Hi
I’ve recently rescued a tortoise from the vets I work at. She had been signed over after having anorexia following hibernation and the owners no longer could care for her. She had also had her lower beak trimmed (too short) and was subsequently unable to pick up food. She is being fed via stomach tube until the beak grows back. I’m wondering if anyone has experience with this issue? I’ve had her for 4 weeks now and her mouth looks less open than it did to begin with. I have set up a tortoise table for her with combination bulb basking lamp 30 degrees basking spot and cool area around 20-25. She has a humid hide with moss in where she spends most of her time. I’m getting her out daily for soaks to avoid dehydration and she is passing urine and faeces regularly. She shows no interest in food, even when I have left the tube feed off for 48 hours. On nice sunny days I’ve been allowing her access in the garden she will potter around but then goes and hides. (Buried usually) If I didn’t get her out of her hide she will stay there all day. I’m basically looking for advice from experienced tort owners to make sure I’m doing things right for her. I’m not too sure of what she was used to previously as the people who signed her over hadn’t had her long either. Are tortoises usually more active than this? Or is she not getting warmed sufficiently? Thanks in advance
I’ve recently rescued a tortoise from the vets I work at. She had been signed over after having anorexia following hibernation and the owners no longer could care for her. She had also had her lower beak trimmed (too short) and was subsequently unable to pick up food. She is being fed via stomach tube until the beak grows back. I’m wondering if anyone has experience with this issue? I’ve had her for 4 weeks now and her mouth looks less open than it did to begin with. I have set up a tortoise table for her with combination bulb basking lamp 30 degrees basking spot and cool area around 20-25. She has a humid hide with moss in where she spends most of her time. I’m getting her out daily for soaks to avoid dehydration and she is passing urine and faeces regularly. She shows no interest in food, even when I have left the tube feed off for 48 hours. On nice sunny days I’ve been allowing her access in the garden she will potter around but then goes and hides. (Buried usually) If I didn’t get her out of her hide she will stay there all day. I’m basically looking for advice from experienced tort owners to make sure I’m doing things right for her. I’m not too sure of what she was used to previously as the people who signed her over hadn’t had her long either. Are tortoises usually more active than this? Or is she not getting warmed sufficiently? Thanks in advance