UnoriginalUrsula
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2016
- Messages
- 5
Hello, hate to be that guy that the first post is asking for help, but I'd really appreciate input from other keepers.
*long post, sorry*
I met a man last year who asked me how he would go about drilling a hole into the shell of his newly acquired 2 year old tortoise. I of course explained exactly why he should never in a million years do that etc., and finally talked him out of it. However, he asked if I could sex it and clip the claws. He brought it in the following day, a huge female Hermann's - he had the paperwork that stated 2 years old, but this animal was around 6 inches long. She had an underbite and her claws were curled (not long, but curly) both of which I understand to be a sign of MBD. I pointed this out to him and went through the care of this tortoise, and it became apparent there was no care really. Being kept in an open drawer, never seen the sun or a heat lamp or a UV bulb. Fed on tomatoes and cucumber. No supplements. He left me in a massive huff and I didn't see him for 12-18 months ish.
Yesterday I saw him again, only this time he tells me that the tortoise has stopped moving/eating/opening it's eyes. She's hibernated (on and off) and since waking up her eyes have been closed. He said his daughter isn't bothering with her and he admitted he had no idea how to care for a tortoise. He's been getting advice from an old lady over the road who has a 48 year old marginated tethered by a rope through it's shell, and she smothers it in olive oil once a week, and feeds it throughout bouts of hibernation *cringe*. Anyway, he said he wanted to give this tortoise away, and asked me if I would take her. I said yes, of course.
She arrived this morning, stone cold.Her eyes were closed tight and puffy. Her legs are thin but they all work, she's barely moved since arriving. Her shell is hard and shiny, with slight pyramiding. She's now pretty much the size of a fully grown male Hermann's and she's allegedly 3 years old. The man said she was the size of a 50p when they got her (no idea how true this is). I have set her up on a topsoil/sand mix in a 6ft indoor rabbit cage, there is a heat lamp and UV lamp at the one end, but I put her in the cold end so she hasn't been shocked by a temperature increase. The bloke said she's eaten half a tomato since waking up. She's not interested in food here. Apparently they've been bathing her and she's not really reacted or changed. She's occasionally stretching her legs out and she's turned around (hence knowing her legs work - barely), and her eyes have opened. Her mouth looks normal inside and her vent is clean.
Now, I'll be taking her over to my vet, who is about 30 miles away, but the reptile specialist won't be available now until Tuesday (I can take her sooner, but it will be a standard small animal vet). With previous MBD issues (which I'm assuming this is, as it certainly has all the signs), I've dealt with in lizards that people have dumped on me... they've had calcium injections and D3 injections. Some have been tube fed. However, I've never dealt with a tortoise under the same circumstances and I've been told by a couple of breeders that calcium and D3 injections are not the way to go. I've got Reptoboost here which I intend to use when bathing, but is it going to be more harm constantly stressing her out by taking her on 60 mile round trips for injections? Or should I start the process at home and make some progress before? Please note, I am not asking on here to save money, she can go straight to the vet if that's what is needed right now, but I've read so many conflicting things and I don't want to be the one to finish her off by picking the wrong option.
*long post, sorry*
I met a man last year who asked me how he would go about drilling a hole into the shell of his newly acquired 2 year old tortoise. I of course explained exactly why he should never in a million years do that etc., and finally talked him out of it. However, he asked if I could sex it and clip the claws. He brought it in the following day, a huge female Hermann's - he had the paperwork that stated 2 years old, but this animal was around 6 inches long. She had an underbite and her claws were curled (not long, but curly) both of which I understand to be a sign of MBD. I pointed this out to him and went through the care of this tortoise, and it became apparent there was no care really. Being kept in an open drawer, never seen the sun or a heat lamp or a UV bulb. Fed on tomatoes and cucumber. No supplements. He left me in a massive huff and I didn't see him for 12-18 months ish.
Yesterday I saw him again, only this time he tells me that the tortoise has stopped moving/eating/opening it's eyes. She's hibernated (on and off) and since waking up her eyes have been closed. He said his daughter isn't bothering with her and he admitted he had no idea how to care for a tortoise. He's been getting advice from an old lady over the road who has a 48 year old marginated tethered by a rope through it's shell, and she smothers it in olive oil once a week, and feeds it throughout bouts of hibernation *cringe*. Anyway, he said he wanted to give this tortoise away, and asked me if I would take her. I said yes, of course.
She arrived this morning, stone cold.Her eyes were closed tight and puffy. Her legs are thin but they all work, she's barely moved since arriving. Her shell is hard and shiny, with slight pyramiding. She's now pretty much the size of a fully grown male Hermann's and she's allegedly 3 years old. The man said she was the size of a 50p when they got her (no idea how true this is). I have set her up on a topsoil/sand mix in a 6ft indoor rabbit cage, there is a heat lamp and UV lamp at the one end, but I put her in the cold end so she hasn't been shocked by a temperature increase. The bloke said she's eaten half a tomato since waking up. She's not interested in food here. Apparently they've been bathing her and she's not really reacted or changed. She's occasionally stretching her legs out and she's turned around (hence knowing her legs work - barely), and her eyes have opened. Her mouth looks normal inside and her vent is clean.
Now, I'll be taking her over to my vet, who is about 30 miles away, but the reptile specialist won't be available now until Tuesday (I can take her sooner, but it will be a standard small animal vet). With previous MBD issues (which I'm assuming this is, as it certainly has all the signs), I've dealt with in lizards that people have dumped on me... they've had calcium injections and D3 injections. Some have been tube fed. However, I've never dealt with a tortoise under the same circumstances and I've been told by a couple of breeders that calcium and D3 injections are not the way to go. I've got Reptoboost here which I intend to use when bathing, but is it going to be more harm constantly stressing her out by taking her on 60 mile round trips for injections? Or should I start the process at home and make some progress before? Please note, I am not asking on here to save money, she can go straight to the vet if that's what is needed right now, but I've read so many conflicting things and I don't want to be the one to finish her off by picking the wrong option.