russian tortoise blowing bubbles from nose

Question
Our new Russian tortoise, Speedy, seemed to be doing fine when we got him a week ago, and his vet exam went well (no fecal test done yet though).  Today I noticed that he is blowing bubbles from his nose occasionally and makes a sort of squeaking sound when he pulls his head into his shell.  He's also kind of shy and not as active.  I think he's sick but could this be something bad?  Thanks.

Answer
Bubbles and noisy breathing are common signs of a respiratory infection (RI). RI can be annoying to treat even for experts.

It could the the result of stress (common when animals change habitats in a big way), something it picked up, etc.

The best care is to make sure your daily cares are rock solid-  try the sites http://www.russiantortoise.org or http://www.tortoisetrust.org for ideas here.

When the cares and diet are on-track, change it a little in these ways:
- boost temps another 5 degrees F
- add a dash more multi-vitamins during the week
- keep the stress levels as low as possible
- make sure it has a warm humid hiding option

If it gets worse, or does not improve within the week, try your vet again.