I recently got my parents to build a larger enclosure than what they had before and i can see if they can do that again. It’s really difficult because although they are mine because im a teenager that relies financially on my parents its really up to them. I can vary the substrate etc but a lot of the care is in there hands and i feel really out of options due to my parents being stubborn. I’ll continue to push for a better place for them to live in and i’m sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll try better.
Thank you very much for this kind response its much appreciated.
All of this and much more is explained right here, and there is a temperate species care sheet near the bottom. I recommend reading through it at least twice to take it all in.
tortoiseforum.org
They both live in separate enclosures as i’m aware they are solitary animals. After having quite a stern speaking to with my stepmother they have agreed to do a lot better with the tortoise care. Thank you for the help!
Good for you. That's the way to stand up for your shelled buddies.
We have taken her to one of the best UK exotic animals clinic and all is well. She has been given pain relief and is undergoing treatment currently. We are picking her up once we are called to do so. I’ve submitted a form to the clinic about her lifestyle and how she is kept in order to get feedback so we can put things in place for her health and wellbeing.
Be very careful with what they say is proper care. Most gave no clue the proper care. Many either just plain don't know or are stuck on the old outdated care.
I have read on the care sheets i was provided with from this website and made a various notes on it. We are just looking for as much input as possible in order for both Mavis and Rhiannon to have the best lives.
In addition to not knowing tortoise care and continually repeating the same old wrong info that me and everyone else learned decades ago, here is my problem with most vets: They treat the symptoms presented, but never address and correct the CAUSE of the problem. Of course the prolapse needed immediate attention from a veterinary professional. That is what vets are good for, and it sounds like they did a fine job. But now, YOU have to figure out WHY this happened and take steps to prevent a re-occurance. Vet bills cost a heck of a lot more than buying the correct substrate and a large enclosure. You and your parents need to understand that these vet bills and hassles of having to spend time driving to the vet are a direct result of not housing the tortoise correctly. To avoid future problems and vet bills and visits, spend the time and money to correct the housing mistakes. And don't go to a pet shop to correct these mistakes. A pet shop will tell you the wrong info and sell you the wrong products, and this will be immeasurably frustrating for you, your parents, and your tortoises. Most of what you need can be found at the hardware store for a lot less money than a pet shop. There are a few exceptions like the Arcadia basking flood bulbs and ProT5 12% HO UV kits, but most tortoise items are found outside of the normal "pet" channels.
I really appreciate your say and i believe i’ve just learnt this the hard way. Thank you everyone for all the help and advice you have given. I promise it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Sadly we picked Mavis up from the vet and her so called stitches came out and caused the prelapse to reopen again. She is there again but we are in a hard place financially so i don’t actually know if we can afford getting her any further treatment. We’re looking into how to provide an affordable house for her and have ordered recommended uvb bulbs etc…
Mavis has passed. I made the decision to put her down after finding out that she had a genetic growth problem that was causing her to grow at a rabid rate but her organs couldn’t keep up causing her immense pain.
