Help! Please assess this Russian tort
- Thread starter SinLA
- Start date
Looks obese
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
I am guessing you are worried about edema? Do you know anything about the previous care that might point in one direction or a another?
No someone found it walking f down a street 2 months ago, was trying to find owners and never did. They fed apples, lettuce, cabbage, and dandelions but I do not know if it could get that fat I just 2 months
Diet update for last two months:
Daily had had lots of dandelion, green cabbage and romaine, occasionally a small piece of zucchini skin off, and only a couple times apple with no skin, zucchini and apple were very small like size of a strawberry. No apple or zucchini for at least a week
Daily had had lots of dandelion, green cabbage and romaine, occasionally a small piece of zucchini skin off, and only a couple times apple with no skin, zucchini and apple were very small like size of a strawberry. No apple or zucchini for at least a week
Whether it is edema or fat, the best course of action is to get it into the correct temperatures and conditions, soak it frequently, give it a large enclosure for exercise and feed it the right weedy foods. If there is not some disease process at work, the tortoise's body should sort itself out. Weeds, mulberry, grape, hibiscus and lavatera leaves, occasional flowers, etc...
If it was fed the wrong foods, kept in a small pet store recommended enclosure, not kept at the correct temps, etc... something like this would be expected. The correct conditions and diet should fix it over time.
If there is some disease process at work, expensive diagnostics will be required to determine what is wrong, and what to do about it. Blood, fecal, and x-rays to start. The next step would be determined from those results.
If it was fed the wrong foods, kept in a small pet store recommended enclosure, not kept at the correct temps, etc... something like this would be expected. The correct conditions and diet should fix it over time.
If there is some disease process at work, expensive diagnostics will be required to determine what is wrong, and what to do about it. Blood, fecal, and x-rays to start. The next step would be determined from those results.
Thanks!
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 5,064
The tortoise appears bright-eyed and looks healthy enough, other than looking somewhat bloated.
I would recommend following Tom's advice for several weeks or more to see what happens rather than rushing off to a vet right now. However, if the legs start to look like they are becoming more "inflated" and puffy, particularly the rear legs, it could be a sign of kidney or liver failure which would require veterinary treatment.
Good luck with this tortoise. I really think it will be fine in the long run. Please keep us informed as to how things progress.
Yes, I probably should have mentioned, he is extremely active and alert.
He is also somewhat stunted in growth though perhaps within the range of normal, but I’d say he’s only about 3 1/2 inches maybe 4”. He has an extremely high dome, but you can see lots of stress lines throughout.
I’ll evaluate him and give everyone updates depending on how quickly he end up in a new home
He is also somewhat stunted in growth though perhaps within the range of normal, but I’d say he’s only about 3 1/2 inches maybe 4”. He has an extremely high dome, but you can see lots of stress lines throughout.
I’ll evaluate him and give everyone updates depending on how quickly he end up in a new home
Stress lines?
When they don't have enough humidity as growing babies they pyramid. This tortoise isn't pyramided, and looks to have normal growth lines.
Really?? I thought they should have a smooth shell ideally. Like this is Fezzik who still has them but not nearly so much or as deep
Attachments
The growth lines wear down over time, and how quickly they wear down is affected by many factors as you can imagine. Both Fezzik and the new guy (definitely a male) have normal looking growth lines. Fezzik's are more "weathered" at this point in his life than the new guy.
Oh great good to know. I assume this guy is wild caught bc his shell is beat up a bit but he’s a lot smaller than Fezzik, maybe 3/4 his length and width but a much higher dome. Maybe he’s just younger….
Yes definitely a male with that tail!!!
Yes definitely a male with that tail!!!
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Aw how has this little guy been getting on with you? So wonderful of you to take him in! He’s a very lucky tort to have ended up in your care
He’s getting lots of weeds and exercise. I wish I had space to keep two/or keep them in pairs. He’s going to Joshua tree next week.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Bless you, hard not to get attached! But he’s going to a fantastic place with Amanda and Dana!
Similar threads
New Posts
-
-
Red footed tortoise don't eat fruit and general eating problems- Latest: The_Four_Toed_Edward
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
