# wondering what type of tortoise?



## Leebug (Jan 10, 2011)

Also, he doesn't stand on his back legs... they just go out to the sides. I just got him from a guy who kept him in a tiny tank... I'm pretty sure he just fed him lettuce. Trying to find a reptile vet in my area that won't cost a fortune...


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## Marty333 (Jan 10, 2011)

Looks like a desert tort to me. You need a permit for one of those but you dont need to get it right away.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 10, 2011)

Texas tortoise is my guess.


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## sara (Jan 10, 2011)

poor baby! get some good food in him and a bigger habitat and alot of lovin and he is gonna be soo happy.  little guy got lucky.


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## Leebug (Jan 10, 2011)

I have talked to the AZ Game and Fish people, emailed them some pics and found out that he is a desert tortoise but I don't need a permit b/c we did not buy him or find him~ someone gave it to us...
He is in bad shape but we will do what we can. We probably won't be able to get his back legs to ever go back to normal  does anyone know anything about Mercury Vapor Lights and where to get them??? 
I am guessing online b/c PetSmart had no idea what I was talking about!!
Well, thanks again!
Wish us luck in getting him healthy!


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 10, 2011)

Darn, he just looks somehow different to me than most desert tortoises I've seen. Darker. With you being in AZ and all I should have guessed DT though. It would make more sense to have a DT.

I remember hearing something about back-leg paralysis in torts. Some sort of vitamin/mineral/protein deficiency if I remember right. Search the forum for a while and you may be able to pull some information up about it. I don't remember any details, but I do know that it has been addressed here on the forum and is in "the archives" if you have some time to sit down and look for it. Also, did you notice the TFO tortoise vet list on the front page? It would be a good place to start at when looking for a tortoise vet.


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## Maggie Cummings (Jan 10, 2011)

I agree he looks more like a Texas tort than a desert tort. He has MBD. With lots of loving care he will come around. Give him lots of calcium, sprinkled over his food daily as he will pee out the excess. It's Metabolic Bone Disease...I promise with good food, strong UVB and lots of humidity he will come around and start using his back legs


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## Yvonne G (Jan 10, 2011)

If you order the MVB (mercury vapor bulb) online, you can get a better deal. I just bought a couple from Petmountain.com and they were $45 apiece. T-Rex active UV/heat 100 watt.

The color of the tortoise reminds me of Texas tortoises, however, I'm still thinking desert tortoise. Doesn't matter...same care for both.


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## abra (Jan 10, 2011)

I have the Powersun UV, got it from lllreptile.com for $50 I think...Plus shipping? Don't remember  I hope you learn all the info you need to make him a happy Tort


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## Laura (Jan 10, 2011)

I THINK you need a permit regardless of how you got him.. 
lots of calcium and natural sunlight, good food.. might help him recover.. 
Goog luck and Congrats!!


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## dmmj (Jan 10, 2011)

If i remember correctly arizona requires a permit and you can only have one, just some info.
That picture looks familiar though.


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## zzzdanz (Jan 10, 2011)

I have talked to the AZ Game and Fish people, emailed them some pics and found out that he is a desert tortoise but I don't need a permit b/c we did not buy him or find him~ someone gave it to us...


Apparently ya don't need a permit ...I was thinking TT being so dark in color.Like Maggie said,he/she will come around with proper care.


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## CGKeith (Jan 10, 2011)

No, we don't need permits here in AZ. State regulations allow for one per person.

If they end up in one of the adoption programs, they have their own rules, which is usually one per household.

Yes, it is a local (AZ) DT. 

The mecury vapor bulbs (MVB) are available from several online sources as mentioned by other above, even ebay at times.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/uvb-fluorescent-lights-mercury-vapor-bulbs/

I have had good luck here. Dr. Funk knows tortoises.

Richard S. Funk, MA, DVM
Mesa Veterinary Hospital Ltd.
858 N. Country Club Drive
Mesa, AZ 85201
Tel: (480) 833-7330
Fax: (480) 833-0124


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jan 10, 2011)

Congrats & Good luck with the tort.


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## Angi (Jan 11, 2011)

Glad he found someone that will take good care of him. Poor baby. What kind of substrate are you using? It looks really red.


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## Leebug (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks for the links, everyone!!
I will be ordering a mercury light today.
The substrate is coconut wood. Is this good? (we are going to get some indoor/outdoor grass to put in his new home we are building) 
We're thinking of making him a set of wheels 
Thoughts on this?
We figure if his back legs don't work well, maybe wheels to help him exercise his arms??? 
Just brainstorming... We didn't realize how bad this guy was til after we got him 
He still hasn't really eaten.
We are pretty much leaving him alone other than soaking him in warm water for about 20-30 min a day (can I over soak him?)
I have read that w/ young torts soaking them 2-3 times per week is good, but this guy isn't doing so well... so should I be soaking him every day or not???
I just hope he turns around... just got to wait for the new light to get here and hopefully get this dude warm enough so he'll eat! 




CGKeith said:


> No, we don't need permits here in AZ. State regulations allow for one per person.
> 
> If they end up in one of the adoption programs, they have their own rules, which is usually one per household.
> 
> ...


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## Badgemash (Jan 15, 2011)

We go to the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital http://www.azeah.com/ in Mesa. They've been really great, very thorough but they don't do unnecessary procedures either. I was really impressed with Dr. Johnson, he seemed really up to date on research (like the humidity/pyramiding stuff), plus he has sulcatas himself. They also do boarding if you have to go out of town.

-Devon


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## kimber_lee_314 (Jan 16, 2011)

Poor baby! Get him out in the sunshine as much as possible, but if he has trouble walking, be sure he can easily get into the shade so he doesn't over heat, or put him in dappled sunshine. UV lights are good, but sunshine is better. Lots of calcium and TLC. So glad he is in good hands now!


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## Leebug (Jan 28, 2011)

Hey, All!!!

Update on Franklin 
He has been in his new home for a few weeks now and seems to love it... We do have a Mercury bulb and soak/feed every 3 days, even doing a little "physical therapy" with him when he walks  
He is eating very well and seems to be doing great!!


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## Tom (Jan 28, 2011)

SUNSHINE SUNSHINE SUNSHINE!!! Several people on both threads have mentioned it, but I really wanted to emphasize it. A good diet, calcium supplementation, and lots of SUNSHINE, will probably turn this little guy around and get him walking again. Being outside on natural ground and grazing on grass and weeds will work wonders for him. I'd soak him at least every other day too.

Your enclosure looks great. Nice job. Your light bulb will work better if you somehow mount it directly overhead. I usually hang them by their cords. This is much safer AND it allows you to adjust the height to get your temp just right. Those clamps ALWAYS fail eventually.


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## Leebug (Jan 28, 2011)

Tom said:


> SUNSHINE SUNSHINE SUNSHINE!!! Several people on both threads have mentioned it, but I really wanted to emphasize it. A good diet, calcium supplementation, and lots of SUNSHINE, will probably turn this little guy around and get him walking again. Being outside on natural ground and grazing on grass and weeds will work wonders for him. I'd soak him at least every other day too.
> 
> Your enclosure looks great. Nice job. Your light bulb will work better if you somehow mount it directly overhead. I usually hang them by their cords. This is much safer AND it allows you to adjust the height to get your temp just right. Those clamps ALWAYS fail eventually.



just checking on my temp, it should be between 75 and 85 right??? 
Also, really soak every other day? He's "hybernating" and I have to wake him up to do this now @ 3 days... soak and feed & then take him outside ever other day? He almost always eats after the soak & even outside sometimes, unless he goes straight to a hiding place to fall asleep...


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## Yvonne G (Jan 28, 2011)

He's still pretty young, so I would wake him up and soak him every day, then feed him. 

Don't worry about wheels for him. He needs to keep trying to use his legs, and that will strengthen them. The indoor/outdoor carpet will help him a lot. You should start to see some improvement in a month or so.

Sprinkle a tiny bit of calcium over his food every day for the first couple of weeks, then you can go to about 3 times a week. But be sure he gets his vitamin D either from the sun or from a UVB light. Don't use too much calcium. Some tortoises won't eat if you use too much.


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## Tom (Jan 28, 2011)

newtortoiseowner said:


> just checking on my temp, it should be between 75 and 85 right???
> Also, really soak every other day? He's "hybernating" and I have to wake him up to do this now @ 3 days... soak and feed & then take him outside ever other day? He almost always eats after the soak & even outside sometimes, unless he goes straight to a hiding place to fall asleep...



Temps should be 70-75 on the cool side 80-85 on the warm side with a basking spot directly under the light around 95-100. At night 70ish is fine. Get those temps up where they ought to be and he'll get much more active for you. Also set his indoor light on a timer for 13-14 hours and he won't think its winter time.

He's NOT hibernating at all if you are doing all that stuff and keeping him warm. A little guy in his condition should NOT be hibernated. Maybe next winter if he makes a huge turn around. Like Maggie and Yvonne said he should be fed and put in the sun everyday. Even if he's hiding he's still getting some UV if he's outside. It bounces around a lot.


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## Leebug (Jan 28, 2011)

got it! no matter how much I've read online, you all seem to know best and have really helped me a lot 
I sprinkle the powder everytime I feed him, which will now be done everday!! And as far as the light time, I've been doing 11-12 hours, so I'll be "upping" that too! I've taken some videos of him eating... if I can figure out how to get that on here, I will post that as well, he is so darn cute, crappy legs and all!






















Ok, so I will feed him everyday... keep up with the calcium as I have for a few more weeks and then cut back to 3x a wk... Sunshine! EVERYDAY, lots of beautiful Arizona sun rays  & will start soaking him every other day... 
This lil guy will be walking in no time, I just know it!


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## Shelly (Jan 29, 2011)

Sounds like you are on the right track now. Good luck with him.


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## Tortuga_terrestre (Feb 2, 2011)

Suggestion: The ballast for that MVB is too small. It will reduce the life of the bulb significantly; it will get too hot and give out.


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## Leebug (Mar 3, 2011)

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> Suggestion: The ballast for that MVB is too small. It will reduce the life of the bulb significantly; it will get too hot and give out.



we got a bigger one, finally!!
once we got him home~ it was a scramble to get all the right stuff... he's doing amazing!! even woke up y-day all by himself to eat, I've had to wake him everyday to feed him... he was ready for some sunshine and his greens


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