Whats the differance between stress & resperatory infection

[Astroidblues]

Hello.
I have recently recived two greek tortoise's about 7 days ago.

Currently one of my tortoise's is eather stressed or sick with a URI
I noticed a clear liquid and bubbleing from the nose and alot of sleep and not enuf eatting. Noted the wet nose and bubbleing 2 days ago.
Currently the nose has been some what dry with no bubbleing. It was a little wet last night after i gave it a bath and it only got wet when i slightly pressed under its neck. The tortoise is lacking in energy and appears to be some lethargic. I havent seen it eat in 2 days. I offer them super organic greens a mix of mustard collared romaine greens with calcium powder shake every other day. I have also offered a small amount of shredded carrot to provoke a appetite.

Before i go and spend more money on them to take them to the vet wich i can not afford right now. I currently have a scheduled appointment for them both to see a herp vet on monday. I hope they dont get any sicker untill then.

Im looking for apparent & Physical differances between a stessed tortoise and a tortoise that has a URI.

Currently i am giveing them a bath two times a day in luke warm PH ballenced water.

They are in a 80 gal B aquarium.
I have bolth uva & uvb 48 inch ballest
A 40-60 gal under tank heater on the left side of the tank along with x2 75 watt ceramic lamps one with a infrared bulb and the other with a ceramic heat bulb
Tempature currently in the tank is from heated left side 110-115 to unheated right side 80-85. Humidty is between 30%-40%(noted heated side does have a tortoise hut under the lamps)
For images of my habitat set up view my other posting
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hello-From-Samera-Helios#axzz1YjvLkoa6

So me being a new tortoise parent im stressed out too.

ANY ADVISE PLEASE HELP !

I dont have much money left i spent most of my saveings on the tortoise's and there set up.
Im willing to go hungry and not eat for a week inorder to take proper care for my new family members.
(note i called the pet store were they were purchase from and talked with the managers about the problem and they only offered help by me returning them. I dont want to return them ive grown attached to them already and the idea of me returning them to that pet store to a much smaller tank make me very sad)

 

[ascott]

First off, lets relax a moment...and top ramen is cheap so no starving please, they need you around

How old are they?

Clear runny nose does not automatically equal URI. Especially since you noticed it after or near after a soak, (and if you squeeze a tortoise neck or head area their eyes will bulge a bit and be watery, so stop it ) and the PH balanced thing, well, may only be necessary to get them in for a soak and not add or alter the regular water at this point...You can get neurotic at a later time, as we all do from time to time, especially with a new tortoise..

They are both new to you and their new environment (7days)?

I believe that you may want to drop the temp (yes, can you believe it) to 100-105 max on the hot side and their hide should not be directly under the max heat side maybe a little more towards the middle temp zone...in my opinion

Eating is something that either occurs after stress subsides or real hunger for survival begins, or both....so eating is important but they can go a little bit before I would worry. Also, maybe try giving them food without the calcium...just to get them eating..then introduce the powder afterwards...

I would relax and let them relax a bit....not too much handling and fussing over for a bit, other than offering food and soaking...and have they been together the whole time from the pet store? You may want to try to put them in their individual spaces so that you can be sure no bullying...

 

[Astroidblues]

Yea i may be over reacting. Im the same way with my kids i hate when they get sick and try my best to comfort them. I am just worryed about them. I have never parented tortoise before. There way diffrent from the other reptiles im used to uro's and bearded's
Im going to leave them be to there own this weekend and just offer fresh food.
Yes i have only had them for 7 days. I am not to sure on there age or sex or sub-species.

Theres no bullying there real good together as they were in the petshop and probley from birth. Infact there always together eatting sleeping and playing.

I guess i get over worryed due to i had a female bearded dragon who got a URI during hatching a clutch the energy she spent almost killed her and she became very skinny. It took me along time to get her weight back up.

Anyhow thanks for the reality check im going to smoke a joint now and try to relax XD

 

[oscar]

My two greek tortoises that I have had from hatchlings now about 8 years old start slowing down this time of year. I have them outside in IL for the summer. They will stop eating and hibernate for the winter, maybe yours are starting to do the same, don't know about the bubble issue mine have never shown any health problems that I am aware of, they seem to be pretty tuff tortoises.

 

[ascott]

....Like I said, just keep an eye on em and let them settle in...soaking, warmth, some sun, food offerings and a safe secure place to crash will do wonders

 

[Angi]

REALLY?....REALLY?....You have kids and you are going to smoke a joint before 3:00pm. I am pretty open minded about pot, but not about kids. Please wait until the kids are in bed to get high.
I hope your babies get better.

 

[Redstrike]

There's a lot of really good information in the articles section of this forum. You may already have read this article and it also might not assist you to differentiate stress from a RI, but it may help in the future. There's tons of good stuff in the articles section, I'd definitely take some time to poke around there and read up...well if your kids every give you the chance!

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Respiratory-Infections-for-Tortoise-Keepers#axzz1Yo8oOwpf

The articles are under the General Tortoise Discussion forum. I wouldn't panic just yet, good luck!

 

[Astroidblues]

REALLY?....REALLY?....You have kids and you are going to smoke a joint before 3:00pm. I am pretty open minded about pot, but not about kids. Please wait until the kids are in bed to get high.
I hope your babies get better.

REALLY?....REALLY?....So quick to judge yeat you know nothing about me other then what ive said here. I am prescribed legaly medical marijuana. I am currently disabled due to severe injury that happend at work. I have been copeing with a four disk L4-L7 fusion on my lower back and i cant cope with the pain or the narcotic pain pills the doctor was perscribing to me like oxycontin & oxycodone & valium. The pills make me sick, nauseous, & tired. So i do what works for me.
And no i do not smoke around my childern. I dont drink or smoke tobacco and i dont use street drugs.
Dont Judge A Book By Its Cover ! And dont give me advise on my childern this is a tortoise forum's keep it that way. I was just trying to keep the conversation light and not so serious.

---

There's a lot of really good information in the articles section of this forum. You may already have read this article and it also might not assist you to differentiate stress from a RI, but it may help in the future. There's tons of good stuff in the articles section, I'd definitely take some time to poke around there and read up...well if your kids every give you the chance!

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Respiratory-Infections-for-Tortoise-Keepers#axzz1Yo8oOwpf

The articles are under the General Tortoise Discussion forum. I wouldn't panic just yet, good luck!

Yep thanks red ! I got to reading quite a few topic / threads on this forum. There is alot of good advise here. Alot more then the basic care sheets all over the interweb. Although i am still haveing a hard time distinguishing the visual & physical diffrence between a stressed tortoise from a tortoise with a resperatory infection. It can be very tricky because they bolth visualy look the same other then the scratching on the sides of the tank. If i get a chance i will take a pic of the tortoise with the wet and bubbly nostril's so you can see for yourself. But i wont force it. Im going to leave the tort's alone for the weekend and see how they do.
Thx for the info and advise guys & gals =)