Devastated lady
New Member
This was my baby Horsefield/Russian tortoise Pepé ❤️
I got him at the end of July in 2023 when we were told he was about 12 months old. He was absolutely fine from then until the start of December when he seemed to want to sleep more and eat less. I tried him with different foods and made sure that his enclosure was getting enough heat by measuring with two different thermometers and also putting him to bed at night with his section with a heat mat. His temperatures never dropped to less than what they should be as a friend told me about not letting him go into hibernation (he is too young).
When he first started getting this way around 8th December, I took him to the shop I bought him from as they said to bring him in and to to be fair we’re extremely helpful with advice etc. They said he looked fine physically and showed no signs of respiratory infection or dehydration etc.
Took little Pepé home and he carried on the same but started to eat less. I was putting him in the bath everyday too and noticed some little bubbles by his bottom so thought he had taken water in that way at least.
The last time I think he ate anything was a minimal amount on the 15th December and then he just stopped. I rang the shop again and was told it was ok and that Pepé could go without food but for a couple of weeks as long as he was getting daily baths.
At the two week mark I took hun back to the shop because I was so worried. I was then told to leave him with them by a very kind lady who works there and that they would put him in reptoboost and could force water down him if required. I knew I couldn’t do this so sadly said goodbye to my little Pepé.
Over the next week the shop rang me and said he had started to eat little bits (great I thought!) but that he wasn’t making as much progress as he should be. After a full week of being there, the lady said she had put him in the critical care solution and the vet who comes in had looked at him but still couldn’t see anything wrong like a respiratory infection but that he hadn’t pooped so they couldn’t test that. The next day after she forced water down him he just died 😔
I keep blaming myself… did I do something wrong and kill my little baby? Should I have done things differently?
I just really need some answers now. If anyone could shed any light or share their opinions I would be so grateful. I’ve attached photos of Pepé and his enclosure etc. you can’t see his heat mat as that’s inside the dark section on the left hand side. His enclosure also has silver heat mats that we stuck to the outside Perspex parts to keep the heat in but you can’t see those here.
Many thanks
Lauren
I got him at the end of July in 2023 when we were told he was about 12 months old. He was absolutely fine from then until the start of December when he seemed to want to sleep more and eat less. I tried him with different foods and made sure that his enclosure was getting enough heat by measuring with two different thermometers and also putting him to bed at night with his section with a heat mat. His temperatures never dropped to less than what they should be as a friend told me about not letting him go into hibernation (he is too young).
When he first started getting this way around 8th December, I took him to the shop I bought him from as they said to bring him in and to to be fair we’re extremely helpful with advice etc. They said he looked fine physically and showed no signs of respiratory infection or dehydration etc.
Took little Pepé home and he carried on the same but started to eat less. I was putting him in the bath everyday too and noticed some little bubbles by his bottom so thought he had taken water in that way at least.
The last time I think he ate anything was a minimal amount on the 15th December and then he just stopped. I rang the shop again and was told it was ok and that Pepé could go without food but for a couple of weeks as long as he was getting daily baths.
At the two week mark I took hun back to the shop because I was so worried. I was then told to leave him with them by a very kind lady who works there and that they would put him in reptoboost and could force water down him if required. I knew I couldn’t do this so sadly said goodbye to my little Pepé.
Over the next week the shop rang me and said he had started to eat little bits (great I thought!) but that he wasn’t making as much progress as he should be. After a full week of being there, the lady said she had put him in the critical care solution and the vet who comes in had looked at him but still couldn’t see anything wrong like a respiratory infection but that he hadn’t pooped so they couldn’t test that. The next day after she forced water down him he just died 😔
I keep blaming myself… did I do something wrong and kill my little baby? Should I have done things differently?
I just really need some answers now. If anyone could shed any light or share their opinions I would be so grateful. I’ve attached photos of Pepé and his enclosure etc. you can’t see his heat mat as that’s inside the dark section on the left hand side. His enclosure also has silver heat mats that we stuck to the outside Perspex parts to keep the heat in but you can’t see those here.
Many thanks
Lauren
