A few weeks ago, I posted a story about my 17 year old male tortoise "Gecko" (my son named him when he was a little boy). He dug under the fence into an unsafe part of the yard. I fed the tortoises on Friday morning, and when I looked for him on Saturday, I could not find him. I eventually found him...head down-tail up..in a round ditch, full of water, that was just about his size. There was no way for him to get out. His head was submerged for at least 18 hours.
He was completely limp when I found him-and I was sure that he was dead. To make a long story short-I found a vet that said "bring him right in". She gave him a shot of Lasix, I kept him inside under a heat lamp for a week, giving him antibiotic injections to prevent pneumonia. He began eating about 3 days later. He is completely fine now. It is just amazing that he survived that series of events.
I have since fortified the the enclosure. After being a desert tortoise owner for 25 years, I am in the process of building very secure structure for my tortoises. I have a greater love and appreciation for them after this very wrenching series of events.
I am so glad that I found this forum!! I have learned much by reading the information that you share. Thank you so much!! April, Gecko and Tim
He was completely limp when I found him-and I was sure that he was dead. To make a long story short-I found a vet that said "bring him right in". She gave him a shot of Lasix, I kept him inside under a heat lamp for a week, giving him antibiotic injections to prevent pneumonia. He began eating about 3 days later. He is completely fine now. It is just amazing that he survived that series of events.
I have since fortified the the enclosure. After being a desert tortoise owner for 25 years, I am in the process of building very secure structure for my tortoises. I have a greater love and appreciation for them after this very wrenching series of events.
I am so glad that I found this forum!! I have learned much by reading the information that you share. Thank you so much!! April, Gecko and Tim