- Joined
- Jan 8, 2013
- Messages
- 27
My Hubby says I should start by admitting I have a problem!
My second tortoise was given to me for a class pet almost 2years ago. It was a mangled up, crippled half dead Sulcata that we(the students and I) named Big Sal. I didn't know much but I knew something was NOT right with this tortoise. The pyramiding on the shell is so bad I had to clean the gunk out of the crevices with a paint brush. It could not walk at all but very slowly dragged itself along with its front legs while the back legs splayed out so badly the feet never hit the ground. A few Internet hours later I knew I was dealing with a really bad case of MBD! The food list I had been given? All lettuce and fruits(especially addicted to berries) I was so afraid this thing was going to die that I got another tortoise hatchling to occupy the students just in case(although Sal seemed to love the attention from the kids). To shorten Sal's story, I put wheels on her belly and spent the summer sprinkling grasses and hay and greens with apple juice to get her off the fruit addiction without starving her. She now eats what she should without a problem and not only walks but can now pick herself up off the ground and cruise! Big Sal is a great encouragement and a story of victory for our little Christian School! However, I now have 9 tortoises and two box turtles! Hence my problem
My second tortoise was given to me for a class pet almost 2years ago. It was a mangled up, crippled half dead Sulcata that we(the students and I) named Big Sal. I didn't know much but I knew something was NOT right with this tortoise. The pyramiding on the shell is so bad I had to clean the gunk out of the crevices with a paint brush. It could not walk at all but very slowly dragged itself along with its front legs while the back legs splayed out so badly the feet never hit the ground. A few Internet hours later I knew I was dealing with a really bad case of MBD! The food list I had been given? All lettuce and fruits(especially addicted to berries) I was so afraid this thing was going to die that I got another tortoise hatchling to occupy the students just in case(although Sal seemed to love the attention from the kids). To shorten Sal's story, I put wheels on her belly and spent the summer sprinkling grasses and hay and greens with apple juice to get her off the fruit addiction without starving her. She now eats what she should without a problem and not only walks but can now pick herself up off the ground and cruise! Big Sal is a great encouragement and a story of victory for our little Christian School! However, I now have 9 tortoises and two box turtles! Hence my problem
