New Tort Mom from Kentucky

[Melissa Wahl]

Hi! I have already had some wonderful advice on a thread I began about our little rescued sulcata Sheldon. He came from a police/animal control seizure and the shelter who had him didn't know anything about him, nor what his history was. Since I've never had a tortoise before, and my son and husband thought it would be fun, and we have the space and resources, we decided to give him a home. He's scheduled to see the vet tomorrow to hopefully find out why he's so lethargic. We're hoping he just needs time to adjust to his new surroundings.

About me, I live in south central Kentucky with my husband of 25 years and my son who is 18. We have six dogs (two mutts, one we adopted and the other we took in as a stray, one English Bull Terrier, one Pom and two Doxies), five cats, a Goffin Cockatoo, a DYH Amazon, three horses and a donkey. So yes, I am an animal lover. We moved here just over a year ago from cold, snowy Massachusetts and absolutely love it.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome I too have. Bull Terrier, wow are they ever true to the Bull. Nice little zoo you have going there.

 

[Heather H]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Jodie]

Welcome to the forum. Best of luck with the Sulcata.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Melissa welcome to the TFO from AZ . Great Zoo . But torts Rule ! So when do we get to see Picts of the tort and its enclosure ?

 

[Melissa Wahl]

Thank you for the nice welcome!

Grandpa - here he is. I'm working on getting him some place bigger.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Melissa!

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum. Good luck at the Vet tomorrow. We will be waiting to hear how it went. I am sure you will have a bunch of questions after your visit. Feel free to ask away.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[TortsNTurtles]

Welcome!

 

[bouaboua]

Welcome and Congrats ! ! ! !

 

[Melissa Wahl]

Thank you all again for the warm welcome!

The vet appointment went very well! Turns out the vet has treated sulcatas before which was great. He said (as many of you have said) that it's probably the trauma of being taken from his home, then going to the animal shelter without a heat lamp for a day, and then adjusting to his new home that has him off his feed. But he said overall he looks great - nice clear eyes, shell and skin look healthy. He also said he didn't see evidence of any parasites by way of no ulcers on his mouth or bum. He took a stool sample with a q-tip and tested it to be sure and it came back clean. He just said to keep doing what we're doing and he should have his appetite back in another week or so. So relieved!

 

[Heather H]

Thank you all again for the warm welcome!

The vet appointment went very well! Turns out the vet has treated sulcatas before which was great. He said (as many of you have said) that it's probably the trauma of being taken from his home, then going to the animal shelter without a heat lamp for a day, and then adjusting to his new home that has him off his feed. But he said overall he looks great - nice clear eyes, shell and skin look healthy. He also said he didn't see evidence of any parasites by way of no ulcers on his mouth or bum. He took a stool sample with a q-tip and tested it to be sure and it came back clean. He just said to keep doing what we're doing and he should have his appetite back in another week or so. So relieved!

love the good news

 

[Jacqui]

What great news! Glad you have those worries pretty much cleared up and can move on.

 

[Melissa Wahl]

Thank you!

 

[smarch]

Welcome from snowy Massachusetts (extra emphasis on that SNOWY! You got out just in time!)
great rescue, i can tell already he's in good hands. Careful with torts around dogs... they look like yummy chew toys. Sounds like this tortoise found the perfect home!

 

[Melissa Wahl]

smarch - thank you! And don't worry, my son won't let the dogs NEAR Sheldon. And yeah, I've had fun teasing my friends back in MA about the snow. I am SO glad to be out of there!

 

[smarch]

smarch - thank you! And don't worry, my son won't let the dogs NEAR Sheldon. And yeah, I've had fun teasing my friends back in MA about the snow. I am SO glad to be out of there!

Just making sure since no one else stated it
And where-abouts from MA? I'm from a small town right outside Worcester... work and go to school in Worcester... the snowiest city in the US right now! Although we're faring better than Boston where fights have been breaking out because people have to shovel sidewalks, but plows need to put the snow somewhere! You're beyond lucky to be out of here!

 

[Melissa Wahl]

They don't get any smaller than where I'm from - West Brookfield. Pretty little town, but because I have horses, winters were a nightmare for me. I can't even imagine what it would be like there this year. It used to make me want to give it all up and board my horses and live in a condo instead of my pretty little farm. Here I don't have to worry about all that!