Re: update on my sick baby sulcata

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Posted by danya on January 12, 2002 at 20:20:17:

In Reply to: Re: update on my sick baby sulcata posted by Marissa-Turtle Homes on January 11, 2002 at 13:28:46:

hi, i agree, get him out of the tank! if he does have an infection, i'm sure fresh circulating air is much better for him than stale air that only circulates at the top. Even if its not an infection, its still much better. Have you had x-rays? i had a sulcata who recently died to Gout. In this case, the vet said he was born with it probably due to bad care of the mother, she didn't have enough nutrients in her to have healthy offspring, or just horrible care in her first month of life. I got her at 3 months and had her for another 5 months. It took 4 months for symptoms to develop, and it only took about a week from her being an appearingly healthy, energetic, hungry little baby, to being a depressed sulcata who didn't eat, drink, or go to the bathroom. If he's not going to the bathroom, it's an indicator of Gout (it doesn't mean that he definitly has it, just that he could) because it builds up through out his body and doesn't allow anything out. Your vet can explain this more. Make sure to ask for x-rays and also ask about tube feeding him some water. The skin doesn't absorb enough water for him to become rehydrated. Hydration is attained by eating, drinking, and a little bit of soaking. if you can keep him hydrated, he should have a good chance. Tube feeding is fairly easy to do, and if your vet has any experience with sick turtles or reptiles, im sure he knows how to do it and can show you how. I hope everything works out. By the way, the gout is only a suggestion based on the very little i know about your tortoise, i didn't see the other posts.

: Hi Kathy,

: If the tortoise has a suspected parasite infestation, is the vet doing fecal culture and flotation to check for what kind? YOu mentioned he thought it was a parasitic problem, and then gave an antibiotic shot. Antibiotics will not take care of parasites, only infections caused by bacteria. Usually, Flagyl is used for parasites. You might want to question the vet about that.

: Although it's a good idea to keep the tortoise warm, I don't think it's a good idea to just heat them up when they are sick. Sometimes, that does more harm than good. I think maintaining a proper temperature gradient, allowing the tortoise choices of temperatures is best. Heating up your enclosure to 90F is pretty hot, and does not allow your tortoise a way to thermoregulate...in other words, to cool down and heat up as HE needs to, not as you choose for him.

: Definitely removing the sand substrate was a good idea, in fact, I think the sand is a poor substrate choice for sulcata anyway, especially babies. Towels are fine for now.

: I also think a fishtank is a poor enclosure choice for a sulcata, even a baby. Glass fishtanks do not make great enclosure choices, but there are easy ways to make better ones. FOr now, I guess the tank is fine. You should be thinking of better ways to house now though. For now, even a large plastic Rubbermaid tub (WalMart, Home Depot, etc.) would be good.

: Soaking twice a day is a good idea, especially during antibiotic therapy. Do not slack off on that...

: People talking to you about Reptomin and turtle eye wash are talking about things for water turtles, NOT sulcata. DO NOT get any of that stuff. Reptomin is made by Tetra, it's floating turtle food sticks for water turtles in a pond or fishtank. The Turtle Eye Wash is crap they sell for water turtles, totally unnecessary...do not use with the sulcata.

: Make sure you have UVB lighting on the tortoise, in addition to basking heat. Take a look at the sulcata station website for info (www.sulcata-station.org).

: There is also good sulcata info on our website, below. Feel free to write to me with questions, I'll be glad to help

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: hi, i agree, get him out of the tank! if he does have an infection, i'm sure fresh circulating air is much better for him than stale air that only circulates at the top. Even if its not an infection, its still much better. Have you had x-rays? i had a sulcata who recently died to Gout. In this case, the vet said he was born with it probably due to bad care of the mother, she didn't have enough nutrients in her to have healthy offspring, or just horrible care in her first month of life. I got her at 3 months and had her for another 5 months. It took 4 months for symptoms to develop, and it only took about a week from her being an appearingly healthy, energetic, hungry little baby, to being a depressed sulcata who didn't eat, drink, or go to the bathroom. If he's not going to the bathroom, it's an indicator of Gout (it doesn't mean that he definitly has it, just that he could) because it builds up through out his body and doesn't allow anything out. Your vet can explain this more. Make sure to ask for x-rays and also ask about tube feeding him some water. The skin doesn't absorb enough water for him to become rehydrated. Hydration is attained by eating, drinking, and a little bit of soaking. if you can keep him hydrated, he should have a good chance. Tube feeding is fairly easy to do, and if your vet has any experience with sick turtles or reptiles, im sure he knows how to do it and can show you how. I hope everything works out. By the way, the gout is only a suggestion based on the very little i know about your tortoise, i didn't see the other posts. : : Hi Kathy, : : If the tortoise has a suspected parasite infestation, is the vet doing fecal culture and flotation to check for what kind? YOu mentioned he thought it was a parasitic problem, and then gave an antibiotic shot. Antibiotics will not take care of parasites, only infections caused by bacteria. Usually, Flagyl is used for parasites. You might want to question the vet about that. : : Although it's a good idea to keep the tortoise warm, I don't think it's a good idea to just heat them up when they are sick. Sometimes, that does more harm than good. I think maintaining a proper temperature gradient, allowing the tortoise choices of temperatures is best. Heating up your enclosure to 90F is pretty hot, and does not allow your tortoise a way to thermoregulate...in other words, to cool down and heat up as HE needs to, not as you choose for him. : : Definitely removing the sand substrate was a good idea, in fact, I think the sand is a poor substrate choice for sulcata anyway, especially babies. Towels are fine for now. : : I also think a fishtank is a poor enclosure choice for a sulcata, even a baby. Glass fishtanks do not make great enclosure choices, but there are easy ways to make better ones. FOr now, I guess the tank is fine. You should be thinking of better ways to house now though. For now, even a large plastic Rubbermaid tub (WalMart, Home Depot, etc.) would be good. : : Soaking twice a day is a good idea, especially during antibiotic therapy. Do not slack off on that... : : People talking to you about Reptomin and turtle eye wash are talking about things for water turtles, NOT sulcata. DO NOT get any of that stuff. Reptomin is made by Tetra, it's floating turtle food sticks for water turtles in a pond or fishtank. The Turtle Eye Wash is crap they sell for water turtles, totally unnecessary...do not use with the sulcata. : : Make sure you have UVB lighting on the tortoise, in addition to basking heat. Take a look at the sulcata station website for info (www.sulcata-station.org). : : There is also good sulcata info on our website, below. Feel free to write to me with questions, I'll be glad to help

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