- Joined
- Mar 31, 2011
- Messages
- 4
Hi i'm from South Africa, Johannesburg, my husband picked up a tortoise in the road 4 days ago, we decided to adopt it as it's not save for it in the city streets. I don't know much about tortoises and am currently learning via google reaserch. The tortoise could be a Hinge-back or Leopard, (sorry don't have pic at the moment) he was in bad shape when we got him, i'm guessing he might have been abused by the looks on he's shell as there are very bad dents. We try to feed him and take care of him, he seemed to be doing much better now as he becomes more alive and active and less shy, yesterday I saw him eating for the first time, and I gave him a nice soak/bath, his stool is more firm now then what it was. However I do have a few concerns and questions. One of his scutes was very loose, i took it off as I read that they need to be removed so that things don't get stuck in there that's bad for their healt. The scute was very thik and the shell under the scute colour looked like a dark perly white coulour, some of the small scute at the back of the shell close to his legs were gone already and has the same colour. Could this be their bone as it does not look like the same colour as the other scute? There was no puss at all, and would the colour eventually change to normal. Then I was wondering if I should let him in the house at night, today is his first day out as he seems much better now. Another question is would the dents in the shelll eventually grow out or would it be there for life. I would appreciate any advise etc that can assist me in making him a happy tortoise once again.
