Doing my part

Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
57
Location (City and/or State)
New York
We all know the horror stories of outlet stores and private owners selling and trading tortoises with little to no proper care information. Out of curiosity I checked my local craigslist and found one of these horror stories in a male Russian less than 30 minutes away. I have decided to share my experience and journey with him in hopes that others will be motivated to do the same. Also, this rescue is the first Russian I have owned, and I have a few questions for the more experienced Russian handlers.

The tortoise was previously kept in a 20-gallon tank for the last two years. The only thing within the tank was a green reptile mate, two bowls and a single coil uvb bulb. Before I continue I would like to preface that the owner herself did not seem to be a bad person, see seemed to be a kind person. I still hold her accountable for the condition of the tortoise, she has a responsibility to the animal. But I think it would be wise to remember that most of these owners are not evil, they are people that have been provided the wrong information and do not see the need to research any further.

Surprisingly enough the women told me that she did not purchase the tortoise from a pet store, but a local expo. Not surprisingly though she feed him mangos and allowed him to roam the house freely with her two German shepherds and husky (the majority of you reading this probably just cringed the same way I did.)

I plan to find him a forever home locally, but before I do I want to ensure he is healthy. Currently he has trouble opening his left eye. I know the eyes reflect a tortoise’s health and I am hoping that proper husbandry and time will resolve the problem. I will be doing daily soaks until the eye recovers, I have only had 24 hours so far. There is also the potential that there is an irritant in his eye from roaming the previous owners home. If irritant is the case, syringe flushes during soaks should help clear it up (any advice welcomed).

As I said before the previous owner claimed he was purchased from an expo two years ago, and she was told at the time that he was two years old. This would make one believe that he is possibly cb, but the general wear of his shell makes me believe that he is a much older import. It is also possible the wear on his shell is from the previous owners large dogs. I will need a more experienced Russian owner advise on whether he is in fact imported or cb.

Any advice and information is welcomed, and I will update this post periodically with progress.20171216_202134-1.jpg 20171216_202240-1.jpg 20171216_201934-1.jpg
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Glad you are giving him a new better life. The eye thing may be from the coil bulb. Sounds like you having it covered either way.
He doesn't look as ruff as ones that are wc and from pet stores. Good chance he is cb in my unexpert opinion.
Good luck getting him in tip top shape and finding him a great forever home.
 

GBtortoises

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
3,618
Location (City and/or State)
The Catskill Mountains of New York State
The wear on this shell is normal, especially for wild caught Russian tortoises which yours definitely is.
If his eye is dried shut but looks normal (not swollen or puffy) it could just be due to an irritant or simple dryness due to environmental conditions. If it appears swollen or puffy it could also be an irritant or possibly infection. The best way to determine which is to take a Q-tip soaked with warm water, eye drops or better still an anti-infection cream designed for eyes and gently rub it on the eye lid up and down (the same direction that it would open and close). This will very often soften the area and allow the eye to open. If any milky or solid materials are seen inside the eye lid once it opens it will likely an eye infection. If the discharge is clear, it's more likely just an irritant inside the eyelid. At the same time you might want to keep a close eye (no pun intended) on the other eye and the nostrils for any discharge or other problems. Incorrect diet, incorrect environment and a change in location and environment can all be stressful to a tortoises digestive and immune system. Problems often first show up in the eyes and nostrils in the form of unusual discharge, swelling and infections.
 
Joined
Oct 11, 2017
Messages
57
Location (City and/or State)
New York
The wear on this shell is normal, especially for wild caught Russian tortoises which yours definitely is.
If his eye is dried shut but looks normal (not swollen or puffy) it could just be due to an irritant or simple dryness due to environmental conditions. If it appears swollen or puffy it could also be an irritant or possibly infection. The best way to determine which is to take a Q-tip soaked with warm water, eye drops or better still an anti-infection cream designed for eyes and gently rub it on the eye lid up and down (the same direction that it would open and close). This will very often soften the area and allow the eye to open. If any milky or solid materials are seen inside the eye lid once it opens it will likely an eye infection. If the discharge is clear, it's more likely just an irritant inside the eyelid. At the same time you might want to keep a close eye (no pun intended) on the other eye and the nostrils for any discharge or other problems. Incorrect diet, incorrect environment and a change in location and environment can all be stressful to a tortoises digestive and immune system. Problems often first show up in the eyes and nostrils in the form of unusual discharge, swelling and infections.
Thank you for the information. It is always nice getting proper information from experienced handlers. I did as you instructed and after a day or two he no longer had trouble opening it and the swelling went down a few days after. So I am assuming it was just an iritant (appetite has remained high and with no other signs of infection). Supprisingly though he has been doing so well (active, high appetite and consistent solid poops and urates) that I believe he is ready for a forever home. Will be posting him up for adoption later but would like to thank you for ur help and information that i will reference in the furure as well.
 

New Posts

Top