Tortoise duo not taken care of at my school.

[bella&george]

Hello everyone. My school currently has 2 very young looking tortoises kept in a tortoise table filled with sand, a small underground burrow, and food and water platforms that are never filled, except by that of the students during lunch time. Obviously there's something wrong with their care. These tortoises have been in this situation since a while last year. We have made complaints to the principal but nothing seems to have gone through to it's owner. Just yesterday I found out the owner's name, turns out he's a teacher. The tortoise table is pad-locked on both sides and left outside, and the two little ones have been in their burrow all winter, not even coming out at the hottest time of the day, and now i'm wondering if they are even alive in there. I doubt I would be able to take them home, nor can I visit the school more than during the school day. I have talked to the principal briefly, but to little avail it seems. I want to do something more, as I was stupid for waiting so long to take action. I have an idea about what I should do, but does anyone have anymore advice? How should I go about improving these guys living conditions?

 

[Ink]

Do you know what kind of tortoise they are? Maybe then print out the care sheet from tortoise forum and give it to the teacher and principal?

 

[ALICE_in_Wonderland]

Have you talked to your parents about this? Maybe call animal control?

 

[Lyn W]

There is such a lot wrong with the way they are being kept and you are right to be concerned. Torts should never be kept on pairs in small enclosed spaces, and sand can cause all sorts of problems.
It could be that they are hibernating or in a state of brumation at the moment depending on your temps so they may be fine in their hide for now. Keep an eye on them if you can for signs of them waking.
Try to find out the species so we can link the right carehseet for you then maybe speak to the teacher and tell him you are interested in torts and have your own, then say you'll be happy to help him with their care because he's so busy. Then you'll have a chance to put things right without actually telling him he isn't looking after them properly which may not go down too well.
If he declines your offer tell him about the forum and how up to date and helpful it's been to you and how well your tort is doing, and give him the caresheet.
Alternatively maybe another US member can email the teacher or principal?

 

[bella&george]

Do you know what kind of tortoise they are? Maybe then print out the care sheet from tortoise forum and give it to the teacher and principal?

I do not know. I may be able to get a picture of their back tomorrow. I was planning on printing the care sheet but by the looks of how the principal responded, they probably wouldn't care enough to read through it. I am going to print them out anyway, though, so that when I meet the owner I can show him. The only problem is that the owner is a teacher in the special needs classroom (although I have never seen him before), and is in the classroom there most of the day and with the kids, so I don't have many chances.

 

[bella&george]

Have you talked to your parents about this? Maybe call animal control?

I have not yet. We own animals here and they are already quite the handful in terms of costs and time, so my dad would probably tell me to just tell the principal or teacher and that would be the end of it. I would rather not get into legal stuff like that before I find what I can do for them now.

 

[bella&george]

There is such a lot wrong with the way they are being kept and you are right to be concerned. Torts should never be kept on pairs in small enclosed spaces, and sand can cause all sorts of problems.
It could be that they are hibernating or in a state of brumation at the moment depending on your temps so they may be fine in their hide for now. Keep an eye on them if you can for signs of them waking.
Try to find out the species so we can link the right carehseet for you then maybe speak to the teacher and tell him you are interested in torts and have your own, then say you'll be happy to help him with their care because he's so busy. Then you'll have a chance to put things right without actually telling him he isn't looking after them properly which may not go down too well.
If he declines your offer tell him about the forum and how up to date and helpful it's been to you and how well your tort is doing, and give him the caresheet.
Alternatively maybe another US member can email the teacher or principal?

Thank you for the advice everyone, so far.
I will try to figure it out and get a picture of them tomorrow, and I sure hope they are alright. They never got proper nutrition and food in the summer, which makes this even worse. I will definitely look for him tomorrow. I actually have not emailed them yet, I will try to find their email on our school website and tell them my concerns, as well as send him the caresheet. It worries me that they will be alone and left there over the weekend. It can get in the 40's at night and they have no source of heat.

 

[Tom]

It can get in the 40's at night and they have no source of heat.

Whether or not this is really bad depends on the species.

Sand, no water, and inconsistent or incorrect food are big problems. No tortoise should be on sand. All tortoises need water and the correct foods.

 

[wellington]

I think you should get that picture of them so we can verify the species.
Then once you know that, print out the care sheet.
Give a copy to the tortoise owner/teacher and another to the principle.
Let both know that for the well being of the animals, as they are now being neglected, if changes are not made, you will have to report the illegal animal neglect to animal control!

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Can you try and get pictures of where they are situated and possibly to see if they are still alive?
You can poke their limbs to see if you get any resposes.

 

[bella&george]

Hello everyone and thank you all so much for the responses. As for an update: This morning I got permission to open the tortoise table and check on them from the principal, who said that their owner was out of town for his sister's wedding. Even before this time, though, I had never seen the tortoises properly taken care of. Old, crusty vegetables on their platform, their table seemingly never opened, and a plant saucer for a waterer, which isn't bad except for that it was rarely filled, even in the summer. I sent an email yesterday to the owner asking if I could help out with a link to a caresheet and to this website. I got an email back this morning- from a different person- telling me that the baby tortoises are hibernating and will wake up in april, that the person who sent it also has a sulcata at home, and that the kids in the caretaker's class take care of the tortoises as part of their daily activities. I do not wish to be rude but they have not done much of a good job if that is the case. Can anyone tell me anything about what this person said about hibernating? I feel as though they have had so little food that they will die before they wake up in april, and the temps are already rising here in AZ. Another thing- during lunchtime today I took the tortoises out of their burrow. They were alive, thankfully. After what she said about hibernation I wonder if it was a mistake. The tortoises were interested in eating, lethargic, but as they sat in the sun they started to move and walked around a bit. To open the tort table I have to ask one of the teacher in the neighboring classroom for the key, and one of the teachers I met today were adamant to let me do anything, but seemed to know nothing about the tortoises and their care either. The person in the email seems more informed, but I don't think I can just sit here when those tortoises could die. Any more advice on what I should do? Or the hibernating? Is it good to get involved like this and pressure them? Thanks

 

[bella&george]

About the pictures, I was not able to get them today because the teachers were out patrolling. If I took out my phone they would have probably yelled at me to put it away or have taken it.

 

[Yvonne G]

If they truly are hibernating (actually called brumating), then don't put food in there. They need an empty stomach and digestive tract during brumation. Give them a nice soak then put them back in their burrow to go back to sleep.

 

[bella&george]

If they truly are hibernating (actually called brumating), then don't put food in there. They need an empty stomach and digestive tract during brumation. Give them a nice soak then put them back in their burrow to go back to sleep.

Will they really be alright when they had such little food before this? I won't be able to soak them, unfortunately. But, one of the torts went back into their burrow on their own. The other hung around for a bit and sat in a corner. I do not know their current state, since they are left at school. We go back to school next Tuesday, and the only water I could get there is cold sink water. I hope they are able to brumate if it was true.

 

[wellington]

If they truly are hibernating (actually called brumating), then don't put food in there. They need an empty stomach and digestive tract during brumation. Give them a nice soak then put them back in their burrow to go back to sleep.

If they are in a class room in AZ do you really think they could be brumating?
Sounds like they already ate some food.
I think it's best to keep them up now as I highly doubt they are brumating properly in a room, in a school, in AZ.

 

[bella&george]

If they are in a class room in AZ do you really think they could be brumating?
Sounds like they already ate some food.
I think it's best to keep them up now as I highly doubt they are brumating properly in a room, in a school, in AZ.

They are not in a room, they are kept outside in a tort table. Out forecast says that it will stay in 50-60 F range at night, and 60-70 during the day, as it is very sunny here. I did not see them eat, but they didn't seem interested either. During the middle of the day, sunlight directly hits their enclosure and it is warm out. This might interfere with their brumating.

 

[Sarah2020]

If they are brumating, they do that on an empty stomach so the food does not rot inside whilst sleeping. My view is you find the teacher at a convenient time and tell him your interested in reptiles and tortoise and often look at his tortoise and ask him to tell you more about them. You can suggest that maybe you can help him look after them and in time show him the care sheet. Depending on the species and their care they will need cleaning out, food, water daily and the correct substrate also they do enjoy a shallow warm water soak to hydrate. They are fascinating and i commend you at such a young age to be concerned... it is brilliant. Keep us posted and ask questions.

 

[wellington]

They are not in a room, they are kept outside in a tort table. Out forecast says that it will stay in 50-60 F range at night, and 60-70 during the day, as it is very sunny here. I did not see them eat, but they didn't seem interested either. During the middle of the day, sunlight directly hits their enclosure and it is warm out. This might interfere with their brumating.

Sorry misunderstood the outdoor part. Have you figured out what species yet? I have not found where that has been determined. Certain species like Russians and Hermanns regular temps at night is 60. Day time would be a range from 75-95.
Really need to know the species.
I think you would be best, if they really had very little food or no food, to let them go back to what they were doing and try to get someone to feed and water every day incase they come out. Brumating temps need to be in the 40's not 60's. However without being able to totally take over the care of them, you can't do enough to change things.
In the meantime try to find out the species and give the owner all the info to change things.

 

[bella&george]

If they are brumating, they do that on an empty stomach so the food does not rot inside whilst sleeping. My view is you find the teacher at a convenient time and tell him your interested in reptiles and tortoise and often look at his tortoise and ask him to tell you more about them. You can suggest that maybe you can help him look after them and in time show him the care sheet. Depending on the species and their care they will need cleaning out, food, water daily and the correct substrate also they do enjoy a shallow warm water soak to hydrate. They are fascinating and i commend you at such a young age to be concerned... it is brilliant. Keep us posted and ask questions.

It seems I will have to wait for the teacher to come back, then. All I'm hoping is that he is more open and reasonable than the teacher I met yesterday. He must think that that they are brumating like the one in the email said. Will definitely keep you guys updated.

 

[bella&george]

Sorry misunderstood the outdoor part. Have you figured out what species yet? I have not found where that has been determined. Certain species like Russians and Hermanns regular temps at night is 60. Day time would be a range from 75-95.
Really need to know the species.
I think you would be best, if they really had very little food or no food, to let them go back to what they were doing and try to get someone to feed and water every day incase they come out. Brumating temps need to be in the 40's not 60's. However without being able to totally take over the care of them, you can't do enough to change things.
In the meantime try to find out the species and give the owner all the info to change things.

I have not determined the species yet. All I got from the teacher in the classrooom behind it was basically "Ms. something something gave them to us and told us to feed fruits and veggies." and they didn't know anything else. Was going to look for that teacher but I had no idea where to find her. Since one tortoise already went back into their hide after some time out, I'm sure the other will have followed. I will let them brumate. I will, thank you!