able to turn it around if you get in soon. Don't accept any 'vitamin injections' since they are a waste of money at best, and can cause vitamin overdose at worst.

Keep her warm in the interim, around 80 F minimum round the clock with a basking lamp around 95 F. If it's a redfoot, then keep it at or below 90 F.
 

laccpa

New Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Thank you for this information. I don't know if it is a respirator infection. No more mucus has come from her nose. I'm more concerned with the swelling and how that happened and if sitting in her water bowl for two days caused that. I'm not sure what type of tortoise this is. I know it's not a redfoot because I raised those in the past. At one time I thought I had Thailand tortoises but I'm not sure. I'll try to figure out how to post a photo. There used to be a wonderful reptile vet not far away but he retired and the doctors who bought his practice won't see my tortoise because I've asked them. There is a new law here in TN that it is against the law to have tortoise as pets and the vets won't touch them. Rumors say they will confiscate and destroy them, but I'm not sure about that.
 

laccpa

New Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Here's a photo. Not looking good I don't think. I don't have a good camera on my phone.
 

Attachments

  • 20210712_204125.jpg
    20210712_204125.jpg
    905.9 KB · Views: 112

TeamZissou

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
1,048
Location (City and/or State)
Albuquerque, NM
This looks like a desert tortoise. Any chance you got it from CA or AZ?

I don't know anything about TN laws, but in general, vets do not enforce laws, so it would be surprising if they confiscated her. Vets are more interested in helping animals as well as making money as a business.

The swelling may be a sign of renal problems, in addition to the likely respiratory infection. This makes things more complicated, so you should definitely schedule an appointment with an experienced herp vet to give your tortoise a chance.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Thank you for this information. I don't know if it is a respirator infection. No more mucus has come from her nose. I'm more concerned with the swelling and how that happened and if sitting in her water bowl for two days caused that. I'm not sure what type of tortoise this is. I know it's not a redfoot because I raised those in the past. At one time I thought I had Thailand tortoises but I'm not sure. I'll try to figure out how to post a photo. There used to be a wonderful reptile vet not far away but he retired and the doctors who bought his practice won't see my tortoise because I've asked them. There is a new law here in TN that it is against the law to have tortoise as pets and the vets won't touch them. Rumors say they will confiscate and destroy them, but I'm not sure about that.
Most of those forbidden turtle or tortoise laws are limited to indigenous species.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
This looks like a desert tortoise. Any chance you got it from CA or AZ?

I don't know anything about TN laws, but in general, vets do not enforce laws, so it would be surprising if they confiscated her. Vets are more interested in helping animals as well as making money as a business.

The swelling may be a sign of renal problems, in addition to the likely respiratory infection. This makes things more complicated, so you should definitely schedule an appointment with an experienced herp vet to give your tortoise a chance.
It does look a lot like a Florida Gopher tortoise.
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
So sorry for your loss.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
This looks like a desert tortoise. Any chance you got it from CA or AZ?

I don't know anything about TN laws, but in general, vets do not enforce laws, so it would be surprising if they confiscated her. Vets are more interested in helping animals as well as making money as a business.

The swelling may be a sign of renal problems, in addition to the likely respiratory infection. This makes things more complicated, so you should definitely schedule an appointment with an experienced herp vet to give your tortoise a chance.
No, probably an elongated. It's common for the Asian tortoise to spend a lot of time sitting in the water. My Manouria do it all the time. But the swelling means something else. . . probably kidneys.
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
((hugs))

Reptiles frequently hide their symptoms, even with serious illness. When the kidneys (or heart) finally show circulatory failure, things progress very quickly.

You were there at the end, which I'm sure was a comfort.
 

Buckeye Girl

New Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
18
Location (City and/or State)
Rossford, Ohio
I am so very sorry for your loss. It seems that kidney issues are a common issue with older pets. That is what happened to my rabbit (11+ yrs), cat (15ish) and iguana (no idea how old). It is very sad when they get old and start to suffer and I know how hopeless you feel. It was a terrible feeling after the vet(s) told me that they were in kidney failure. I could help the iguana by giving him good long soaks, but couldn't do too much for the cat or the rabbit. 45 years is a wonderful life. Hugs
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top