My tegu is sneezing.

Beesch · Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:03 pm Post subject: My tegu is sneezing.

Hello Everyone,
This is my first time joining one of your forums. I own an Argentine black and white tegu that is less than a year old. My question to all of you has been troubling me for some time. During the past few weeks, my tegu has been repeatedly sneezing every other hour or so. It's always just a single sneeze. At first I attributed the sneezing to dust generated from the orchid bark lining his cage. But I now worry that this could be a symptom of something worse. I'm in the process of looking for an exotic vet in the San Diego area. Please give me any advice or helpful information that all of you may offer.
Thanks for your time and attention,
Beesch

YorkOC · Valued Member Joined: Oct 09, 2005 Posts: 101

Im no expert so I would have to say take him to a vet asap. I used to live in SD and I took my tegu to the Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital
(619) 260-1412 http://www.drexotic.com/. Take him in for a check up it will run around $40 but they will also probe it to sex if it is big enough. SO money well spent for me. THey gave my tegu an enema and prescribed batryl and after a week or so his mild prolapse went away. If your lizard is sneezing it may have an upper respiratory infection/ problem. What type of substrate are you using? I would change the substrate to maybe Carefresh bedding you can buy it in bulk at petco or petsmart for around $20. http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=2298&Nav=1&N=0&Ntt=868744&sku=868744&familyID=3370&. My buddy got me to switch my tegus substrate to this and he seems to like it and it is safe for them. Take him to a vet ASAP. Keep us posted
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Rick · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:31 am Post subject:

I have never used orchid bark, but I am told it is very good. Almost as good as cypress mulch. If it is dusty, your humidity is probably way to low.

First things first, the sneezing.. Does your tegu have any wet bubbles coming out of his nose when he sneezes? If you can open his mouth, check it for globs of mucus. I have never seen a teg get a raspatory issue, but this is what you could expect to see if that is an issue.

Does the tegu seem alert or lethargic?

Is the sneezing just random, or is it after the tegu has just taken a drink?

What is your enclosures relative humidity? (I would assume this is low based on the 'dust')

Rick
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Beesch · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:04 pm Post subject:

Thanks for replying back as quickly as you both did. Rick, I don't see and snot bubbles coming out of his nose, and I don't really see any excess mucous in his mouth either. Tatanka appears to be more active ever since I increased the heat lamp intensity in his cage. I don't own a humidity gage, but I was told that squirting him and his cage down with a water bottle once a day would be sufficient to keep Tatanka hydrated. I also have placed a large water dish in his cage, but now Tatanka appears to be too large to soak. The sneezing does appear to be random, and more frequent at night when he's buried himself.
Answering back to YorkOC, I'm in the process of hoking up an appointment to take Tatanka to the Avian and Exotic Animal vet. I've used orchid bark to line my terrarium since day one. I've also used to use sphagnum moss to assist in retaining some humidity. But I learned that moss could be harbingers for bacteria that could cause respiratory infections. Can either of you suggest a better way to create a more humid environment for my tegu?

noodles2go · New Member Joined: Mar 19, 2007 Posts: 5

hmm, my tegu has been experiencing the same thing the past couple days, random sneezing. I usually notice it though when he is asleep, buried in his substrate or while he is getting a bath. No mucus though. Lemme know what your vet says, if its serious maybe i'll have to get mine checked out too...

Rick · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject:

When they sleep under the mulch (and when digging in) there is a lot of dust. In the water, it's possible some moisture gets in the tegus nose. Sneezing is his way to get it out.

If there is no bubbles from the nose or excess mucus in the mouth, I wouldn't worry about the vet checkup at this point unless there are other concerns.

With that being said, occasional checkups are a plus.

If you are using an enclosure with an open top, you can close off some of the screening/top with plexiglas to help hold humidity. Larger water bins allow for more room to soak, and also more surface area to evaporate, thus raising the humidity. You could also use a heatpad to supply most of the ambient daytime temps and use the basking spot for only a few hours a day. This would burn off less humidity.

Rick
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Sisco Reptiles - Proud Breeder of the Tamest & Most Social Tegus. See www.SiscoReptiles.com

dpjm · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:44 am Post subject:

Rick is right. When I took my tegu to the vet because he was sneezing she said that if there's no discharge it's probably not too serious, and that a dry sneeze is probably due to dust in the cage. If you don't change your wood chips often enough they do become dusty as the pieces break apart. Just keep your substrate fresh and spray the cage down more frequently. If you have the top of the tank open, then spraying once a day probably isn't enough. I'd either spray more or cover a section of cage top with plexiglass or a wet towel, and then get a humidity gauge so you can monitor the humidity. Cheers.

hoosier · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:58 am Post subject:

my boy usually does that after he drinks. just his way of getting the water out of his nose, and i figure the same thing is happening if he gets dust in his nose. i recently changed my cypress and now he only "sneezes" when he drinks. i would try changing your subsrate as well if you think its getting too dusty.

Mat
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toxicogenic · Valued Member Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Posts: 135 Location: fl

hey...i don't think you need to change your substrate. i used to have the same problem with my tegu and it was because of the dust of the cypress mulch settles at the bottom of the cage and when burrowed he inhales it. i just made a giant sifter with chicken wire stapled to some pieces of wood. its about 2ft. all the way around. sift your substrate so all the dust and small pieces go away. that should help. like everyone else says...keep your humidity up. i ended up mixing my cypress mulch with topsoil. it works well for achilles. i also have a humidity box filled with moist sphagnum moss. he sleeps in there every night. i hope it works out for you.
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1.0.0 arg. b/w tegu
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1.0.0 hogg island boa
0.1.0 southern painted turtle
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Beesch · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all of your tips and comments. I've set up a vet appointment for later on this week, and I'll let you know what results turn up. I found the idea posted by toxicogenic to be extremely interesting. I'm going to try filtering up some of the dust from my orchid bark in order to reduce some of the residual particles. I'm not certain about using sphagnum moss because I read that it may harbor bacteria that could result in respiratory problems. What kind of topsoil do you mix with your bark?

toxicogenic · Valued Member Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Posts: 135 Location: fl

I'm glad that my suggestion will be of good use to you. It worked well for me or ....Achilles..lol. The brand of soil I use is actually called Topsoil. They sell it at Home Depot and Walmart for just a couple dollars. It's just plain black dirt and comes in a white bag... I think. I take the sticks and rocks out just in case. If you have any left over after opening the bag just put it in a black garbage bag...I've found that bugs and ants get into it. I end up throwing the whole thing out. I mix that with the sifted cypress mulch. Only thing is you have to keep it nice and humid because when the dirt dries it gets a bit dusty but doesn't rise unless you mess with it. Since Achilles cage is so big I don't bother with a mister anymore. I get a gallon of water and just pour it in and mix it with a hand shovel....kinda tiresome but it's better than sitting there misting. For the sphagnum moss....it's in his "humid box" and I keep it moist...not soaked. I change it every week to prevent harboring bacteria or anything. He tends to break it up into little pieces anyway from scratching at it to make his little "burrow". Sometimes he comes out of the box with a little moss wig...lol. I had actually taken Achilles to the vet for the sneezing. It started the same week I brought him home from the Daytona Show. At that time all I had in his cage was cypress mulch. Let me know if it works out for you..take care everybody.
_________________
1.0.0 american pit bull terrier
1.0.0 arg. b/w tegu
0.1.0 crested gecko
1.0.0 hogg island boa
0.1.0 southern painted turtle
1.1.0 calabar burrowing pythons
0.0.1 burmese python
2.1.0 het pieds
R.I.P. Bert Langerwerf & Steve Irwin