I'm so devastated.

scootin

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
1
Last year, one of my students moved off to college and left me her Russian tort. She knew how much I've wanted a Sulcata. My students and I named him Vladamir Scootin (Scoot for short) and he was often described as the size of a hamburger. The entire school year, my students and I would take turns taking scoot outside to walk the school wall in the sunlight and eat dandelions. We had a few scares where he went missing and it was because maintenance thought they had found a turtle and returned him to the wild. Luckily, we got to him in time to return him home.

Scoot lived in a glass tank with heat lamps and a wicker basket style hut. It really made me sad to see him often starting in the glass at his own reflection. My husband and I recently built a house in the country and I was elated to build Scoot an outdoor enclosure. The walls were made of stacked rail road ties and the lid was an old, hanging wall art display with 3 opening doors. I popped 2 of the clear, plastic windows of the display off and replaced it with chicken wire. The other door I left the plastic on to protect him from the rain. I put chicken wire underneath the ties so he couldn't dig out and built it against my dog kennel, so they could help ward off racoons and foxes.

One of the railroad ties was short, so I had to use a 24 inch piece to complete the wall. This side was stupididly put against my dogs fence. I thought to myself, "I should drive some stakes in the ground to prevent the ties from being pushed in", but the only wooden stakes I had were too thick and I forgot to pursue that idea further. I have a 6 month old baby and she distracts me from often completing tasks.

Friday night, I went out to check on Scoot at midnight. He was hiding in the shaded area of his enclosure and his eyes were closed. I spoke to him and he opened his eyes to show he was ok. Then I saw a scorpion and it crawled in the cracks of the enclosure. I tried to kill it, but my husband came outside looking for me, because I was gone too long. I fed and watered Scoot, told him good night and came back inside.

My dog, Mr. Freeze suddenly took an interest in Scoot. He would stick his head through the fencing and chew on the lid. I put an open ended hog panel on top of the enclosure to poke him in the neck when he tried. Saturday, my family came over during the day and it was raining. My niece wanted to go get Scoot out of the rain, but i was sleeping and she wanted to wait for me. I woke up with the baby and the attention left Scoot and everyone wanted to hold the baby. I went to get the baby's lawn chair and a scorpion crawled out. Instead of being reminded of Scoot, I was only worried about the danger of my baby.

That evening everyone left and I went to check on Scoot. He was not there. That 24 inch piece was pushed into his enclosure, like a swinging door for him to escape. I began franticaly looking for him in the grass. My husband walked into the dog pen and told me there was blood and part of a shell and it didn't look good. I burst into tears and didn't want my last memory of Scoot to be his crushed little body.

I cried and cried. I went to a 4th of July party and sat alone inside the house with my baby because she was too hot and I was too sad. I was up all night crying. The next day I continued crying and decided to go outside to move some boxes. I walked to the boxes, loaded some up in my truck and turned around and THERE HE WAS! Like Scoot was back from the dead, he had crawled over an acre to my driveway and found me. I was so happy to see him! I grabbed him up and checked him. He was missing his bottom plastron. There was no blood, just the missing plastron and he was so tired. I scratched his head and he stuck it out so I could get all of it. I got a second chance!

I cleaned him up, wrapped him in a towel and rushed to my school to get his tank and lamps. On the way back, we saw the vet's office had people outside. The Doc doesn't normally work with torts but she said if he eats and drinks he should be fine. I called a Herp that I know and she said to soak him in salt water to prevent infection and try to feed him with a syringe (BAD IDEA it came out of his nose). He survived the night. I kept him in his hut, close to the lamps but not under it. I woke up and soaked him again.

I found the number of a Parks and Wildlife tortoise rehabilitator. He told me he should survive. Clean the wound, put verticyn on it, maybe some triple antibiotics and to soak him in 90 degree water and BABY FOOD- they absorbe nutrients and water this way. No need to force water into his mouth. He was breathing hard, and his little arms would move with each breath but when I would soak him today his little head was too tired to hold up in the water. He was blowing bubbles, so I grabbed a wash rag and put it under his head for support. the guy kept telling me to make sure he stays warm.

That night, I put him on a washrag under the heat lamps at 90 degrees with his basket over him. I could see he was breathing at midnight. I told him goodnight, and the next morning I was afraid to check on him.

I woke up and his little head was upright and eyes closed. He looked fine, but he had passed. He was warm under the lamp and my guess is he died sleeping and the lamp kept him in that position. I hope to GOD I didn't cook him. I called the tort guy back and he said it was probably too much for him. When I got on my website to check sales, the daily image was a tortoise cartoon holding the American Flag.

I just keep thinking why didn't the scorpion remind me to check on him? Why didn't I just put a board between the dog pen and tort enclosure? I loved this little guy so much and now he's gone forever. This past week, I let him out to crawl in the sand and through the shrubs outside of my house. I made a facebook video of him and all I could think was how happy I was to be outside at my new home with my baby and tortoise. I mourned him twive now. He came all that way, injured to find me for help and I failed him. I didn't want him to be sad and alone in that glass case, and it just ended in his death.

I thought about how the dogs must have gotten him. They pushed that top tie in and Scoot had to have crawled out. There's no way they could have reached in with their head to get him. I should not have put that small tie there.

Anyway, I had to write this somewhere. I really like this group and thought maybe someone could relate or help me feel better about all of this. I seriously thought I was giving him a better life. At least I got to love him a little longer before he left.

13241122_10156946942850483_9182433354423702478_n.jpg
 

AmberD

Active Member
Joined
May 5, 2017
Messages
157
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario
Welcome, I am so very sorry for your loss. Sometimes we just get busy and don't realize things until afterwards. Please don't beat yourself up, accidents happen!
When I was younger I forgot to put the filter basket back on my fish tank and my poor fantail goldfish got sucked right up the filter.. I know not the same gravity as your situation but as a kid I cried for days about how it was all my fault.
Sometimes we just simply forget, we are after all, human.
The main thing is you loved and cared for him, maybe one day you can do that for another tortoise as well :)
Hope this helps!
 

BevSmith

Active Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2017
Messages
151
Oh my goodness. How terribly sad.

It sounds like you loved this little guy with all your heart.

Short of tethering Scoot to a pole in the ground, it sounds like you did everything and more to keep him safe. Who could possibly imagine something like this?

He came back to you for hospice care, it sounds like. What better way for him to leave the planet but in your loving presence?

Rest In Peace, Scoot. <3 <3
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
What a sad story.
Please don't be mad at the dog.
Chewing on tortoises seems to be something that they just do. Even dogs that never seemed interested before.
I don't recall ever hearing about a tortoise surviving without a plastron. So I'm pretty sure what you did after the fact had no effect and didn't cause his death.
If you ever get that Sulcata, keep in mind that they love to plow through fences and knock over barriers.
It's enclosure will have to be well thought out, very very large and super sturdy.
 

Cowboy_Ken

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
17,560
Location (City and/or State)
Suburban-life in Salem, Oregon
Anyway, I had to write this somewhere. I really like this group and thought maybe someone could relate or help me feel better about all of this. I seriously thought I was giving him a better life. At least I got to love him a little longer before he left.
Please, for the wonderful life you provided for Scootin, and for the strong lessons you'll be teaching your baby, and for your own heart, don't beat-up on yourself over this. Materially, treat it as a terribly rough learning experience. I'm certain that in the future you and your family will create a wonderful outdoor environment for your next tortoise.
Think of the fantastic life you've provided to this russian tortoise compared to the oftentimes poor habitats that people provide russian tortoises with that they buy on a whim from pet stores.
You've done well. Yes, I "liked" your posting, and it's not that I liked it the way someone "likes" bacon. I liked it in the fact it took lots of strength on your part to post it. Please, for us, yourself, and your family, stick around here.
Thank you for sharing.
 

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
So very sorry. Accidents happen. You gave him a great life while you had him. He even came back to you to die in loving care. If you had known, then you would have done different. You couldn't have known.
 

Jodie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
4,359
Location (City and/or State)
Spokane Valley WA
Very sad story. I am so sorry for you and Scoot. You made a mistake, please try to forgive yourself. Thank you for sharing. Your post may help someone else avoid this tragedy.
 

SaraP

New Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2017
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Northern CA
Oof. I'm so sorry for your loss. I know that it probably doesn't feel this way right now but you have a tiny baby and you're human--both things that are recipes for things slipping your mind. It happens and it isn't your fault--it's just human. You did right by Scoot right up till the end which is as much as any of us can do. Please try to forgive yourself and the dogs. And when you feel ready, try again with that sulcata you've always wanted.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
So sad. . . but Welcome to the Forum!
 
Top