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jane1187

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Hello to everyone on this forum.

Here is some information about me and my new tortoise.

My name is Jane and I am a first time tortoise owner from West Yorkshire in the UK. I have cared for tortoises in animal collections before (and am also an experienced keeper of amphibians and fish in particular), but have never kept one myself. This is only my second pet reptile, my first being a corn snake.

I have aquired this tortoise from an RSPCA member of staff who asked if I could take the tortoise, which had been found after potentially three weeks living outdorrs in a cardboard box. Since I have spares from my snake set-up I took it immediately. Other than an overgrown beak, weight loss and dehydration there appear to be no other major health issues with the animal at this point. I believe it to be a mediterannean species of some sort but have yet to make a positive identification.

I have had it 48 hours now. It is dehydrated and quite skinny, but so far twice-daily soaks in zoolite (a rehydration product with electrolytes), and a warm heat lamp seem to have perked it up very slightly. Hopefully if dehydration, lack of food and an overgrown beak are the only issues then a full revocery is hoped for.

Naturally my first instinct is to join a forum (I am an active member of other reptile,amphibian and aquatics forums) and this one seemed a good place to start. I will be scanning the forums for information I need to help this tortoise recover and to provide it with optimum accommodation in my house and garden (I am a keen gardener and after doing a little reading and research already am looking forward to making my own home-grown tortoise food in my garden).

If I have any questions that this forum and other reputable websites do not answer then I am sure I will be speaking to some of you soon.

Thank-you to anyone who reads this, and I hope you'll keep your fingers crossed for my little tortoise.
 

mctlong

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Welcome to the forum Jane :)

If you post a pic, we can tell you what type of tortoise it is.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using TortForum mobile app
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Jane:

Welcome to the Forum!
 

ShreksMom

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Hi Jane and welcome. I'm sure the more experienced members will be more than happy to help you with any questions.
 

AnnV

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Hello Jane. What a good deed, taking in this poor helpless creature. I hope it blossoms under your loving care.
I dont know enough to be of any help. But you have come to the right place for expert advice!

Ann from CT
 

jane1187

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ImageUploadedByTortForum1376332330.189564.jpg

Thank you to everyone for the welcome. As requested here's a picture of the tortoise in its makeshift hospital pen (complete with distinguished reading material, the 'I' newspaper, and an old shoebox as a temporary shelter). I am suspecting a Herman's, and the vet today thought the same. There is a horny tip to the tail. I have taken it to a specialist exotic vet today for advice and treatment.

Here's some more info for the curious/concerned.

The vet has it on antibiotics, force feeding daily with a product called critical care (we use it at work, it's good stuff), bathing daily in Zoolite (an isotonic, glucose based rehydration product), and some general recuperation under a uv heat lamp. It has been drinking at home daily in a bath (and thus let out a MASSIVE amount of urine on the vets table... I couldn't believe it could hold that much!) and moves around to thermoregulate.

Do you all see the redness at the edge scutes at the back? The vet wasn't sure what it was, but suspected at best a localised infection, at worst case scenario it is scepticemia, so fingers crossed its not. If anyone has seen this before your advice will be appreciated. I may make a post about it if I don't come across anything in searching the forum.

It hasn't got a name yet, partly because I don't know the sex (I suspect male due to quite a long tail, about 1/2 the length of the back legs) and because I don't get attached to my rescues until they're out of the woods. Hopefully I can name it/him by the time of his next vet visit in September. I'm excited and still apprehensive about my first rescue tortoise, but am keeping my thoughts optimistic!
 
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samsmom

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hello jane and welcome to our forum, best of luck to you on your new adventure!
 
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