URGENT! NEW OWNER! I really need help with my horse field tortoise!!!

[frez111]

Hi, A few years a go (Wendy is now 4) Me and my ex partner bought a tortoise. It was more for him as I had never been too interested in reptiles. Long story short, we’ve split up and he’s decided he no longer wants him (we originally got told it was a girl hence the female name, i just loved the name too much to change it) I’ve recently got a job working with animals and I refused to just get rid of him and i’m really serious about giving him the best life possible. I’ve been trying my hardest but struggling to wrap my head around even the basics.

I’ve noticed for the past few weeks he has eaten nothing, and drank no water. I wasn’t aware about soaking I thought it was just a bath. His shell is going a bit soft and I don’t think his eyes will open now?? I just feel so awful I really need help. Cost isn’t an issue i’ll do anything.

He’s in a wooden inclosure that i’m looking to upgrade as he deserves it, I use coco fibre and orchid bark as substrate (mainly to put his bowls on) . His diet (when he eats) Generally consists of things like kale, cucumber moderately, he loves beansprouts as a treat. Some dandelions when I can get them and moderate fruit consumption as a snack. I’ve tried calcium powder to hopefully help his shell although i know it’s bitter. He just will not eat. I only have one bulb - 100w UV basking lamp - which i’ve come to realise is completely wrong.

I’m terrified of him being ill or worse. Please don’t judge me as I said it was my exes pet and i’m new to it all. I just really need help, i can answer any questions needed I appreciate any advice
Thanks

 

[Ink]

@Yvonne G or @Tom should be able to help you.

 

[wellington]

Post pics of the enclosure and your tort.
How old is the bulb? What is the basking temp and the temp of the rest of the enclosure?
A larger enclosure is needed ASAP as you likely have the wood tortoise house the pet stores sell and they are not only bad enclosures but too small for anything over a hatchling.
Can you get him outside to get some uvb from the sun?
Stop feeding fruit and make his regular diet much better!
If you can only do grocery greens, do endive, ridicchio, arugula, spring mix. Add all of those along with any safe weeds, leaves and flowers you can find that has not been sprayed with anything.
Search the link below.
The Tortoise Table https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

 

[TammyJ]

Since you say that cost is not an issue, and it seems Wendy is likely dying, the best possible thing you could do is take him immediately to a reputable and experienced reptile or tortoise vet. In the meantime, soak her in warm water like the temperature for a baby's bath, with Pedialyte in it, level of water up to where top and bottom shells meet. Soak her for at least an hour, keeping the water warm. When you take her out, keep her warm and quiet. Good luck, and thanks for caring!

 

[Yossarian]

Really need pics as Wellington has asked for.

When you say the shell is soft, can you be specific about what you mean by that?

Does the tort have any problems walking around? A tort should be able to walk on all four legs without dragging his shell or his legs splaying out behind him. Is he walking around at all or just hiding?

The first thing you can do immediately is temps, warm him up, get your ambient temps up to 30+ and daily warm water soaks, dont let the water cool down. If hes in an open enclosure, you may need to find a way to enclose it to get the temps up for now or put the enclosure in your smallest room and heat it up. Any Sunny days you get, get him outside for an hour or two midday if possible until you get your lighting sorted out.

If you havent read these yet, these should be the first resource you look to to get his care sorted out.

New Owners - A Must read!

How to care for temperate torts

 

[TammyJ]

And please, don't take her to any regular cat and dog vet, who are likely to finish her off instead of helping.

 

[wellington]

And please, don't take her to any regular cat and dog vet, who are likely to finish her off instead of helping.

Which sadly most reptile vets will do too as they don't get taught about tortoises.
This is why we try to get the info needed to try and help instead of first telling them to see a vet.

 

[TammyJ]

Which sadly most reptile vets will do too as they don't get taught about tortoises.
This is why we try to get the info needed to try and help instead of first telling them to see a vet.

Yes, you are right. First aid is key, and that's where this forum comes in! Thank you, Wellington!

 

[TammyJ]

How's Wendy? Please keep us updated.

 

[frez111]

Hi Everyone

How's Wendy? Please keep us updated.

Hi Everyone!! First off i’d like to say I appreciate all the advice that’s been given. I’ve noted everything down that’s been recommended and made a supply list (?) of everything that I will need.
As I posted the previous post, I had her soaking infront of me. Before I left for work this morning/also when i got home i checked her and although she was still lethargic, her eyes had cracked open a bit and her shell wasn’t as ‘soft’ (see below for my explanation)

To answer the question of how she is walking - her front two legs are normal however her back legs are more splayed out than usual as if she can’t hold herself up - but that was while she was in the ‘bath’ and like i’ve mentioned she’s so lethargic she’s barely moving in her enclosure so i’m not 100% on how she is walking outside of her soaks.

By ‘soft shell’ i don’t mean as if it’s squishy or fleshy or anything like that, it’s more the fact that (obviously) the shell is really hard, however on the bottom/directly on the top I can sort of press it in more than usual.

I am from the UK where exotic vets are very hard to access, well atleast in my area. However I have managed to get her booked in with one a little bit far away from me - the only downside is the earliest I could get her In was 11th of September. I think i’m going to ask my family member to take her earlier (I can’t because of my work, I work very long and stupid hours) so hopefully she will be seen sooner.

If anyone is from the UK and could recommend places to buy dietary things that would be amazing - she will not eat those pellet things she didn’t when she was a baby and i’d prefer her to eat a pure veg diet anyway.

It’s 1:30am at the moment so when i’m able to I can post a pic of her and her enclosure. Like I said i know it is absolutely too small and just not right in anyway and I am looking to upgrade, this is just the one she came with from my ex so don’t worry she will 100% be getting an upgrade - although I might sound clueless i’ve lived with/worked with animals for the majority of my life, just never reptiles! But I do know about enclosure sizes etc.

My last question would be if somebody could sort of explain the different type of bulbs and which would be best/wattage and temps and all that sort of stuff as I seem to of read thousands of threads and articles and there’s multiple different things and it’s just a bit confusing. I couldn’t even tell you the temp of her enclosure, or how old the bulb is as I just dont know. However her enclosure isn’t actually enclosed whcih i’m sure has some effect. I’m so sorry if I’m upsetting anyone with how stupid I probably but i really am trying and i refuse to give up on her.

Thanks so much again, any advice is still appreciated and will post pictures when it’s not 1:30am and my whole house isn’t asleep!!

 

[wellington]

You do not sound stupid. That's what we are here for, is to help.
When you give her soaks, get some carrot or squash baby food and mix it half and half with the water, also add some baby piedialyte.
As for lights/ heat.
Get a tube florescent uvb, Arcadia 12%
Get a incandescent flood bulb for heat/light/basking 65 watt
Get a ceramic heat emitter for added heat during the day if needed and for when night heat is needed, 100 watt. Put the ceramic emitter on a thermostat.
Use a large dome fixture with a ceramic socket on it for both the emitter and flood bulb.
Get her outside for sunlight uvb when you can but be sure there is shade close by she can get into or put her in filtered sunlight. Keep watch on her.

 

[SinLA]

Hi Everyone

Hi Everyone!! First off i’d like to say I appreciate all the advice that’s been given. I’ve noted everything down that’s been recommended and made a supply list (?) of everything that I will need.
As I posted the previous post, I had her soaking infront of me. Before I left for work this morning/also when i got home i checked her and although she was still lethargic, her eyes had cracked open a bit and her shell wasn’t as ‘soft’ (see below for my explanation)

To answer the question of how she is walking - her front two legs are normal however her back legs are more splayed out than usual as if she can’t hold herself up - but that was while she was in the ‘bath’ and like i’ve mentioned she’s so lethargic she’s barely moving in her enclosure so i’m not 100% on how she is walking outside of her soaks.

By ‘soft shell’ i don’t mean as if it’s squishy or fleshy or anything like that, it’s more the fact that (obviously) the shell is really hard, however on the bottom/directly on the top I can sort of press it in more than usual.

I am from the UK where exotic vets are very hard to access, well atleast in my area. However I have managed to get her booked in with one a little bit far away from me - the only downside is the earliest I could get her In was 11th of September. I think i’m going to ask my family member to take her earlier (I can’t because of my work, I work very long and stupid hours) so hopefully she will be seen sooner.

If anyone is from the UK and could recommend places to buy dietary things that would be amazing - she will not eat those pellet things she didn’t when she was a baby and i’d prefer her to eat a pure veg diet anyway.

It’s 1:30am at the moment so when i’m able to I can post a pic of her and her enclosure. Like I said i know it is absolutely too small and just not right in anyway and I am looking to upgrade, this is just the one she came with from my ex so don’t worry she will 100% be getting an upgrade - although I might sound clueless i’ve lived with/worked with animals for the majority of my life, just never reptiles! But I do know about enclosure sizes etc.

My last question would be if somebody could sort of explain the different type of bulbs and which would be best/wattage and temps and all that sort of stuff as I seem to of read thousands of threads and articles and there’s multiple different things and it’s just a bit confusing. I couldn’t even tell you the temp of her enclosure, or how old the bulb is as I just dont know. However her enclosure isn’t actually enclosed whcih i’m sure has some effect. I’m so sorry if I’m upsetting anyone with how stupid I probably but i really am trying and i refuse to give up on her.

Thanks so much again, any advice is still appreciated and will post pictures when it’s not 1:30am and my whole house isn’t asleep!!

@Lyn W and @Sarah2020 are both from the UK so tagging them…

 

[Lyn W]

Hi,
Yes tortoise vets are few and far between
Fresh dark green, leafy weeds like dandelions, sow thistle, clover are best at this time of year See the Tortoise Table link posted by Wellington for more ideas. Make sure they are picked in safe spots away from fumes of cars, or anywhere that chemicals may have been used.
However you can also bulk that out with shop bought salad mixes. I like the Aldi Crispy leaf Salad bags because they have a mix of 4 different leaves which are better than pale lettuces like Iceberg. Lambs lettuce, is good and Pakchoi leaves, kale are also OK in moderation and to add variety. I soak all before feeding to hydrate it. My tort is a leopard so I buy Readigrass and grind that up to mix in with salad leaves to add fibre; a small pinch of calcium a couple of times a week is also added. I also use Nutrabal (small pinch) occasionally.
When my tort was off his food I bought Oxbow critcal care food off Amazon. Mixed small amounts to a paste and spread that on cucumber and romaine leaves which aren't good regular foods, but my tort loves them so they helped get the good stuff into him.
If you post pics of Wendy's home we can help you put it right. Wendy needs a uvb tube to help her. I like Arcadia uvb kits and they can be bought online - Pets at Home may also stock them

Keep up the soaks and make sure Wendy's temps are warm enough, but I would also keep searching for other tort vets in case you can see one sooner. I hope they can help him.

My tort is also a male with a female name after being sexed wrongly a general vet!

 

[Yossarian]

Second on the Tortoise Table, good resource.

In addition to the suggestion from Lyn, you can also feed watercress regularly and the Crispy leaf salad from Aldi is also available at Tesco under the brand Classic Crispy. You can still also find plenty of Dandelion leaves around as well and they make a good diet option. You can also provide cuttlefish bone - I break it up and dont give too much at once but it makes a decent calcium supplement. Oh and Torts can eat stingy nettle leaves, and they are everywhere.