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.
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.