My Horsefield Tortoise is sick

[Pheonix Rainbow]

I came into taking care of a horsefield tortoise is a very strange sort of way. My ex-boyfriend's friends found this little guy in a park. My boyfriend came into caring for him. Then we moved apart and I took the tortoise, who's name is Adventure (not my choice). I don't know much about him except for what I have researched. I don't have the money to properly care for him, and neither does my ex.. and yet, when I suggested that we give him to someone who might or even a pet shop, he said NO. He wants him back, which is his right, I guess.... but the poor little guy needs to be taken are of better! I am worried sick about him.. Just today when I let him out of his enclosure he was wobbling around and almost falling. He is very slow and lethargic and off balance. I feel terrible and don't have info like his age or where he originally came from. I do know that from the young horsefield tortoise pics he looks like he's probably older. I determined his sex by his long curled up tail. He hasn't been pooping much and when he does it looks runny. My ex is planning on coming to pick him up in the next few days or so and I haven't called him today yet to let him know how sick his little guy appears to be. But, I am also upset because for the longest time my ex did very minimal research and thought that he was a box turtle, which needs VERY different care from a horsefield tortoise, as you all know.. so he was taking care of him like a box turtle. I knew somehow that he was wrong, because when I looked at pics of box turtles I knew that he didn't look anything like one. So I took into my own hands to research by looking for pictures... and figured it out. Anyway... I feed him a mix of greens every day and sometimes a little bit of banana or apple, very rarely. Some cut up carrots and kale. ANY ADVICE? I only have him a couple more days, but I can tell my ex anything anyone suggests on here. Thanks.

 

[bingbongbibidybobbo]

Soak him in some warm water for a good 30 mins 4 the next few days and keep him warm.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi phoenixrainbow:

The tortoise needs some sunshine. It sounds like he is suffering from metabolic bone disease. If he can't be outside, then he needs the UVB that an expensive light provides. Without the UVB from either the light or the sun, the calcium doesn't get the vitamin d3 that it needs in order to function properly inside the body. Eventually he will get soft and die.

Go to russiantortoise.org and print out their care sheet for your BF, but when he comes to get the tortoise please stress that the tortoise is in urgent need of a good UVB light.