Injured Tort Help please

[Talka]

Remember that he might not eat for a few days, and to leave him alone except for soakings and other necessary things. Your heart is in the right place. Once you're set up, I'm sure the little dude will live like a king!

 

[ascott]

After seeing the second injury pics I would not house him on dirt for awhile...plain paper towels would be my first choice.....also, what did the vet give you for cleaning the sounds? Or what did he suggest? Very awesome of you to welcome him in....by the look of his beak and nails....he absolutely could use a trim on both....

 

[dmmj]

beak trim for sure, nails well what can you say I have seen longer. As for the "fruit loops" in case anyone is wondering it is not the cereal, it is the multi colored turtle food.
as for food if you have access to hibiscus flowers, and or dandelion flowers, those should jump start his feeding.

 

[Creteloc]

The little guy finally ate his greens last night. I was thrilled! Then he dumped over his water dish and slept in it with his nose in the corner. That kinda made me sad. He spent most of the evening in his little hide, so not sure why he slept in the water dish. I don't know how to keep him from dumping out his water. Right now it's just a dessert plate with water in it. I'm going to run to the pet store today to see if I can find a shallow water dish.

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OH, I forgot. He completely obliterated the paper towels. What about putting Timothy Hay on the bottom of his box?

 

[SulcataSquirt]

For a water dish i would pick him up a good sized terrta cotta plant saucer. also im sure timothy hay would be great from him to snuggle into until you get the coir. just remember spilt water and hay equals mold! dont need any of that.

 

[Creteloc]

I wonder if I could hot glue the terra cotta plant saucer to the box floor to keep him from spilling it. He's alone right now during the day and I hate that he may not have water.

 

[Angi]

A terra cotta saucer is heavy so should not spill.

 

[Creteloc]

Great thanks He slept in his water dish last night so I'm guessing he'll sleep in this too. I don't like him sleeping in water though.

 

[lynnedit]

Great thanks He slept in his water dish last night so I'm guessing he'll sleep in this too. I don't like him sleeping in water though.

Good for you, you stuck with it the whole way! See if the reptile vet who checked him will trim his beak and nails for a reasonable price since he is a rescue and he has seen him. Make sure they advise you about caring for the wound.
Most Russians don't like soaking, but they get used to it and I am sure he came to you dehydrated.
For now, you could remove the water dish at night, and hopefully a heavier one won't be tippable. otherwise, you could nest two dishes and hot glue the bottom one to the box so you could clean the top one.
you could put a pile of Timothy hay inside his hide, might need to be changed frequently, but they do like it.
Then some shredded newspaper scattered over the rest of it.
Would it be worth it to line the box with a garbage bag and tape it up the sides with duct tape? easier to keep clean.
Check the home depot/lowe's kind of stores. they often still carry soil this time of year, look for Topsoil (not Potting soil). I've seen the organic version there. Once his wound is cleared for soil, you can use this in his new enclosure. The coir will work very well too.
What a wonderful story!

 

[Creteloc]

I forgot to mention that he glared at me lol He came with this stinky brown goo all over his shell so I took a baby sponge and gently wiped it off of him. He didn't seem very happy and I swear he gave me the evil eye.

 

[DSaenz]

You are the best thing that ever happend to this precious tort!

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

Chekov! love the name

 

[cemmons12]

Good job on the rescue! Always makes me smile to hear of a happy ending on our forum! Keep up the great work!!

 

[SailingMystic]

Go get him!! Definitely! You were worried enough to call- you know the situation. Go !! Use something temporary-- keep it warm do a warm soak - give the poor thing some care. Get some fresh food-- greens! It will work out. nothing in life is perfect and you'll never be "ready"-- it will come together.

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I got too excited -- replied too fast. I'm glad you got him!! ! He's so handsome !!

What I did with my glazed terra-cotta dish and shallow low glass pie plates was surround them tightly under the lip with rocks and push the dish to the corner = no flipping and heavy.

Seems he loves water (a good thing for sure). When you can, try the organic greens section in the supermarket - cabbage and escarole, etc. my Russian Hemi had a pile taller than he was the first night and the next day it was gone!! he eats like he never ate before! That's awesome yours has an appetite. He may be so exhausted from his ordeal-- don't be surprised if you find him sleeping for two days straight. When I rehabbed I used hand towels-- 12" by 16" or so - sanitized All (no scent or anything and washed them in hot water -no bounce sheets or anything) towels helped a lot - as they used them to borrow under. Pick dark colors. Mist it them but keep him warm now. ! He needs to be clean (and towels are easy to clean).

You are doing great!!
I just loggged on to a computer and did notice his beak- he definately needs someone to dremmel that down. It's way too long. He will eat like a champ once that's back to normal. Does your vet know how to do this?

 

[zzzdanz]

He's a bright eyed,good looking Russian. He'll bounce back from his ordeal in no time at all. I really wouldn't even bother with a water dish for now, until he's set up in a proper enclosure. Soaks will be fine until then...What kind of vet would let him go with out a beak trim is beyond me..he needs a big trim.

 

[tortiechik]

shredded newspaper if you cant find dirt.. cleaner for now until that shell heals a bit..
doesnt look too bad.

I agree, the shredded newspaper wont get into the wound like sand would. But it is a mess to deal with for very long so get him on bark or sand or some other substrate as soon as his wound is healed

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I am glad you were able to get him. Even though you arent set up yet, you will have a better set up than what the humane society would have come up with.