Sad, malnourished CDT what should I do? (my GF's Cousin)

Totally_Tortoise

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My girl friends cousin has a Mojave desert tortoise ( I am very certain it is) and she has no licence and the tortoise is in horrible shape, and she doesn't wanna give her to an adoption place, or anywhere. I think I can try to convince her to let me have her tort, but she will only let me have it just because she can still come and see the tortoise, I have money to make an enclosure for it but i can't because It's illegal because she has no certificate and the tort needs help. How can I convince her to give him away to an adoption center or something. she says she got it at a yard sale, and the tort is only fed kale with the occasional varied salad. The tort is kept in a large tub of sand and has no heat light or UVB, What do i do? Sorry If it doesn't make sense, if it doesn't just say so and ill rewrite it.

To sum it up this tort needs help but she won't give it up.
 

wellington

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Either send her here to learn what she is doing very wrong by the long time tortoise experts or you could turn her in to whoever the authorities would be that would confiscate it from her or just take it and turn it into a rescue and tell her it escaped when you had it out in the yard. If you don't like any of those, have her give it too you and either you care for it or you then hand it over to a rescue.
You have to do something for the poor tortoise though. He has no voice of his own. You are his only hope and voice. If you do nothing, it's as if you are neglecting the tortoise too.
 

Totally_Tortoise

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Either send her here to learn what she is doing very wrong by the long time tortoise experts or you could turn her in to whoever the authorities would be that would confiscate it from her or just take it and turn it into a rescue and tell her it escaped when you had it out in the yard. If you don't like any of those, have her give it too you and either you care for it or you then hand it over to a rescue.
You have to do something for the poor tortoise though. He has no voice of his own. You are his only hope and voice. If you do nothing, it's as if you are neglecting the tortoise too.
I have told her she definately needs UVB and a heat light but she won't buy one and i know she has more than enough money, I even gave her some calcium powder to give her tort and she wont even use it. She cant care for it herself so i think ill take your advice and care for it and after a while and then hand it to a rescue, thanks for your help.
 

wellington

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I have told her she definately needs UVB and a heat light but she won't buy one and i know she has more than enough money, I even gave her some calcium powder to give her tort and she wont even use it. She cant care for it herself so i think ill take your advice and care for it and after a while and then hand it to a rescue, thanks for your help.
That's probably the best idea. Get it back to a healthy state and then decide to keep it or turn over to a rescue.
Good for you for caring enough to take notice and action.
Other members can help you on its care, temps etc, if you need it.
Good luck and please let us know if she lets you have it.
 

Totally_Tortoise

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That's probably the best idea. Get it back to a healthy state and then decide to keep it or turn over to a rescue.
Good for you for caring enough to take notice and action.
Other members can help you on its care, temps etc, if you need it.
Good luck and please let us know if she lets you have it.
my girlfriend is very sad and goes over to help her tort as much as she can, she always tells me that shes a really nice tort but has been very lethargic lately, shes gonna try to get the tort from her for me to care for. I know the basic care for it but ill need help on caring for a desert tort.
 

wellington

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When you get it, start a new thread under one of the appropriate headings and ask for what you need help on. Members will help or alert the members to your thread that can help.
First thing is to get it into a nice warm soak for about 1/2 an hour, keeping it warm the whole time and, then into a uvb enclosure. If it's warm enough outside to get him into the sun, do that, just being sure there is shade provided. Those would be the first things to start with.
 

Yvonne G

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I adopt out desert tortoises to "regular people" like you all the time. It's perfectly fine for you to have the tortoise. If you can convince her to give it to you, I can send you an application form you fill out and send in to get the permit to keep the tortoise.
 

Totally_Tortoise

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I adopt out desert tortoises to "regular people" like you all the time. It's perfectly fine for you to have the tortoise. If you can convince her to give it to you, I can send you an application form you fill out and send in to get the permit to keep the tortoise.
ive always wanted a desert tortoise :) so i think ill adopt it and get the tortoise and have an aplication
 

Tom

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ive always wanted a desert tortoise :) so i think ill adopt it and get the tortoise and have an aplication
It is very easy to get the license, and its not a big deal if you don't have it temporarily while the application goes through.

Care for a DT is the same as it is for a russian tortoise:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

I put more grass in the diet for a DT.

When you get possession of this tortoise, soak it daily for at least a couple of weeks. This will hydrate the tortoise and also hopefully get the sand moving through the gut and out. Get it under a basking lamp ASAP and get it outside in the sun as soon as the temps warm back up. Here are some easy outdoor enclosure ideas: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-enclosures.121732/ I posted several ideas on post #8.

The cousin is abusing and neglecting this tortoise. Make it your duty to rescue this poor animal in whatever way you have to. Personally, I would not leave it there one more day.
 

Totally_Tortoise

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It is very easy to get the license, and its not a big deal if you don't have it temporarily while the application goes through.

Care for a DT is the same as it is for a russian tortoise:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

I put more grass in the diet for a DT.

When you get possession of this tortoise, soak it daily for at least a couple of weeks. This will hydrate the tortoise and also hopefully get the sand moving through the gut and out. Get it under a basking lamp ASAP and get it outside in the sun as soon as the temps warm back up. Here are some easy outdoor enclosure ideas: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-enclosures.121732/ I posted several ideas on post #8.

The cousin is abusing and neglecting this tortoise. Make it your duty to rescue this poor animal in whatever way you have to. Personally, I would not leave it there one more day.
I'm most likely going to get it tomorrow if not then Saturday. If the temps are warmed up by then I'll put it out doors in a medium sized (temporary) tortoise pen I made.
 

Totally_Tortoise

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It is very easy to get the license, and its not a big deal if you don't have it temporarily while the application goes through.

Care for a DT is the same as it is for a russian tortoise:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

I put more grass in the diet for a DT.

When you get possession of this tortoise, soak it daily for at least a couple of weeks. This will hydrate the tortoise and also hopefully get the sand moving through the gut and out. Get it under a basking lamp ASAP and get it outside in the sun as soon as the temps warm back up. Here are some easy outdoor enclosure ideas: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-enclosures.121732/ I posted several ideas on post #8.

The cousin is abusing and neglecting this tortoise. Make it your duty to rescue this poor animal in whatever way you have to. Personally, I would not leave it there one more day.
I saw the threads you gave me, and If I use cinder blocks do I have to worry about the Desert tortoise burrowing out?
 

Tom

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I saw the threads you gave me, and If I use cinder blocks do I have to worry about the Desert tortoise burrowing out?
No. When they dig a burrow they just dig down at about a 40 degree angle. They don't dig down, and then back up in a different place. They just use the one hole as an entrance and exit. And not all of them dig. Many don't dig at all.
 

Totally_Tortoise

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No. When they dig a burrow they just dig down at about a 40 degree angle. They don't dig down, and then back up in a different place. They just uses the one hole as an entrance and exit. And not all of them dig. Many don't dig at all.
OK thanks.
 

TammyJ

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This sounds like it is going to have a happy ending!
I look forward to seeing pictures at the appropriate time!
Good luck!
 

Totally_Tortoise

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So I talked to the girl who has the tortoise and she apperantly took the tort to a vet and will have some shots this month and the tort has a calcium deficiency (which was obvious) if she had a proper diet and used the calcium dust i gave her then that wouldnt be a problem and a uvb bulb, she apperantly is going to take action, but she should've ages ago, If its taken care of correctly then I'll leave it alone but i feel like she won't care for it. It was obvious there is a calcium deficiency because the shell is very weak. What should I do if she still doesn't take care of the tortoise? And should she be trusted to keep it? I feel horrible about it because the thing has suffered for hell of a long time.
 

Tom

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So I talked to the girl who has the tortoise and she apperantly took the tort to a vet and will have some shots this month and the tort has a calcium deficiency (which was obvious) if she had a proper diet and used the calcium dust i gave her then that wouldnt be a problem and a uvb bulb, she apperantly is going to take action, but she should've ages ago, If its taken care of correctly then I'll leave it alone but i feel like she won't care for it. It was obvious there is a calcium deficiency because the shell is very weak. What should I do if she still doesn't take care of the tortoise? And should she be trusted to keep it? I feel horrible about it because the thing has suffered for hell of a long time.
What this tortoise needs is the proper diet, environment, regular soaks and a good UV source.

It does not need a vet and lots of injections.
 

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