How do tortoises get mycoplasma?
Mycoplasma is spread directly via nasal discharge and is quite contagious as tortoises often greet one another nose to nose. Many tortoises are chronically infected.
How do you treat a runny nose in a tortoise?
It is best treated with doxycycline, which should be prescribed and administered by a qualified herp veterinarian. Other organisms can also cause repiratory infections, so it is best to find a vet who can help with the diagnostic process and treatment.
Is it OK to let my tortoise roam the house?
Letting a tortoise roam the floor of a house has long been a very common practice. Whether it is to try and remedy having too small of an enclosure, let them “explore”, or even not have an enclosure at all, free roaming is absolutely not okay for tortoises to do.
What causes a turtle to float in the water?
The signs of a respiratory infection may be subtle, such as an occasional bubbles of mucus from the nostrils or even some bubbles around the eyes. As the infection progresses and become pneumonia, the turtle may float oddly in the water, listing to one side or being unable to submerge.
How to get rid of bubbles in a turtle enclosure?
Make sure the basking spot has a nice white spotlight that heats the area to 90-95F for 12 hrs a day. Put an ultraviolet-B emitting bulb, such as a Zoomed Reptisun 5.0 or a Powersun, over the enclosure and make sure it is on for at least 8 hrs a day.
Why does my tortoise put his head underwater?
Tortoises, unlike turtles, are not aquatic animals. While turtles have special evolutionary body functions that allow them to breathe underwater for as long as they like, tortoises evolved differently into terrestrial animals.
Can a red ear slider turtle breathe underwater?
In some cases the turtle may sink and struggle to get back to the surface of the water. The red-eared slider may extend its neck far forward and open its mouth as it gulps for air. Prescription antibiotics are necessary to treat these life threatening infections.
Why does a tortoise have bubbles in its nose?
Some tortoises may have bubbles blow out their nose and some may make whistling sounds, clicks, or even gurgles. A badly affected tortoise may have its mouth slightly open because mucus secretions have blocked both of its nostrils. Over time, an ill tortoise may become lethargic and stop eating.
Why is my tortoise foaming at the mouth?
Talk to a vet as soon as possible. There are two common explanations for a tortoise foaming at the mouth and they both need a vet’s attention: respiratory infections and allergies. So, let’s take a look at this issue in detail and see why this happens, how it happens and what to do when it happens. Tortoise foaming at the mouth?-
The signs of a respiratory infection may be subtle, such as an occasional bubbles of mucus from the nostrils or even some bubbles around the eyes. As the infection progresses and become pneumonia, the turtle may float oddly in the water, listing to one side or being unable to submerge.
Why does my pet tortoise have a runny nose?
Dr. Johnson has also studied the impact of the disease on wild populations of tortoises which has helped developed his approach to treating sick pet tortoises. Runny noses sometimes happen for other reasons such as allergies, foreign objects in the nose or mouth, or other infections such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
Is it normal for tortoise to blowing bubbles from his nose?
Some tortoises may have bubbles blow out their nose and some may make whistling sounds, clicks, or even gurgles. In some tortoises, the disease can erode away the nasal sinuses and create a chronic infection known as sinusitis. URTD is most commonly caused by a microscopic organism known as Mycoplasma agassizii.
Do tortoises drink through their nose?
In recent years, scientists have discovered that Aldabra tortoises, on dry islands in the Indian Ocean, can draw water up their nostrils to drink. A flap in the nasal passage closes off the pathway to the lungs and allows the tortoise to use its nose somewhat like a straw to drink from shallow puddles of rainwater.
What if my sulcata tortoise gets too cold?
If the temperature drops too low for too long, whether or not the tortoise is in hibernation, she can freeze to death. Approximately 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit / 7 to 12 degrees Celsius can be considered cold for tortoises. Anything below is very cold and can become dangerous.
What is the best temperature for a sulcata tortoise?
The ideal temperature range at which to keep these tortoises would be 25-35°C (77-95ºF) in the daytime, with a basking spot up to 50ºC (122ºF), and temperatures falling no lower than 17°C (63ºF) at night.
