Help for this sad guy

[DesertGirl12]

Hi everyone,

I need your thoughts and wisdom on this tortoise that I have recently been approached regarding homing. A friend sent me the picture and no other information of age, location, sex, etc. Apparently a client of my friend wants to rehome him (?). I am quite concerned about his shell if he (I think) is a CDT. My CDTs shells do not look like this at all, they are round and smooth. Can anyone tell me if this is in fact pyramiding and is it a CDT? His leg spurs are larger than my males (kept separate) but it could be due to being larger than mine, I guess. I am located in the High Desert area of California and my torts of 2 years were already put to bed earlier this month. This fellow is still out and about and it has been very cold here in the last week or longer. I know pyramiding can't be reversed. Are there other health issues that go along with it? My heart goes out to this fellow and I feel I need to help him out of where he is and improve his quality of life. I don't really have the room for a third one in my yard without relocating myself! But I could keep him in a large table that I have with lights, humidity and good diet as I did when mine were hatchlings, at least till Spring.

Thanks for your help.

 

[cmacusa3]

Looks like a Sulcata with some pyramiding

 

[cmacusa3]

With proper care he's going to get large.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/sulcata-tortoises.88/

 

[Jodie]

I may be wrong, but think that might be a Sulcata. They do not hibernate. It is pyramiding. Not a sure sign of poor health. Doesn't look awful to me. I want to see what others say.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I hope no one is attempting to hibernate this guy - that would be fatal. Hopefully whoever he ends up with has room for a sulcata. No obvious concerns beyond the pyramiding, which is often just cosmetic. I'd make sure he was warm and well hydrated.

 

[mike taylor]

Yes that's a sulcata tortoise . It can get up to 150 pounds . The pyramids is only cosmetic . If you don't have a big yard help him find someone better to stay with .

 

[DesertGirl12]

I am not familiar with how Sulcatas look but thought that might be the fact. I do know someone who is wanting to provide a home for one. I am glad to know that he doesn't need to be hibernated. I also did not know that pyramiding was only cosmetic, lack of knowledge there.

Thank you to all of you for your responses. I definitely am not able to home a Sulcata although I would love to. Hopefully he will have a good home soon if I have anything to say about it.

 

[cmacusa3]

I am not familiar with how Sulcatas look but thought that might be the fact. I do know someone who is wanting to provide a home for one. I am glad to know that he doesn't need to be hibernated. I also did not know that pyramiding was only cosmetic, lack of knowledge there.

Thank you to all of you for your responses. I definitely am not able to home a Sulcata although I would love to. Hopefully he will have a good home soon if I have anything to say about it.

Good luck and let them know about the site. There's some very good care info on that section that I gave a link to.

 

[DesertGirl12]

Thank you cmac3. I will share that information most definitely, as well as keep it for my own knowledge expansion. This forum's members are always so helpful to the humans and mindful of the tortoises.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kathleen: Yup, definitely a sulcata.

 

[Tom]

I am not familiar with how Sulcatas look but thought that might be the fact. I do know someone who is wanting to provide a home for one. I am glad to know that he doesn't need to be hibernated. I also did not know that pyramiding was only cosmetic, lack of knowledge there.

Thank you to all of you for your responses. I definitely am not able to home a Sulcata although I would love to. Hopefully he will have a good home soon if I have anything to say about it.

This is a tropical species and it needs to be kept warm, day and night. It needs a heated night box to sleep in at night and go into on cold days. It can't stay outside, and its also to cold for it to sleep on the floor in the house. It needs heat ASAP. Like this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

 

[Big Charlie]

I am not familiar with how Sulcatas look but thought that might be the fact. I do know someone who is wanting to provide a home for one. I am glad to know that he doesn't need to be hibernated. I also did not know that pyramiding was only cosmetic, lack of knowledge there.

Thank you to all of you for your responses. I definitely am not able to home a Sulcata although I would love to. Hopefully he will have a good home soon if I have anything to say about it.

Pyramiding isn't always just cosmetic. It is something we want to avoid. On this tort, it isn't too bad so it doesn't cause problems. However, when pyramiding gets really bad, we see an irreversible impact on the tort's health.

 

[HI Tortoise Rescue]

What is the weight & size? Can't tell much from a photo. Doesn't look juvenile, & any pyramiding is fairly minor - some Sulcatas are just bumpier than others. No hibernation for that species, but they stay active at remarkably-low temperatures; just be careful not to leave it outside if it's wet. Their original habitat is dry, not tropical, & they get the majority of their water from their food, although in your area, having a water dish is a must. Of the ones we've rescued, three of them look like they're drinking every time I look, while all the others don't even look at the dish. The smaller it is, the more likely it will need more moisture to stay hydrated. Good luck!

Ken