2 baby tortoises

[Corwin]

i did look and read that thread, my tortoise doesn't not have any growth on the said leg, she just rarely moves it. the leg actually looks just the same as the other one, she just wont use it for walking and stuff.

my mom doesn't want to go to a vet, she doesn't seem to think it is worth it(her commitment only goes so far apparently), and i don't have the funds for what i forsee as being a very expensive visit (i am willing to bet on X-rays, and those are never less that 70$ in addition to a 30$ appointment fee)

when she needs to walk around she does pretty good, but it seems she would rather not, which to me indicates some level of pain, also when i move her to bath her, after 4-5 mins she makes her way back to her favorite spot and then sits there all day (as far as i can tell, she is there when i leave and when come home)

i dunno ^ ^" is there a chance she will make it on her own at all? live to use 3 legs forever? or is that highly unlikely. but then, what could a vet do, on a 1/2" long leg max. . .how does one splint a tort leg that small? i dunno . . just lost here tbh.

 

[tortoiselady528]

I once new a tort that broke a leg, she got stuck in a rake. The vet advised that they get a toy wheel (from a tonka truck etc) and tape it to the bottom of the shell along with a lot of other ideas and treatments.
In your case, perhaps you could tape a small wheel from a toy to the bottom of her shell which could help her get around a little better and, perhaps get that leg moving.

 

[Yvonne G]

Its hard to tell you what to do because we are not "long distance vets", only people who love turtles and tortoises. Here is something that springs to mind:

Gently push the leg in so its inside the shell, then put duct tape over it so it can't come out, giving her some rest while the leg is immobilized.

However, maybe she needs to exercise the leg in order for it to get better and immobilizing it might be harmful.

So, as you can see, it would be best for a vet or an experienced tortoise person to have a real look at the leg to see if it is broken or sprained or just what is going on.

Yvonne

 

[Corwin]

i have been working on finding a suitable close HERP vet, my local reptile/fish store has a reputed one that comes in twice a week for 4 hours and does free consults, unfortunately at those times i am at school usually(and i get a ride form a friend so i cant ditch. . . not walking distance), i am hoping that he will come in on veterans day so i can ask. otherwise i was recently given the number of a vet from the owner of the mother of these babies so i may pay him a visit if i cant arrange for anything cheaper. meanwhile the one with the hurt leg still has it damaged on the recommendation of the vet i called,, i have been giving it a bath in tetracycline once dayly (it is an antibiotic for fish, added to water) as there is some slight swelling on the leg which indicates an infection he said. this little guy/gal acts like the other one ive seen both move around the cage a lot on weekends when i am here all day.

ive found both on their backs twice (i removed the cause since, i figured it out, one of the caves was close to the side so they'd try to climb it to get out, and fall backwards). one even managed to escape the other day (do to my stupidity, the screen top tilted over in the cage when i was getting some fresh water and one of them took the opportunity to clamber out. . . imagine my surprise in coming back from the kitchen to see one walking in the hallway. . . since then i always put the screen top back in place every time i step away!

so far other than the above they are still both doing good, eating a ton. . i don't know if they will eat however much food i put in there but so far as i have added more it always mostly disappears, they LOVE the mallow which is great! i am also using the supplements recommended, though so far they have preferred the food with no supplements (i offer 2 piles, one with one without equidistant)

 

[Vegasjoe]

http://www.tortoisegroup.org/pamphlet.html

do your research, internet has a lot of good sites, this web site is from the desert tort society in Nevada the booklet is very informative. Enjoy.

 

[Yvonne G]

http://www.tortoisegroup.org/pamphlet.html

do your research, internet has a lot of good sites, this web site is from the desert tort society in Nevada the booklet is very informative. Enjoy.

Thanks for the link, Joe. You're right...the booklet is a good one.

Yvonne

 

[Crazy1]

Corwin, I hope your little one will be ok. Please keep us posted. Also When I was looking at your setup. Just wanted to comment that UVB will not pass through the screen. So if your little ones are sitting fequently under the screen they are not getting the UVB.

 

[Corwin]

http://www.tortoisegroup.org/pamphlet.html

do your research, internet has a lot of good sites, this web site is from the desert tort society in Nevada the booklet is very informative. Enjoy.

heya, that's the first set of info i read actually i also made my sister read it front to back (shes 8) since they are 'her' tortoises. i have it printed and stapled in a binder with other info!

@ crazy, i know the UVB wont go through the flexible screen, but how about the hard screen top (my setup is soft screen till the light, then a hard screen under the light), the holes are 3/16th (a bit bigger than 1/8") inch, is that still too small?

if so what can i use to cover the tank with, glass blocks UVB, i understand Plexiglass blocks it partially. . . doesnt leave me with many choices. . . i would leave uncovered but then my cats would have too much fun playing soccer with the tortoises

-edit- just noticed the forum gods must have eaten one of my posts cause i cant see it. she went to the vet, and found that the tort does indeed have a broken, and infected leg. but the vet said to try and heal/save the little one would cost ghastly amounts of $ in medication, vet visits, x-rays and the likes, and likely would not work any better that if we tried to let nature take it's course. my mom chose not to treat . . . i can kind of understand why though i don't like it, but i think i would have done the same under the circumstances whether for a tort or for my kitties, fish or snake. we will be continuing the tetracycline until it runs out at least, as this vet said it couldn't hurt and might help at n extra cost (we already had it), other than that we will wait and see
and may even help

 

[Crazy1]

Here is info on how much UVB is lost using mesh, screen, glass and acryliceven chicken wire.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/uvinnature.htm

 

[Corwin]

Here is info on how much UVB is lost using mesh, screen, glass and acryliceven chicken wire.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/uvinnature.htm

thanks for that link according to that i lose about 20% under the hard top screen and near 100% under the softtop screen, luckily the light is over the hard top, so it is not too big a loss, i will too to see if i can find 1/4"-1/2" mesh as anythign bigger and the cats will be able to reach in