Why did my tortoise die?

Baycrop

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
New York city
On May 9, my tortoise that I had for 5 years died. On May 6, I noticed he wasn't walking around much anymore. Sometimes he'd be in same spot 12+ hours later. I knew something was wrong day 1, but everyone around me said I was being dramatic. After 3 days of him barley moving I decided to make my family take him to a vet Monday morning, which was supposed to be today.

On the evening of the 9th (the night he died) I cut a piece of tomato for both of my tortoises. He immediately walked up to it, which I took as a good sign. I watched them both eat for a few minutes, then I walked back inside for 5-10 minutes to wash my hands and have a drink. I swear it could not have been longer than that

I went back out, and as soon as I saw him I had a bad feeling. He was near the tomato, but his eyes were shut. I instantly picked him up to check if he was ok and he didn't move. I put him back down and tapped his head very lightly and he still didn't move or open his eyes.

He still had tomato around his mouth and chin. I have no idea if he choked or just died. I don't even know if they can choke or not. I don't even know if he really was sick. He was very young so I don't think it was old age, I found him 5 years ago on the sidewalk and took him home because I was afraid a car would hit him. Back then he was smaller than the size of my pinky.
 

Maro2Bear

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Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Sorry to hear your sad news.

A few questions, what kind of tortoise, how was your enclosure set up? Heat, lighting, substrate, food. Did you soak it occasionally? Were you keeping it with another? Too many questions needing answers. It might have been a multitude of different issues.

Upload some pix of the enclosure.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Ga
On May 9, my tortoise that I had for 5 years died. On May 6, I noticed he wasn't walking around much anymore. Sometimes he'd be in same spot 12+ hours later. I knew something was wrong day 1, but everyone around me said I was being dramatic. After 3 days of him barley moving I decided to make my family take him to a vet Monday morning, which was supposed to be today.

On the evening of the 9th (the night he died) I cut a piece of tomato for both of my tortoises. He immediately walked up to it, which I took as a good sign. I watched them both eat for a few minutes, then I walked back inside for 5-10 minutes to wash my hands and have a drink. I swear it could not have been longer than that

I went back out, and as soon as I saw him I had a bad feeling. He was near the tomato, but his eyes were shut. I instantly picked him up to check if he was ok and he didn't move. I put him back down and tapped his head very lightly and he still didn't move or open his eyes.

He still had tomato around his mouth and chin. I have no idea if he choked or just died. I don't even know if they can choke or not. I don't even know if he really was sick. He was very young so I don't think it was old age, I found him 5 years ago on the sidewalk and took him home because I was afraid a car would hit him. Back then he was smaller than the size of my pinky.
Sorry for your loss. I'm wondering what kind of your Tortoise you had because there's no native tortoises in New York. Are you sure it wasn't a turtle?
 

Baycrop

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
New York city
Sorry to hear your sad news.

A few questions, what kind of tortoise, how was your enclosure set up? Heat, lighting, substrate, food. Did you soak it occasionally? Were you keeping it with another? Too many questions needing answers. It might have been a multitude of different issues.

Upload some pix of the enclosure.
To answer your questions;
1. He was a Hermann's tortoise.
2. I actually didn't keep him in an indoor enclosure with a heat lamp or any type of light set up. I kept him outdoors and not indoors. That way he could still be in nature. Just out of the way of dangers like streets or cars or other animals. We have a garden bed in my yard that wraps all the way around. With plenty of walking room for someone his size.
4. I fed him every single day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. I also gave him water every single day. I would generally give him lettuce, tomatoes, kale, carrots, etc. Pretty much many types of vegetables. And fruits as well like berries, grapes, apples, etc. And he also had access to snails and worms and other little critters which were also in the garden bed.
5. I did soak him yes, I read that online when I first found him. So I made sure they always had water. In the beginning I was soaking him, but he was also doing it himself. I made sure the water was always filled, especially in summer days. But not deep enough that he could drown.
6. He was kept with my other tortoise, who I also coincidentally randomly found on the sidewalk, but 2 years ago. I like to think they were good with each other. They slept next to each other almost every night and ate with each other. I like to think they were friends.

There was nothing in the garden bed which was deadly or poisonous to the tortoise. I made sure of that. So I'm honestly at such a loss here, I have no idea why he died so suddenly.
 

Baycrop

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Joined
May 11, 2020
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3
Location (City and/or State)
New York city
Sorry for your loss. I'm wondering what kind of your Tortoise you had because there's no native tortoises in New York. Are you sure it wasn't a turtle?
Gonna be very honest with you, I only put NY as my location because I didn't want my real location online. But I'm very certain he was a Hermann's tortoise
 

Ink

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I am sorry for your loss.
 

Maggie3fan

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PacificNorthWest
To answer your questions;
1. He was a Hermann's tortoise.
2. I actually didn't keep him in an indoor enclosure with a heat lamp or any type of light set up. I kept him outdoors and not indoors. That way he could still be in nature. Just out of the way of dangers like streets or cars or other animals. We have a garden bed in my yard that wraps all the way around. With plenty of walking room for someone his size.
4. I fed him every single day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. I also gave him water every single day. I would generally give him lettuce, tomatoes, kale, carrots, etc. Pretty much many types of vegetables. And fruits as well like berries, grapes, apples, etc. And he also had access to snails and worms and other little critters which were also in the garden bed.
5. I did soak him yes, I read that online when I first found him. So I made sure they always had water. In the beginning I was soaking him, but he was also doing it himself. I made sure the water was always filled, especially in summer days. But not deep enough that he could drown.
6. He was kept with my other tortoise, who I also coincidentally randomly found on the sidewalk, but 2 years ago. I like to think they were good with each other. They slept next to each other almost every night and ate with each other. I like to think they were friends.

There was nothing in the garden bed which was deadly or poisonous to the tortoise. I made sure of that. So I'm honestly at such a loss here, I have no idea why he died so suddenly.
Tortoises are sick for a long time before they show any symptoms...could have been bullying...might have been lack of heat or UVB...I wonder about winter...even in a warm climate it cools off at night...I read you're not really in NY...but Hermanni are not native any where in the US...so basically you found somebodies escaped pet tortoise...is the other one Hermanni as well?.I know you'd 'like' to believe they were friends...they weren't. Tortoises are solitary animals and look at other as competition for the food...the best sleeping place...are they male or female? Lots of questions and I see maybe some problems with care...Sorry for your loss...
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
Impossible to tell, but there are several major possibilities from a diet too rich in nutrients for most tortoises to territorial stress that could have contributed. We can only hope to help you and your other tortoise any way we can.
 

Chefdenoel10

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Oct 12, 2018
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I am so sorry for your loss whatever the reason.. it stinks all around.. but you WERE there when he needed to be found and cared for..
 

Junebug07

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May 16, 2020
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Location (City and/or State)
Berlin, Germany
Hi I'm new too, but I noticed you didn't mention owning a heat lamp - that's a very hot spot light with UV light, customizedfor for tortoises to bask in. Could this have been the issue? Having one is a must.
 

Tom

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To answer your questions;
1. He was a Hermann's tortoise.
2. I actually didn't keep him in an indoor enclosure with a heat lamp or any type of light set up. I kept him outdoors and not indoors. That way he could still be in nature. Just out of the way of dangers like streets or cars or other animals. We have a garden bed in my yard that wraps all the way around. With plenty of walking room for someone his size.
4. I fed him every single day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. I also gave him water every single day. I would generally give him lettuce, tomatoes, kale, carrots, etc. Pretty much many types of vegetables. And fruits as well like berries, grapes, apples, etc. And he also had access to snails and worms and other little critters which were also in the garden bed.
5. I did soak him yes, I read that online when I first found him. So I made sure they always had water. In the beginning I was soaking him, but he was also doing it himself. I made sure the water was always filled, especially in summer days. But not deep enough that he could drown.
6. He was kept with my other tortoise, who I also coincidentally randomly found on the sidewalk, but 2 years ago. I like to think they were good with each other. They slept next to each other almost every night and ate with each other. I like to think they were friends.

There was nothing in the garden bed which was deadly or poisonous to the tortoise. I made sure of that. So I'm honestly at such a loss here, I have no idea why he died so suddenly.
There are many possibilities for why it died because you were/are doing a lot of things incorrectly. We don't need to know your address, but it helps to know the general region of the country, and which country, you are in. Very different advice for India vs. Indianapolis.

  • Outdoors all the time with no heat source? What sort of shelter did they have? You left them outside in winter too?
  • Wrong diet.
  • Tortoises should never be kept in pairs.
  • Were they the same species? If not, mixing species is a good way to introduce disease.
  • How often did you soak him? What sort of water dish are you using? Is it sunk into the ground?
Any one of these things could have been your COD, but all of them together really paint a bad picture. I hope we can help you fix things up for the remaining one. Can we see pics of the enclosure and tortoises? This will ensure you get the correct care info.
 

leothetort27

New Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Toronto
On May 9, my tortoise that I had for 5 years died. On May 6, I noticed he wasn't walking around much anymore. Sometimes he'd be in same spot 12+ hours later. I knew something was wrong day 1, but everyone around me said I was being dramatic. After 3 days of him barley moving I decided to make my family take him to a vet Monday morning, which was supposed to be today.

On the evening of the 9th (the night he died) I cut a piece of tomato for both of my tortoises. He immediately walked up to it, which I took as a good sign. I watched them both eat for a few minutes, then I walked back inside for 5-10 minutes to wash my hands and have a drink. I swear it could not have been longer than that

I went back out, and as soon as I saw him I had a bad feeling. He was near the tomato, but his eyes were shut. I instantly picked him up to check if he was ok and he didn't move. I put him back down and tapped his head very lightly and he still didn't move or open his eyes.

He still had tomato around his mouth and chin. I have no idea if he choked or just died. I don't even know if they can choke or not. I don't even know if he really was sick. He was very young so I don't think it was old age, I found him 5 years ago on the sidewalk and took him home because I was afraid a car would hit him. Back then he was smaller than the size of my pinky.
hey, I'm not sure why he died but I'm so sorry for your loss.
 
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