Plastron caving in?

[dizzydjc]

The other tortoise flipping the other back over is probably just trying to ram the other out of its territory. Just make sure you separate them ASAP. Am I right to assume that they are testudos? Testudos are highly territorial. But again, just make sure you separate them as soon as you can, and have lots of hides and sight barriers. Further more, “cuddling” and “following” are just the two chasing/pushing each other out of their territory, and it is highly stressful for them to be together.

Yeah mine are spur-thighed, only had them a month now or just over. They are babies. My aim is for when they’re about 1-2 years old I will be separating them but can’t do that right now where I live. I am worried about that too, the territorial behaviour.

There are a ton of hiding places in my enclosure though and many things for them to do and at the moment they hardly ever bother each other, they don’t even sleep together, they both go in separate logs at night so I’m happy.

I am aware that this could change at any minute but for now I’m happy it’s going well.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

If yours are babies, I would encourage you to close that enclosure. Other wise they will start pyramiding. Please read our Sulcatas section. It will help you get everything right. Ask a lot of questions. Pictures would help a lot

 

[King_ofthe_Lynx]

Hi,

I'm the owner of the tortoise. My friend (the one who's been telling you about my girl) has been helping me with her, which is very kind of him, and I appreciate the help.

I used to have two, as he told you, but one sadly died. With the one that has survived, I give her dandelions, aloe vera and pansies. I keep the light on for most of the day - 8/9am - 7/8pm. I turn the heating on, and close the door at night, to keep the heat in. I also bathe her frequently. I want to make sure that she survives. The loss of one tortoise was really hard on me, as you can imagine.

 

[Bambam1989]

I think there may be some confusion on what kind of torts we are discussing.
Most of us here on the forum were probably thinking you were talking about the "African Spur-Thighed Tortoise" also known as a Sulcata. A fast growing species that can commonly reach 100 pounds in weight. But the picture of your friends tort looks like more like the Mediterranean tort that is more commonly known as a Greek Tortoise but sometimes referred to as a "Spur-Thighed Tortoise". (Experts feel free to correct me )
Please clarify which type we are discussing because care requirements are different.

 

[King_ofthe_Lynx]

Sorry for the confusion - I have a Mediterranean Tortoise, the Greek Tortoise - Spur-Thighed Tortoise

 

[Yvonne G]

I think there may be some confusion on what kind of torts we are discussing.
Most of us here on the forum were probably thinking you were talking about the "African Spur-Thighed Tortoise" also known as a Sulcata. A fast growing species that can commonly reach 100 pounds in weight. But the picture of your friends tort looks like more like the Mediterranean tort that is more commonly known as a Greek Tortoise but sometimes referred to as a "Spur-Thighed Tortoise". (Experts feel free to correct me )
Please clarify which type we are discussing because care requirements are different.

The thread is in the greek section, but I'll move it to sulcata if that's wrong.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Hi,

I'm the owner of the tortoise. My friend (the one who's been telling you about my girl) has been helping me with her, which is very kind of him, and I appreciate the help.

I used to have two, as he told you, but one sadly died. With the one that has survived, I give her dandelions, aloe vera and pansies. I keep the light on for most of the day - 8/9am - 7/8pm. I turn the heating on, and close the door at night, to keep the heat in. I also bathe her frequently. I want to make sure that she survives. The loss of one tortoise was really hard on me, as you can imagine.

Just out of curiosity, where did you get your tortoises?
Closing the door won’t change anything, seeing as the entire cage is open, and not completely closed. Wrapping the whole thing in plastic wrap is a cheap, inexpensive fix

 

[King_ofthe_Lynx]

Ahh, okay, thanks

I got them from a breeder in Dover. My carer and I found him on a website for breeders.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Ahh, okay, thanks

I got them from a breeder in Dover. My carer and I found him on a website for breeders.

You might want to ask him how he raises his babies. Does he start them wet, with daily soaks and a humid closed chamber, or bone dry with weekly soaks?

 

[dizzydjc]

Hi again, I need your help.

So today my friend told me that he noticed a gash on the side of the tortoises's shell which doesn't look good to me? It looks like there is blood as well. I only saw the tortoise myself a couple of days ago and despite having the soft shell and rugged plastron like I mentioned before, seemed OK and this gash was not there. I did notice that she was walking funny on her two front legs though.

I have tried to tell my friend time and time again that he must seek out professional advice to help her but I don't think he wants to, partly maybe because of finances and because he's kinda under disbelief that the tortoise will heal itself in its own way/time. I have pleaded and pleaded with him to phone a vet though, and I even tried to myself but it needs the consent of my friend to go ahead and take the tortoise in to be seen .

I don't really know what I want to ask for, as I know that she will need to be seen by a vet, but is there any care advice he could do as well to help the tortoise get better? I have mentioned trying to clean the wound with a warm bath/cloth. I know he has been adding more calcium to her diet and also more food in general as not entirely sure she was getting enough (she's been eating the soil apparently).

I am not sure he is listening to me but I know he reads this forum and I am hoping if he sees your replies urging him to see a vet he may do it and not just take my word for it. Any advice guys?

This is the pic he sent me...

 

[TechnoCheese]

Hi again, I need your help.

So today my friend told me that he noticed a gash on the side of the tortoises's shell which doesn't look good to me? It looks like there is blood as well. I only saw the tortoise myself a couple of days ago and despite having the soft shell and rugged plastron like I mentioned before, seemed OK and this gash was not there. I did notice that she was walking funny on her two front legs though.

I have tried to tell my friend time and time again that he must seek out professional advice to help her but I don't think he wants to, partly maybe because of finances and because he's kinda under disbelief that the tortoise will heal itself in its own way/time. I have pleaded and pleaded with him to phone a vet though, and I even tried to myself but it needs the consent of my friend to go ahead and take the tortoise in to be seen .

I don't really know what I want to ask for, as I know that she will need to be seen by a vet, but is there any care advice he could do as well to help the tortoise get better? I have mentioned trying to clean the wound with a warm bath/cloth. I know he has been adding more calcium to her diet and also more food in general as not entirely sure she was getting enough (she's been eating the soil apparently).

I am not sure he is listening to me but I know he reads this forum and I am hoping if he sees your replies urging him to see a vet he may do it and not just take my word for it. Any advice guys?

This is the pic he sent me...



View attachment 229147

Does he have a uvb light?

 

[dizzydjc]

Does he have a uvb light?

Yeah he does, I haven’t seen the box for it but it definitely looks like UVB and heat emitter in one to me.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Yeah he does, I haven’t seen the box for it but it definitely looks like UVB and heat emitter in one to me.

I would ask, because sometimes spot lamps look like them

 

[dizzydjc]

I would ask, because sometimes spot lamps look like them

Just got it checked, it’s a 100w UVA/UVB/IR lamp.

 

[William Lee Kohler]

Shells are normally very tough so seeing that gash is perplexing. Reptiles heal very well from most wounds so suggest get some triple antibiotic ointment at the store and keep medicated until seeing signs of growth and healing in the area of the wound. Keep clean is important. Wound will not close over or go away like our skin but will just be incorporated into tortoises new shell as a scar. Aarr matey.

 

[dizzydjc]

Just an update for you..

My friend took this tortoise to the vet today and the vet said that he was pleased at her progress but asked for a change of light bulb and more calcium.

Now I’m sorry, but that gash that she has is not normal but seems to have been overlooked. The vet has just suggested that she has soaks with salty water to let it heal, but afaik the wound won’t ever heal on a shell? I’m not sure if this vet that was seen today has given correct info?

The fact is, this tortoise has been in my friends hands since September last year and has only put on like 5g in weight and no size changes at all, and that’s a good 6 months since he got her. The tortoise is approaching 1 year old in April and in my opinion looks tiny.

Should we be getting a second opinion on this?

 

[chemprentice]

Just an update for you..

My friend took this tortoise to the vet today and the vet said that he was pleased at her progress but asked for a change of light bulb and more calcium.

Now I’m sorry, but that gash that she has is not normal but seems to have been overlooked. The vet has just suggested that she has soaks with salty water to let it heal, but afaik the wound won’t ever heal on a shell? I’m not sure if this vet that was seen today has given correct info?

The fact is, this tortoise has been in my friends hands since September last year and has only put on like 5g in weight and no size changes at all, and that’s a good 6 months since he got her. The tortoise is approaching 1 year old in April and in my opinion looks tiny.

Should we be getting a second opinion on this?

Yes, something doesn't sound right.

 

[DDickie]

Hey

So a brief introduction, this isn’t about my tortoise but my friends who I am very concerned about. I own two myself and they are doing well but my friends tortoise is concerning me big time and I need advice.

So my friend has an 8/9 month old spur-thighed tortoise. She (or he) is very small for her age, I don’t know full size but I know the latest weight for her was only 25g and I know my two are approaching the 40’s in grams and are also two months younger. This already concerns me.

So I was over today and I gave his tortoise a good check, she has gone very pale in colour, not sure if her shell is meant to be like a pale colour but I’m sure it never used to be that colour. She is also tiny, like so small and I’m sure if she is reaching a year old she should be about the size of my pinkie finger which she isn’t.

I turned her over to stroke the underside of the shell (which my two like but not sure if it’s right to do this) but I noticed that the shell of my friends tortoise is very “bony” is you can call it that and it has kind of like concaved itself in. It was also very soft too. I knew straight away that something was up and we did a bit of research together which highlighted to me that it could be early signs of metabolic bone disease. I don’t think she is getting enough calcium in her diet so I have told my friend to ensure he gives her more.

Is this it though or should we be more concerned? I only ask as my friend did initially have two tortoises but one died quite early on, we were told maybe because of a defect or something when she was born, but now I’m starting to worry that maybe it was something my friend neglected to see?

Advice would be welcomed please. I have asked my friend to give more calcium, like every meal if he has to and he has also bought cuttlefish. I am just worried that the damage has already been done and it’s too late?

Thanks for reading
Dan

Sounds like she is not getting enough UV.