# back from the vet...



## evin (Dec 5, 2008)

and i feel like 50 dollars was wasted,she told me things that i knew and learned from everyone on here. or she told me that my husbandry was wrong like a large rubbermaid isnt the best choice and i should put my dt in a small tank. im a little frustrated now because im where i was at the beginning of the week with 50 dollars less


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## Yvonne G (Dec 5, 2008)

You should be glad it only cost you $50. Taking a tortoise to the vet can be very costly! Did she say whether or not she felt the baby is healthy?

The last I remember reading about your little DT is that it was eating. Don't take your vet's advice about the aquarium. The large plastic tote is the best thing for an indoor habitat. It needs to be large enough that you can have a cooler side and a warmer side. The hide would be on the warmer side. With a large tub the little guy gets exercise walking from one end to the other. Feed him on the cooler side. Soak him every other day in the vitamin water. And now that he is eating, dust his food every day with Calcium. In this case, more is not better. They sometimes won't eat if you put too much calcium on the food. Just a pinch will do. If you are using the UVB bulb, then use calcium without the Vit.d. Make sure your UVB bulb is the correct distance from the floor of the habitat. It should tell you the spec on the box the bulb came in, but its usually 12" to 16". 

My sister is very good with babies. If they don't eat she pesters them until they do. If she has one that just wants to hide, she will carry it around with her and rub it and talk to it, waving a leaf of food in front of its face. She usually gets them to eat and thrive. I have always been of the school that you should leave them alone and let them be a tortoise, but she has proved that its better to pester them if they are just wanting to hide all the time.

Good luck with your baby. Sorry you weren't satisfied with your vet visit. Maybe a different vet would be in order. Are you located in Northern Calif.? Here's a link to some vets in NorCal: http://www.anapsid.org/vets/califn.html


Yvonne


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## Crazy1 (Dec 5, 2008)

Yvonne I believe he is in Manteca Ca. Evin as you know there are still old schools of thoughts out there. and Yvonne is correct $50.00 even canadian is not a bad price my first visit was over $400 US dollars. Sounds as if she feels your tortoise is OK other than your husbandry. That could be a good thing for our tort. How did you find this Tort vet? Are you sure she is versed in Torts. I had one say they were but knew less than I did. I know you are worried as you have recently lost two. But this one seems to be eating and doing better. Keep an eye on it and if you can find another vet for the future one that you can trust with your tort more. Good luck and I am sorry you had a ruff morning.


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## evin (Dec 6, 2008)

I usually go to a vet in the bay area (only charges 40) that has kept turtles and tortoises and really knows what shes doing but this vet office is new and i thought id give her a try but now i know better. My little guy has two hides, the one on the warm side has a sponge and the one on the cool side doesnt bulbs and temps are pretty good and she gave him a pretty good check up so i think hes gonna be ok, im going to watch carefully and if something developes ill go to the vet in the bay area


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