Sheffie...Help me out

[Kymiie]

So here is a few pictures of my first ever tortoise I got for my 16th Birthday!

Sadly he died 4 months later, due to my improper care of what the pet shop told me ( as we all know, all they want is money)

When we got Sheffie his cirtificate we had with him said he was 1 year old... but that cannot be right can it? Becasue looking at all your hatchlings he looks the same size.

He was that small the picture of him in a sock proves it becuase he fitted in an elasticated bit of the sock and had room still.

He is an hermanns tortoise by the way!

Thank you x

 

[Isa]

Kymiie, Sheffie was beautiful .
Was the substrate Aspen? What did the pet shop told you? Did you call them back to let them know what happened to Sheffie?

 

[Merrit321]

Aww, a shame that it died. Some local pet stores are worse the than large pet stores and the corporate money craving machines they have become.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you took those pictures of Sheffie just after you received him for your birthday, then it looks to me like someone sold your gift givers a sick tortoise. You can tell by his eyes that he's already pretty sick.

 

[Kymiie]

Im going to tell you my story about sheffie... the whole details so bare with me...

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My best friend Danielle had a tortoise (hatchling) for her birthday and that is when I decided I wanted one.. and got one for my 16th!

Went to Pinxton ''wharf aquatics'' Approx 1hour drive from me.

I picked the tortoise because i saw his cute little face through the glass then he fell onto his little back and I thought aww, he is the one!
(there were about 20 hatchlings in 1 vivarium)

The man told me but a vivarium water bowl and food dish etc so I did!
Cost my mum £320 all together.

Everything was great, and then one morning (4 mnth later) he was up and running around like a little baby and ate his food like normal, Then after 6 hours of being at school, I went to see him.

He was asleep (what i thought) and so I just patted his head.. and no movement. PANIC!!!! He wouldnt move at all. (I was off on a school trip next day)
I didnt know if he was dead or hibernating!

My nearest tortoise vet was about 1.5 hours away (now I have found a closer one)

So we rung another vet who wasnt specialised in tortoises but new a bit. (anything to see what was happening)

We got to the vet, she said he was still alive but nearly dead, best thing was to put him to sleep! I didnt want that as she want an expert, so I took him home.

Then we rung a tortoise sanctuary lady and she was very helpfull asking loads of questions, then she told me to fill up the sink with warm water and place him under it ( this was to see if any air bubbles were coming out of his nose) First time i saw a bubble, so she told me to do it again... NOTHING

So she said wait half an hour and do it again... still NOTHING!
So she said he sounds like he has passed!

But I put him under his heat and UVB lamp all night on full wack to see if this would help. I woke up for my trip and looked at him and he was all puffy and swollen. I paid £500 for a school trip I had to go! So my mum buried him, and when i got back I bought an ornument for the garden to represent him!

I rung wharf aqatics demanding another one.. They said they only insure pets for 1 week (Knobs) So by the time I came back off my school trip I had an older one waiting in the Vivarium. CRUSH

About 5 months later when I had the money I built a box instead! And had crush now 1yr 2 month

I asked specialists and they said it sounded like respiration failure he died from!


There is my story, please dont reply hate.. I blame myself already!

Wat do you all think?

Thank you xx

 

[kimber_lee_314]

You poor thing - don't blame yourself. My first tortoise was fed iceberg and romaine (suggested by the local reptile store) for the first few months. I was just fortunate to find out my mistakes before it was too late. I have lost tortoises too - rescues that were just too sick - and it broke my heart. I'm sure most everyone here can tell you how bad a parent they were when they first started. We're all still learning.

Plus, that little baby was NOT a year old! They lied to you about many things!

 

[Yvonne G]

You did your best. The tortoise was sick when you got him. Don't beat yourself up about it.

 

[Kymiie]

How can you tell? Whats his eyes look like?
xx

 

[Yvonne G]

In the second picture it looks like his eyes are stuck shut. In the last picture you can tell they're swollen and closed.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Poor Kymiie, that must have been hard on you to lose your first tortoise, and after you'd wanted him so badly!

Now you have a healthy, happy Crush to comfort you. Life is good!

 

[Kymiie]

Yes I still find it hard now, I cannot even put his picture up on my desktop on my laptop it still upsets me, but I do have a photo of him on top of crush's box.
Ill always think of him and love him as I do everybody else!

xx

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Yes I do agree with you yvonne, but his eyes wernt always shut... they were open. But yes his eyes do look sick! xxx

 

[Isa]

I am so sorry Kymiie It must have been very hard.