You could try a cold- off glue. It stays on until you rub ice on it. Then I pops off! I used it to mount some frames around the house.
3 legged CDT
- Thread starter Levi the Leopard
- Start date
I'll look into that Tiffany. Thanks 
If you need any product to adhere any device to that torts shell please let me know .I own medical and dental labs , I have products that are safe ,water proof ,and of different tensile strengths . However ,that torts enclosure should be designed around the wheel,maybe a textured linoleum or wood .then he can roll into his hide or to the water dish,food........please feel free to ask for any thing you think you might need ,I will show you how to mix/ apply ...think dental impressions,kids braces,veneers ,false teeth....let me know what you want to try,and how permanent you want to affix this guy wheel or slide....if anybody needs any thing to repair a torts shell or any thing else please feel free to pm. ...I can show you how to do a neat clean repair without the bulk,I even have clear products .all of these products are medical and can be used in and on the body water proof as well ..
You rock
Thanks, Cameron (Jaizei). You are truly a search wonder!
I find it hard to believe none of the Forum mods or Josh have responded to this....I certainly have bookmarked in the event your offer is greatly needed in the future....
It's been a busy day and I didn't get any photos of Skywalker.
I'll get them up tomorrow for your input!
Thanks for the offer Edward. When we get ready to make a move, this will be the first place I come
I'll get them up tomorrow for your input!
Thanks for the offer Edward. When we get ready to make a move, this will be the first place I come
Awwwwwwwwwww [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES][HEAVY BLACK HEART]ï¸
What a special guy [HEAVY BLACK HEART]ï¸
And I am a GIGANTIC Star Wars fan, I LOVE the name [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH][THUMBS UP SIGN]
What a special guy [HEAVY BLACK HEART]ï¸
And I am a GIGANTIC Star Wars fan, I LOVE the name [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH][THUMBS UP SIGN]
I have a 3 legged Sulcata that weighs around 45lbs who is also missing a fromt leg. I glued half a poolball to his shell. The only problem is that it wore down over a year of being pushed around the yard. I sanded it flat and now use it as a base to glue furniture slides to it. I find they stick much better to the poolball and only need one to get the proper height. I am waiting until he grows larger so I can fit a nice caster to his shell. I found a nice one that allows the wheel to be replaced and has bearings so it rolls nicely. He gets around fine with the slider set up. When he was smaller I used just furniture slides until he got too big and I needed to glue 3 together so the height was right.
If you glue anything to your tortiose's shell and it is perminate just make sure it is only glued to one scute to allow for growth.
If you glue anything to your tortiose's shell and it is perminate just make sure it is only glued to one scute to allow for growth.
I can confirm that with some pics from the Living Desert Museum in SoCal. (the DT enclosure was fabulous, but they also have a hospital to rehab reptiles). Finally remembered where I saw this....
Here are some pics, and they also planned to use the 1/2 pool ball (Sounds like it would work with the above modifications. Also DT's are not as heavy as Sulcatas).
The vet clinic:
And the DT with a missing leg (bit fuzzy, hope you can read it):
Here are some pics, and they also planned to use the 1/2 pool ball (Sounds like it would work with the above modifications. Also DT's are not as heavy as Sulcatas).
The vet clinic:
And the DT with a missing leg (bit fuzzy, hope you can read it):
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Here are some photos of the poor beat up boy.
Aerial view:
Plastron:
Close up:
Hit send too early...
Another close up:
Concave plastron:
Gular scute:
Chin glands:
The nub:
The other front leg:
Lots of neck damage. It's dry and crusty:
As you can see this guy needs some TLC. I'm giving him warm daily soaks to hydrate him and hopefully help his dry skin peel correctly.
Any other advice? Our days are warm enough and he roams his yard. Since he isn't brumating this year, at night he is kept in a heated tort house at about 75F. Should he be kept warmer or cooler than that?
He is active and eating. That's good.
Oh, based on the tail and anal scutes I really thought this was female. But the concave plastron and chin glands mean a boy, right? I haven't seen enough CDT in person yet to be any good at accurate sexing...
And I'm curious, because this guy is missing a front leg, does that mean he won't be able to dig and burrow?
Aerial view:
Plastron:
Close up:
Hit send too early...
Another close up:
Concave plastron:
Gular scute:
Chin glands:
The nub:
The other front leg:
Lots of neck damage. It's dry and crusty:
As you can see this guy needs some TLC. I'm giving him warm daily soaks to hydrate him and hopefully help his dry skin peel correctly.
Any other advice? Our days are warm enough and he roams his yard. Since he isn't brumating this year, at night he is kept in a heated tort house at about 75F. Should he be kept warmer or cooler than that?
He is active and eating. That's good.
Oh, based on the tail and anal scutes I really thought this was female. But the concave plastron and chin glands mean a boy, right? I haven't seen enough CDT in person yet to be any good at accurate sexing...
And I'm curious, because this guy is missing a front leg, does that mean he won't be able to dig and burrow?
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Heather he is magnificent. I don't know how long he took antibiotics buy would be curious to know that....is the damage yo the plastron seam on what would be his left side above his back left leg stitched or what is in that injury site? Have you handled him much...I mean have you been able to touch his head..or is he still in shock from watching and feeling his leg chewed off? It may take some "in Tortoise speed" time for him to work past that....do you know what care he received before you got whole of him...I mean because it is very clear he was wild once upon a time....I am working right now and am looking at pics on my phone with my old lady vision...so later tonight I will look some more at the pics here...I believe some planning will need yo be done soon so he is not sliding his shell across the ground as that will create additional concerns....again, he is absolutely perfect..
Thanks for giving him a quick look over Angela,
He is very friendly. He lets us all (my kids included) rub his head and scratch his neck. He eats from our hands. He is great. Dr. Tom Greek in Yorba Linda did the amputation and put him on antibiotics. I don't know how long he was on it or what specifically he took but Dr. Greek has a good reputation as a tortoise vet.
We are definitely planning something for his leg. Just spending some time looking into what will be the best option. I think Friday my husband will have the time to get out there with me and test some ideas. We both like the idea of a swivel wheel over a furniture slide.
He is very friendly. He lets us all (my kids included) rub his head and scratch his neck. He eats from our hands. He is great. Dr. Tom Greek in Yorba Linda did the amputation and put him on antibiotics. I don't know how long he was on it or what specifically he took but Dr. Greek has a good reputation as a tortoise vet.
We are definitely planning something for his leg. Just spending some time looking into what will be the best option. I think Friday my husband will have the time to get out there with me and test some ideas. We both like the idea of a swivel wheel over a furniture slide.
That is fricken sweeeeet....for sure.
The reason I asked is that he has stitches still and so to me that seems like the injury/amputation was not done too long ago...and a tortoise heals at tortoise speed (even if the outside appears well, there may be some underlying lingering infection/issue)and so that was why I asked
Since he is grown I would absolutely think the same thing...there are a variety of casters available that you can use...have you given some consideration to what you will use to adhere the prosthetic to the tort?
Man...I have looked at the eye shot of him what seems like a gazillion times.....I see the swollen eyelids and feel like when you get him soaked for a few months and allow him to settle in for a few months and feel relaxed a bit then his body will continue to heal and that swelling of the eyelids will diminish....
I also would plan on keeping him awake for another winter Heather...with the loss of limb and the stress of the actual incident I would plan a set up for winter to allow him to remain awake another winter...just what I would do...well, I have done for the old man here when he was impacted when I first took full care of him....I believe it made all of the difference in his overall health...just sharing is all and not trying to tell you what to do...
Dr. Greek said his stitches won't be removed. They'll just stay there until they come out on their own. I thought that was interesting. ? The surgery was done 4 months ago.
I'll see the vet in about 4 weeks and will find out more then, if not sooner.
I plan to contact Edwardbo about his adhesive idea for the "leg".
Angela, can you comment on what night temps he should have right now since he is up for the winter? I have him at about 75F.
I love looking in his eyes! Can you imagine all the things those eyes have seen?? Man...
We really love this guy. He is so "personable" unlike the leopards.
He has a huge part of the yard all to himself and I have such joy and peace just watching him.
Oh and I'm not even thinking about next winter..to brumate or not to... Oy. I'll enjoy spring and summer with him before I weigh out that decision!
P.s. Did I guess right, he is a he?? Lol
I'll see the vet in about 4 weeks and will find out more then, if not sooner.
I plan to contact Edwardbo about his adhesive idea for the "leg".
Angela, can you comment on what night temps he should have right now since he is up for the winter? I have him at about 75F.
I love looking in his eyes! Can you imagine all the things those eyes have seen?? Man...
We really love this guy. He is so "personable" unlike the leopards.
He has a huge part of the yard all to himself and I have such joy and peace just watching him.
Oh and I'm not even thinking about next winter..to brumate or not to... Oy. I'll enjoy spring and summer with him before I weigh out that decision!
P.s. Did I guess right, he is a he?? Lol
Wow...those are some hearty stitches, huh. Four months in human time is a good amount of time, right? I do wonder though how that levels out in tortoise time...so I would be very interested what occurs in the next 4 weeks and what is the opinion of the vet at the end of the four weeks...
I think that I would inquire of the vet his thoughts of the swelling of the eye lids--and the reason I wonder this and the reason I asked about if he lets you touch his head or not is that I wonder if you can place gentle pressure against the glands on the chin to see if you get any fluid from them? I know, sounds like a weird question---but if the tort has swollen eye lids and swollen glands and being that it is winter and not spring (spring time is when the glands of a male appear to swell, I wonder if there is some underlying inflammation still going on so it is showing itself in the eyelids and glands--not a point of worry but more an inquiry due to the fact it has not been long since the incident and the repairs????)
Night heat? My gut tells me that he should have an area at night that rises to 85-90 that he can go to if he feels the need....then I would monitor his choices...if he has the option to bump his own internal temp, curious to see if he seeks out higher temps to jump start his system for healing purpose...again Heather, I do not know for certain but just a gut feeling/hunch...did I explain that clear...again, I am just sharing what I would do and in no way am I saying that I know what is the absolute right thing to do--but figure if he has a medium grade and a slightly higher grade to choose from then he can decide what he needs by his natural drive...you know?
So true...one of the reasons I am in constant turmoil (I know it sounds dumb, according to some) knowing that a being that has known the wild must be bewildered by out captive environment -- I do not know why it is exactly that I feel such honor and sadness at the same time--- when I see one in captivity vs the ones I have observed in the wild...crazy.....I mean, I know the argument---wild = uncertain life of drought, feast or starve from season to season, right...but then it would make perfect sense as to why they are designed to be the way they are, they can go for over a year without ever dipping their head into water, they can retreat in high heat and also retreat in cold/freezing temps, that they can adjust to a variety of foods in the wild and the ability to adjust to the environment when there is little rain which in turn means less than luscious (word my son likes to use
) natural vegetation from time to time...then there is captivity= constant food, water and a basking light, but never the option to walk for the entire day on a path they desire, a chance meeting with a female/male that then offers up the opportunity to continue their path with hatchlings....the opportunity to sample a gazillion plants we just can not reproduce in most parts of the world like they can find in the desert....I mean, ah Heather, I could ramble on for hours--so I will spare you and stop here...I would say that my, if it were me, mail goal would be, in the outdoor space you are establishing for him, alot of places to hide and take cover...places he can wedge himself into to help regulate heat/cool/shelter/an cover in the event of a chance he has a flash back of his less than favorable incident in which he lost his leg--you know, maybe overkill on hide spots...so that he can move about the entire space and still feel like he can take cover at a moments notice..
I would continue to bring him indoors at night, I may even do this when the weather is good...at least for the next full year and then from there you will have had time to ponder the best set up for the tort and you...
I already shared by thoughts of night temps....this is going to be your choice, you see you are there and can watch his behavior and interpret what he finds desirable..there is no way to know what he likes until you offer options and then observe...this is the fun stuff for us simply easily amused humans
P)....and I don't mean that in a negative way....Also, I do not know for certain how he will adjust to the missing digging device (as far as burrowing is concerned)...I mean if a caster is going to be used for the missing leg to prop his body up in attempt to balance, then I do not know how that will hamper his ability to actually dig? Kinda seems like a trade off will occur....but hey, he is not whole any longer so the goal would be to find a good trade off for him at this point...this is why I suggested an overall plan for him to be brought in for night hours and/or a way for him to put himself to bed at night without getting stuck in the dirt with his wheelie....
I am going to be thinking about him for awhile....what have you decided to call him?
My 4 year old son called him Luke Skywalker because of the cut off arm. Then, my husband was sold on that name.
I liked Willy but was over ruled by the guys.
But I'm getting used to calling him Skywalker...I guess..
Luke Skywalker....perfect
but don't tell your son that the phrase "Luke, I am your father" was never actually a stated phrase...he will find that out when he is an adult....
Heather, the tort is in your caring hands now.....this is a fabulous species of tort and will instantly become endearing to you...as you likely have already realized....just enjoy the tort....and I am not really exact on if you have a male or female (I am funny that way, I am a hands on person)---but from the glands, the tenacity and those eyes--I would have to agree that you have a male in your midst....enjoy.
but don't tell your son that the phrase "Luke, I am your father" was never actually a stated phrase...he will find that out when he is an adult....
Heather, the tort is in your caring hands now.....this is a fabulous species of tort and will instantly become endearing to you...as you likely have already realized....just enjoy the tort....and I am not really exact on if you have a male or female (I am funny that way, I am a hands on person)---but from the glands, the tenacity and those eyes--I would have to agree that you have a male in your midst....enjoy.
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