Over the past year, we've stopped searching Craigslist for tortoises. After all, our breeding group was about set with a proper female to male ratio (4:1); there was no need to add more girls. Then, it happened. A member of a social media group posted a local Craigslist ad for 2 males and 2 females. The torts looked rough, actually the little face above is what forced us to reach out and nearly double our current number of tortoises. The woman who had these animals trusted what the pet store told her about care. She didn't know that these animals require UVA and UVB light. She didn't know they need a varied diet and to be soaked at least once a week. She didn't know their beaks could overgrow. She didn't realize housing a male and female together would result in repeated breeding - to the point the female might suffer damage or die. She. Just. Didn't. Know. To. Research. We picked the animals up, brought them to the Resort and soaked them for an hour. A vet appointment confirmed our suspicions of malnutrition, dehydration, parasites. All four tortoises also presented with pink striping on the plastron (bottom of the shell), a couple had this present on the carapace (top); their legs were spindly, not elephant-like, one had such rapid growth... the bone of her plastron hadn't hardened and was translucent. Beaks were trimmed, tube feedings given (to jump-start their path to wellness), parasites addressed, subcue fluids given and a course of injectable antibiotics were prescribed. UPDATE: July 2017 - The torts are all doing better, though one female is still having a hard time with weight gain and energy. A blood panel was ordered, she was tubefed again with super-nutrients to aid in stimulating appetite.
Three of the torts will be ready for new homes next month. We couldn't be more excited at the change in these little lives.
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AuthorThe Tort Resort is a Whidbey Island based project dedicated to rescue and rehab of smaller tortoise species. Archives
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