Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i'm wondering whether anyone here has any experience with what may be allergies in a tortoise?

i'm asking because, for whatever reason, junior doesn't do well on our second-floor patio. he'll be trucking along in our living room as normal, and as soon as he steps outside, he'll start snorting, his eyes water, and he wipes at his face. once he comes back in, he's perfectly fine. could it be because he's on level with the trees and maybe it's from that?

allergies are the only thing i can think of! any other ideas?

>>allergies are the only thing i can think of! any other ideas?

How about toxins like bug or weed killer? Has the building exterior been painted? etc.

well, the building has vinyl siding, so no paint -- i doubt that weed killer is it, either, as we're on the second floor and with no plants. perhaps the bug spray is a possibility, though we've been living there for about 2 weeks and noone's sprayed in at least that length of time...

something out there is definitely irritating to him, though. too bad, as i was hoping he'd enjoy that patio... maybe i'll wait a few days and let him crawl out there again and see if he reacts any differently.

What about hay? Are you using any hay around him? That can get dusty & irritate them. What about low humidity? That can also irritate them.

The first year we had our big girl we used hay as a substrate in her home.. didn't take long to toss that out.
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PHRatz

hmmmm what kind of trees are out there anyway? I wonder if the neighbors might have sprayed their trees?
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PHRatz

How close to the roads/highways or industrial areas are you? Could be exhaust emissions causing it.

We have a red-bellied turtle (aquatic) who we found out was allergic to oak pollen during a 3 year period when it was extroidinarily high (drought cycle with record breaking oak pollen numbers). We thought it was a stubborn respiratory infection initially that kept coming back even after antibiotics. It wasn't until the 3rd year that we put the pieces together and realized what was going on...she'd only get the wheezing and hacking in the spring when the trees were dropping pollen.. then it would subside. Since the oak pollen numbers have been lower in the last few years compared to that 3 year period and we've been more careful about keeping the doors closed more often... she hasn't had the wheezing and hacking going on like she did.
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PHWyvern

well, the trees aren't too far, but they're not *right* there at the balcony. i doubt that they've been sprayed, but i can't say for certain. they are mostly pine trees -- there are a few leafy trees too, but i can't say for sure what kinds they are.

we're not using any new substrate with him, just his normal mix of bed-a-beast and spagnum moss.

i don't think that it's been extra dry out lately, but maybe i'm just not sensitive to it. it's been raining these past couple of days, so since that'll increase humidity and hopefully get some pollen out of the air, i may try taking him out there tonight and seeing what happens.

good to know that allergies are not unheard of among chelonians. i know that he doesn't have a respiratory infection, because he's almost instantly perfectly fine again once he comes inside. weird...

... we're set pretty far back from the road, though there is an expressway onramp down the road in one direction and a racetrack in the other direction (we can hear the race cars on weekend nights, heh). maybe one or both of these are not far enough away not to bother him?