Might get a chance to adopt a neglected Russian

[Seejai]

Hi,

I am a college student with one baby sulcata tortoise. My friend just got a hold of me yesterday and said he just got back from Christmas break to find that his roommate's tortoise had been left in their dorm from December 22-January 12 without care, food, or heating. He said the tortoise was still alive and he was trying to get some food for it. I don't know much about Russians, so I suppose she could have hibernated, but this isn't the first sign of neglect I've seen from her owner.

I heard from another one of his friends that he was probably looking to get rid of it, and while I'm trying with all my might not to become a reptile hoarder before I even graduate college, I figure I've already made the biggest tortoise commitment possible with my sulcata and it's much better for me to have that Russian than for it to die of neglect. I'm pretty upset about his treatment of it, probably especially since my baby sulcata is so high maintenance I can't imagine doing something like that.

I know almost nothing about Russians, so my I guess I'm just double checking that abandonment isn't typical for Russian owners, right? And secondly, If it has been starving/neglected/hibernating, what can I do for it, since I might get it as early as Monday?

 

[tortisimo]

I know almost nothing about Russians, so my I guess I'm just double checking that abandonment isn't typical for Russian owners, right? And secondly, If it has been starving/neglected/hibernating, what can I do for it, since I might get it as early as Monday?

No! I love my russian! I would never abandon him. Some people are just like that

First, I would get an enclosure set up. Secondly, feed him/her. I would soak him/her (To hydrate it) and give him/her a cuttlebone (if the owner didn't give calcium) Then leave him/her alone for a while to get used to his environment and to lower his stress levels. Look at Tom's threads and if anything is different from what I said, trust Tom, not me.

 

[Seejai]

Every time I've seen her she's never had water or cuttlebone and is only fed iceberg lettuce. There's a lamp on her enclosure but it never seems to be on. I hope he decides to give her to me.

 

[Tom]

I sincerely hope you end up with him. There is a lot of Russian info around. While I appreciate tortisimo's vote of confidence, I have very little actual Russian experience. This will soon change for the better, and I have been studying everything I can find on them for the last two or three years, so I know the info is out there. They are really easy. Just give them a large enclosure and a heat lamp with a basking spot of around 95-100 for 12 hours a day. Room temp is fine for night unless your room drops below the 60s. Diet is similar to your sulcata but much less grass.

There are lots of members here with Russian experience. I'd PM one or some of them for specific advice.

 

[cherylim]

The tortoise won't have been brumating, as it won't be cold enough. It will just have been starving, cold and dehydrated, and is probably severely lacking and facing serious health issues.

Hope you get that tortoise, if only to return it to health and send it on to someone else if you don't choose to take it on yourself.

 

[Jacqui]

While the length of time it has been in a very slow state seems long to us, unless the tortoise was underweight to begin with he should be fine. Russians remind me a bit of the energizer rabbit, they can take a beating and keep on ticking. The cold was not enough for a full brumation most likely, but any uneaten food has probally been sitting undigested in it's stomach. Warm (not hot) soaks will really help him. It will raise temps, help it to clean out it's system, and get it hopefully back to wanting to eat. Talk to the owner and see if they will give the animal to you. We won't be considering you a hoarder, just a very caring compassionate person.

You may want to get a large plastic container and use that if you get him for his enclosure. Even if you end up not getting the tortoise, most likely you can find a use for it yourself.

 

[Seejai]

I think I'll be able to see the tortoise tonight. I instructed his roommate to get it some leafy greens, turn on his lamp that is never on, and put some water in there. His told me that his roommate never puts water in there because she doesn't drink it, and I was like well your roommate also thought it was a good idea to leave unattended for 3 weeks! And apparently the roommate has moved out and the tortoise is one of many things he hasn't bothered to pick up.

Anyways, he gave the tortoise the water and said she was active, having a bath (not sure if the tortoise went in the water herself or not... the guy I was talking to is a French exchange student, our conversations get confusing) and eating.

Hopefully I can inspect it tonight.

 

[biochemnerd808]

I hope you end up with the tort - I've rescued several, and rehabilitated and then rehomed them with friends. They are tough critters. If you'd like you can read Norbert's story on my blog... he was kept in a barn stall without water or heat, and wasn't fed for 6 months, and had a terrible foot wound. Russian torts are survivors, who will then thrive with good care!
http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2012/11/rescuing-and-rehabilitating-norbert-aka.html
Now he is happy and healthy, and walks around on his little stump like he never was hurt.

I think I'll be able to see the tortoise tonight. I instructed his roommate to get it some leafy greens, turn on his lamp that is never on, and put some water in there. His told me that his roommate never puts water in there because she doesn't drink it, and I was like well your roommate also thought it was a good idea to leave unattended for 3 weeks! And apparently the roommate has moved out and the tortoise is one of many things he hasn't bothered to pick up.

Anyways, he gave the tortoise the water and said she was active, having a bath (not sure if the tortoise went in the water herself or not... the guy I was talking to is a French exchange student, our conversations get confusing) and eating.

Hopefully I can inspect it tonight.

 

[Jacqui]

The roommate has moved out leaving the tortoise, how wonderful. I think I would just take it and deal with the owner after the fact. If he gave you a hard time, I would threaten reporting him to authorities for animal abuse and abandonment. (Yeah, I am not a nice person) Of course (playing devil's advocate here), the owner may also be a victim. He may have been given wrong information and may honestly believe the animal is just fine being left like he was.

 

[Seejai]

Well, my friend is reluctant to just give it to me without talking to him first. My mom thinks I should report him too, but knowing North Dakota, tortoises probably aren't protected by law and I'm scared if he feels like I'm threatening him he'll get mad and not want to give her to me. I don't know, I hardly know the tortoise's owner. My friend said the tortoise is very active now, so it sounds like it's OK, I just have to wait for him to talk to his roommate for me.

 

[weldorNate]

If he was left in the dorm here in North Dakota i bet he went into hibernation cause i know the colleges turn the heat down during the break. By the way what part of North Dakota u live in cause i live in North Dakota and just got a Russian Tortoise. I can't help you out on the North Dakota laws but know a friend who might.

 

[Seejai]

If he was left in the dorm here in North Dakota i bet he went into hibernation cause i know the colleges turn the heat down during the break. By the way what part of North Dakota u live in cause i live in North Dakota and just got a Russian Tortoise. I can't help you out on the North Dakota laws but know a friend who might.

That's good then if she was able to hibernate. I go to school in Jamestown. You?

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/statestatutes/stusndset.htm

I found this on the laws.. the second one does say ANY animal, but maybe if she was legitimately hibernating being left there wasn't as harmful as I thought. I have no clue, I have the hibernation-less sulcata.

 

[weldorNate]

Well i used to go to College and work in Wahpeton but but moving back to Cando i left for the weekend while my roommate is looking after my tort. I will be going back to get him. Yea i know most colleges turn the heat down in the dorms in North Dakota because the are saving money on heating bills i bet it hibernated then probably woke up when i got warm again. I will see what my friends says on neglected animals cause she is a law student. and get in touch with you.

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I also believe that North Dakota law is that if anything is left over and abandoned for a month you can legal keep it.

 

[Seejai]

Well i used to go to College and work in Wahpeton but but moving back to Cando i left for the weekend while my roommate is looking after my tort. I will be going back to get him. Yea i know most colleges turn the heat down in the dorms in North Dakota because the are saving money on heating bills i bet it hibernated then probably woke up when i got warm again. I will see what my friends says on neglected animals cause she is a law student. and get in touch with you.

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I also believe that North Dakota law is that if anything is left over and abandoned for a month you can legal keep it.

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If he leaves her for another week it'll be a month!

 

[weldorNate]

Yep and on that link you posted said they go after any animal that was abandon and i will call that abandonment. By the way i really enjoy my Russian Tort. i could never leave it like that or any of my pets that i have.

 

[Kerryann]

I hope you get the little bugger. My Russian was not well taken care of and now has cosmetic deformities from it but is really active and healthy. They are tough little critters.

 

[Seejai]

I went to visit the tortoise today, since my friend is still waiting to hear back from his MIA roommate.

I am not much for assessing tortoise health, so I can't say how she is. I took a couple picture of the little guy, and I realized I'm not actually sure if it is a Russian. Can anyone tell from these pics?

 

[lynnedit]

Looks like a Russian. Beak is overgrown.
Can you get him/her?

 

[Seejai]

Still haven't heard back from the owner and his roommate is insistent he gets permission before he gives her to me (even though the roommate has essentially just abandoned her and apparently assumed his clueless roommates would take care of her). I'm extremely annoyed, but I'm working on it. She is at least being fed and has access to water for now.

Still, I really had my hopes up for getting her. I will keep trying to get an answer out of my friend, because he is a foreign exchange student, and definitely can't take care of her for the long run.

 

[lynnedit]

Well, hang in there. Sounds like the owner might only be here for a year, so will have to do something with the tort eventually. At least the tort is being fed and watered, thanks to you!