Carapace
– Pale growth lines:
New growth lines are sometimes pale for a couple days. Also, some
Red-foots develop ‘mottling’ or pale growth as they grow. See the ‘Cherry-heads‘
page for examples.
– Scutes forming
into hills or pyramids: Pyramiding
–
Thick growth lines: May
be an early sign of
pyramiding or other MBD.
– Thin,
translucent, often sharp edges on the marginals: Often indicates
too much
calcium or vitamin D. Check diet
and  carefully file sharp edges if needed.
– Wide growth lines: Diet
may be too ‘rich’ and encouraging too rapid growth.

Plastron
– Hatchling’s plastron is ‘springy’:
This is normal and should harden over time. If it does not, look into Metabolic Bone Disease.
– Pitting or liquids under the scute: Shell rot
– Soft scutes, wearing or rubbing off,
erosion: Shell
rot

Mouth
– Bleeding from
mouth: Septicemia– see a vet ASAP.
– Cannot open or close, does not close right,
or injured: See a vet.
–
Clicking noise when opening or
closing mouth: Possible
injury, although some Red-foots ‘click’ sometimes normally.
– Coughing, gasping, wheezing: RI,
partial choking
–
Clear, foamy vomit: Often seen after antibiotics are used. May be a form of RI
– Drooling,
discharge: Heat
stroke
– Hard lumps:
Abscess

– Open mouth
breathing: RI

– Overgrown beak: Often diet
(not enough fiber, wrong balance
of vit. D and calcium) or general cares. Needs to be worn
down or trimmed.
– Pale
tissues: Low blood count usually due to an infection or disease,
or severe stress. See a vet.
–
Struggling for breath: May be choking! Look for and
try to remove obstructions- see a vet ASAP!
– Thick mucus: Dehydration
– Vomiting: Internal parasites,
septicemia,
digestion problems. See a vet.
– White or
‘cheese-like’ matter: Stomatitis, Herpesvirus

– Yawning: Normal behavior, and kind of cute! If it
happens all the time, check air quality or see a vet.

Nose/nares
– Cracking around nares: Respiratory
Infection (RI)
– Eroding or ‘eaten away’ around nares: RI,
Herpesvirus
– Fluid, mucus, or bubbling: RI,
Herpesvirus
– Wet
wheezing: RI
–
Whistling, noisy breathing: RI,
partial obstruction.
Mild noises may go away after a soak or washing.
Some tortoises whistle normally and most whistle when they withdraw
their heads quickly.

Eyes
– Does not open eyes, but
not swollen: UVB overexposure, injury.
– Eyes appear sunken:
Dehydration

– Fluid
discharge, tears: Herpesvirus,
RI,
dehydration

– Red, inflamed:
RI,
UVB overexposure
– Swollen, puffy:
infection,
vitamin A deficient, injury, RI,
UVB overexposure
– Swollen
eyelids: Bacterial
infection. See a vet.

Ears/Tympanae
– Swelling behind the eyes:
Abscess, injury

Head and neck
(See
also ‘Soft Tissues’ section)
–
Colors are fading: Common as animal ages. If happening rapidly,
see a vet.
– Dry, flaky skin:
Dehydration, stress.
May be an early sign of other problems, like
Improper Diet Cascade (IDC) as well.
– Hard lump(s): Abscess
– Loose scales or skin: Stress,
IDC,
dehydration
– Mites, ticks: Parasites
–
Thick ‘cap’ of scales: Dysecdysis
– Throat is pumping/puffing up: This
is how a tortoise moves air past it scent organs to smell things.

Limbs
– Difficulty
using one limb: Fracture or injury

– General
weakness or paralysis: MBD, egg retention,
peritonitis, spinal/shell
injury,
gout, arthritis, septicemia,
heat
stroke, Herpesvirus, RI See a vet.
– Hind limb paralysis or weakness:
Kidney problems, nerve problems, MBD, lack
of good protein
– Muscle loss:
Herpesvirus

– Poor
retraction: Pneumonia,
Herpesvirus, obesity

– Swollen joints: Arthritis,
gout.
– Swollen lumps:
Abscess

Soft tissues (See also ‘Head/Neck’ in ‘Eyes, Ears, Head’ section)
– Dry skin: Dehydration, dysecdysis.
–
Red tinge,
streaks, or bleeding: Septicemia

– Skin raw, peeling, like sunburn:
Vitamin A overdose, stress,
infection
– Swollen, puffy: Obesity,
renal failure, pulmonary
disease

– Ticks or mites:
Tick or mite
infestation


Tail, cloaca, feces
– Blood in stool:
Protozoan
infestation, parasites
– Blood in urine:
Protozoan
infestation, renal or liver dysfunctions

– Concentrated
urine, smell of ammonia: Protozoan infestation

– Constipation: Dietary
issues, dehydration

– Diarrhea, loose
or watery: Low fiber or
other dietary issue, side-effect of antibiotics,
protozoa infestation

– Dry stools: Dehydration
–
Fleshy protrusion from cloaca: Prolapse. Penile
prolapses will self-correct. Organ prolapses need a vet’s care.
–
Inability to
urinate: Dehydration,
renal dysfunction- see a vet.

– Passing
undigested food: Protozoan infestation

– Smelly stools: Dietary
issue (fish, etc. in diet), parasites

– Tail wagging: Usually
indicates preparing for bowel movement
– Worms in stool: Internal parasites


Behaviors
– Head
low, tail end high, and/or tail wagging: Preparing for bowel
movement.
– Head out and up, hind
limbs straight out, under a heat or light source: The ‘sun
worship’ pose- normal for basking. If basking more than usual, check
temps.
– Not eating: May be many things- 
double check basic
cares, especially temps.Common in stress,
infections,
when taking antibiotics, seasonal slow downs, etc. May also
just indicate that it is still full from a recent meal.
– Panting, drooling, listless, limp: Heat
stroke
– Spasms, seizures, paralysis, foaming at the
mouth, etc.: Poisoning- see a vet ASAP.
– Tail wagging: Usually
indicates preparing for bowel movement
–
Throat is pumping/puffing up: This is how a tortoise moves air
past it scent organs to smell things.

Other
– Dog attack: Unless injuries are very minor,
take to a vet.
– Lethargy: Seasonal slowing, egg binding, diabetes, diet
or care issues, boredom, stress

– Slow growing
and/or soft-shelled hatchlings: Diet,
cares,
parasites,
genetic defect, illness

–
Spasms, seizures, paralysis, foaming at the mouth, etc.:
Poisoning- see a vet ASAP.
– Weight
increase, swelling: Renal dysfunction

– Weight loss: Dehydration, stress,
poor cares or diet,
disease or infection, protozoa
infestation, parasites

Resources

• Mader, Douglas R., DVM, ed. Reptile Medicine and Surgery. Saunders Elsevier, 2nd Edition 2006. ISBN 072169327X
• Chelonian Veterinary Care, by Sharon Redrobe

Edited 4-17-2012 (C) Mark Adkins