Tortoise in the fish Pond

Status
Not open for further replies.

MaBlo98

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
9
Hi Folks

New here and not sure the topic has been covered.
I had a traumatic time at the weekend when two of my tortoises found themselves in my fish pond. (Hermans and a Spurthigh both 40+)
Someone had left the gate between the gardens open and they had wandered in and I can only assume chased each other into the pond.

Anyway, they were in there for several hours and when found I thought they were both dead. lifeless, floppy and a horrible colour.

Tortoises have a different way of breathing than most creatures and I think this may have saved them. i took them out of the pond and opened their mouths and tipped them upside down to drain out as much water as possible. Then gave them mouth to nose resussitation (just a gentle breath every 5 seconds ). While upside down i tapped quite firmly on their undershells to try and dislodge as much water as possible. Gently pressed in their back legs to compress the insides again to expel water if possible.

By some miracle they both began to show signs of life and this continued to improve over night (kept them warm infront of the fire) and by the next day (Sunday) they had eaten something and were mobile again. iam now hoping there will be no long term effects.

Apparently this is not uncommon and tortoises that have been trapped by floodwater have been known to survive in much the same way.

Just thought you all might be interested to know you must not give up hope if your shell mate does decide to take a dip.

MaBlo
 

hystrix

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
75
What a traumatic experience!!
I am so glad to hear your tortoises are recovering:D
Your prompt tortoise CPR saved them!

Em
 

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
39,941
Location (City and/or State)
A Land Far Away...
Good thing you were lucky enough to spot them in time and knew what to try. :)

Gates are great inventions, but they always seem to find ways to get left open. :( Any chance you can do some creative fence building so it won't happen again?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Here's a method I use on one of the gates in my yard:

Pound a wooden stake into the ground about 2 inches in front of the posts on either side of the gate, on the side away from the way the gate opens. Then place a 1" x 12" board down in between the post and the gate. When the gate is open, you have to step over the 12" board to pass through, but the tortoise doesn't know the gate is open. If you have to take the lawn mower of garbage can through the gate, you just lift the board, pass through then place the board back in the slot.

Another way to be sure the gate stays shut is to put a spring on it.

Here's another way to get water out of a tortoise's lungs:

Place one hand on the plastron supporting his head with your fingers. Put your other hand on the carapace. Gently swing the tortoise, head down, in an arc from your shoulder level to your knee level, using centrifical force to push the water down and out. After doing this a couple times, sit down with the tortoise in your lap with his head lower than his body. Gently pull his front legs out and push them gently back in. Do this several times on the front, then several times on the back.

Since the tortoise has had water in his lungs, now you have to watch for a respiratory infection.

Keep us posted!

Yvonne
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
MaBlo, welcome to the forum and for the great ending to a bad situation. Glad you were inventive and did not give up. Congratulations and lets all keep those darn gates shut.
 

EriNichole

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
28
Oh MY!! What a fantastic story, just another testament as to how amazingly resilient some creatures can be... I am very happy for you they pulled through and fared so well, You must be tremendously relieved! I would be!

.... Now if they were only more resilient against wicked terrier attacks we'd be in good shape! Blasted DOG! Yes, I am still quite torrent about the "incident"....
 

MaBlo98

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
9
Do you think it would be a good idea to get them an antibiotic jab just in case??.


Here's a method I use on one of the gates in my yard:

Pound a wooden stake into the ground about 2 inches in front of the posts on either side of the gate, on the side away from the way the gate opens. Then place a 1" x 12" board down in between the post and the gate. When the gate is open, you have to step over the 12" board to pass through, but the tortoise doesn't know the gate is open. If you have to take the lawn mower of garbage can through the gate, you just lift the board, pass through then place the board back in the slot.

Another way to be sure the gate stays shut is to put a spring on it.

Here's another way to get water out of a tortoise's lungs:

Place one hand on the plastron supporting his head with your fingers. Put your other hand on the carapace. Gently swing the tortoise, head down, in an arc from your shoulder level to your knee level, using centrifical force to push the water down and out. After doing this a couple times, sit down with the tortoise in your lap with his head lower than his body. Gently pull his front legs out and push them gently back in. Do this several times on the front, then several times on the back.

Since the tortoise has had water in his lungs, now you have to watch for a respiratory infection.

Keep us posted!

Yvonne
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
MaBlo98 said:
Do you think it would be a good idea to get them an antibiotic jab just in case??.

Personally, I don't like to use antibiotics unless it is absolutely necessary. Its hard on their kidneys. Just keep it in the back of your mind, and if he starts to show symptoms of respiratory distress, then you'll remember what happened.

Yvonne
 

MaBlo98

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
9
Hi,
I took the vets advice and they were both given a general antibiotic injection. They should be big enough not to be affected by sideeffects and as they are free roaming its not easy to keep monitoring them.
Both roaming and eating so at this time all is well. I am amazed.
Gate now firmly barricaded. Fish pond being re-designed. It wont happen again
 

ZippyButter

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
359
Location (City and/or State)
Texas/Cal.
Glad that they are OK now. However, I'm a little disappointed that you listened to your vet and applied antibiotic to your torts. Everytime we use this kind of drug, it will destroy all the bad bacteria BUT ALSO the GOOD kind that is beneficial for the torts. Sometimes, we should let mother nature runs her course for our animals and our own health, not the medicine. I don't mean to offend you, I just want to share with you some of my experiences. Please keep us posted of their progresses.

Minh
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top