HI All, I am Lohan...have recently just inherited a small tiny tortoise from a distressed lady who needed someone to care for her animals for a few days. Needless to say the few days have passed and I still have the tortoise and no sign of the woman ! I have been doing a lot of research about tortoise's and getting a little confused by all of the info out there. I just want to make sure that I am doing my best to care for this tiny, cute little thing. After some research I am convinced it is an Egyptian Tortoise - after looking at many photos and reading descriptions of that species and very worried that they are near exctint and a protected species. I was very alarmed when I got home last night and looked at the markings on her tummy, which was how the Egyptian Tortoise is described...and of course this made me even more nervous that I should take even more care to make it happy and comfortable! Im in a bit of a difficult situation...why because we live in a small town in the South Sinai Peninsula of Egypt....and in terms of supplies easily accessible this is very very difficult...even things for human beings are hard to find sometimes, let alone a tiny little unique creature like this. Also the vet here Im not sure will have extensive enough knowledge of exotics! At this time of year it is very cold here so I am keen to keep her/him warm enough but need to know what temps she should be kept in and definatley must not fall below?- we are calling it a her for now and her name is between Tiny T or Lulu!!!!...after reading about how they need warmth, bathing, and a hiding place i went home last night and tried to sort things out but I think I have a lot of work to do! She is not eating AT ALL!!!!....but is walking around quite a bit and fairly fast for what I had expected, and then she tends to hide herself in the shaded areas of the room! Last night i bathed her in luke warm water as advised, but hen started to freak out as whilst it looked like she was drinking (good news) it also looked like her nostrils where also in the water so I was worried she was drowning so pulled her out (slowly of course)..then I thought oh its ok she was drinking, which is a realy good sign! Whilst in the water, she lifted up her back legs fully extended like a car jack and her front legs where completley down, as was her front body - her face was in the water and she was opening and closing her mouth...but like I said her nose was also in the water....her front legs where completly down and it looked like it was hard for her to move them....after I took her out I noticed she was opening and closing her mouth so I thought it is signs of RI...but no bubbles or anything around her nose! Then i got even more alarmed as she opened her mouth very wide for a moment so I think she was suffering and gasping for breath. She then after a while seemed to get herself together again and then walked off for abit, and then found herself into a shaded area close up against the wall and in the shell. As I dont have any grass or anything and dont have much hope to find coconut grass...I took advice from one of the sites that said even ripped up paper will do until I can get some ideal stuff. I piled the riped news paper close to where she likes to hide, then once she arrived there i put some around and above her slightly - careful not to scare her. I am really really worried about her and really need some advice. I will call to the vet but after a failed attempt of helping me to care for a tiny rescued kitten in the past (long story and this one about Tiny T is already long enough) Im not so confident in the vet! I have tried to feed her cucumber and placed the food in front of her and she keeps just turning around and walking away from it, i also tried carrot and put it to her mouth last night but still no eating! Please can you help and let me know what I am supposed to do. My lounge is large so she has plenty of places to move around and seems to enjoy doing that but no eating, no drinking, no weeing or pooing, Im worried. She also spends a lot of time in her shell huddled up to the wall in the shell....my floor is ceramic tiles although now I have lots of torn paper piles for her...and looking for a suitable box for her.....she is so beautiful and funny sometimes, and I just want to make sure she is ok, comfortable and not suffering....I am almost certain she is the Egyptian Tortoise after looking at photos adn reading descriptions. She is small - smaller than the full palm of my hand..her skin is very pale yellow, sandy colour, and her belly has the two dark brown almost triangular patterns either side, two twin patterns. Please can you help with any advice, but please do not get too technical as that makes it harder for me as I have no clue until now about Tortoise. Finally I have a normal desk spot light, that uses a normal bulb, with a clip on attahcment, it generates warmth. Is this ok to use until we can get our hands on a proper heating light?....surley its better than nothing as I think she must be very cold, so long as I am there monitoring and never leave it on above her unattended??.....the very shallow warm bath water soon gets very cold so not sure if that helped her much although it was the first time I have seen her open her mouth and I do want to try again tonight - it is 8pm here in Egypt now and I will be home in about 2 hours...if anyone picks this up tonight before 9pm (egypt time) please can you at least let me know if the behaviour of drinking water that I witnessed last night is correct - the back two legs fully extended high, so the front of her body was low and her face in the water just mouth and nose...also if her two little holes for her nose are in the water does this mean she is unable to breath and must be pulled out? I am so scared not to hurt her and that I am not making things worse....many thanks for your help. Lohan : )