What's wrong with my Russian tortoise?

Question

I 've had him for six years and he's always been healthy.He stays outside all year round(he hibernates from October to April)He has a large (6x10 ft.)enclosure with all kinds of plants for him to nibble on and a house,water pan,etc.He's fed all kinds of greens,flowers,weeds. Also carrots,green beans,apples,and occasionally bananas and berries.He also likes an earthworm now and then.But lately he acts as if he can't open his mouth all the way;he wants to eat,but he acts as though it's painful to open his mouth. I took him to the vet,and he was given Baytril,but he still won't ,or can't eat,so I' ve been pureeing his food and force-feeding him with a syringe(no easy feat,let me tell you).I noticed that his tongue looks red.Could it be a vitamin deficiency,or stomatitis?My vet is good,but she is not a reptile specialist,and I don't have the 300 bucks to take him to the Reptile vet right now.Can anyone help?

Answer 1

Vitamin deficency? Possible- the diet you describe is pretty good, but you don't mention vitamin suppliments or calcium suppliments.

Stomatitis? Always a risk, but there is usually white exudate involved- although this might be an early stage.

Other options- I wonder about jaw injury. I am also concerned about the force feeding. Statistically, force feeding is less healthy than letting the animal go hungry- especially a tortoise that can go a month or two safely without food if water is offered.

The Baytril is an anti-biotic that should help against many conditions, but won't help with some of the options.

Here is what I would do:

1.) Keep it indoors in a hospital tank for the next month. Make the tank as big as possible, and make it something that can be kept as clean as possible. Avoid clear-sided tanks (I like Sterilite translucent tubs).
2.) Aim for warm, snug habitat. Make sure there is still a cooler retreat, but we sort of want to keep the animal a bit warm and relaxed.
3.) Lighting, basking area, etc. need to be great (but avoid overly bright light).
4.) Keep stress to a minimum- vibrations/noise, bright lights, giants staring at it, handling, etc.
5.) Give it a nice warm soak every day or two. Let it soak until it becomes agitated or defecates.
6.) Add vitamins and suppliments to the water it drinks (in the tank or during the soak).
7.) Offer soft foods that it likes- bananas, applesauce, etc. Try dying food red to see if that helps. Offer other foods as well to see if it starts to eat.
8.) Monitor it daily- track anything you notice.

If it shows improvement, great! If it does not, ask about any new symptoms as they develop. You may end up going to a reptile vet.

Answer 2

actual take him to the vet. dehydration is the worst component so shop bathing him daily for a while. if he would not start up eating, there would desire to be some thing heavily incorrect like an impaction or worms. the vet can assist you you to make your mind up what's incorrect and the thank you to handle him. you may desire to objective REPTOBOOST - it is made via Vetark and it is available everywhere in the united kingdom. you upload it to the washing water. it has a probiotic and supplementations and different stable stuff which will help your tortoise recuperate swifter. stable luck!

Answer 3

He is getting ready to hybernate, but I think he might have a moth ulcer or inflamation of the mouth get yourself some medicine from the chemist for humans and treat him before he goes into hybernation otherwise you might not have a tortoise come April

Answer 4

I raise and breed desert tortoises. Depending on the climate and temperature of where you live, if temps are dropping turtles tend to become sluggish. Maybe your turtle has had his fill and just wants to go into hibernation.

Answer 5

maybe hes ready for hibernating...do tortortse do this?