Baby Moby went to the vet!

[Melissa Herman]

Yesterday I took my 5 month old leopard tort to the vet for the first time! I've only had Moby for a little over a month now, so I wanted to go in and see if I had been taking care of him correctly. The vet I took Moby to is Dr. Shawn Hook in Madison, Wisconsin (on the tortoise vet list on TFO).

90% of the information I have is from this forum, and I'm trying not to learn as I go. I am trying to educate myself on everything beforehand as much as possible, and the vet was impressed with how much I knew compared to most coming in with baby torts. He asked where I learned such accurate, good information and I told him about TFO briefly.

In result of my researching I've, so far, been raising Moby healthily and correctly! My little baby got man handled by the big scary vet man, and he hated him so very much! It seemed like he knew the vet was coming, and he stored extra pee just for vengeance... Because he was a little turtle pee fountain on the Dr., it was hilarious.

(STRAIGHT FORWARD INFO BELOW)​

Were there any medical problems with my tort?​

There was only one small issue, his plastron shell was a little bit soft. Dr. Hook told me that I should add a vitamin supplement into his diet a couple of times a week to help with this, as well as doing calcium on his food more often than I was (maybe twice a week at most).

How was the vet with your tortoise?​

I used a recommended vet off of the list on this forum, Dr. Hook in Madison, Wisconsin. The vet seemed very well educated, and so did his assistant! She seemed almost as educated as he did about tortoises. As far as physically handling my tortoise, the assistant didn't even touch Moby. The doctor was a little bit rough, so it seemed to me, with my tort. He held him upwards almost the entire time he spoke to me, which was quite a while, and Moby obviously didn't like it. He peed ALL over him in he best of times. When the vet was trying to open his mouth to take a look, he kind of scuffed and scratched Moby's mouth with the metal tools he was using. But after about an hour they visibly went away. Other than that, it was great.

What's your over all opinion about your experience?​

I wasn't sure what to expect with my appointment with Moby, and what I would hear as feedback. Everyone in the office was really nice and well educated. The doctor almost seemed more like a salesman than he did a vet at times, but I suppose you do what you've got to do. I was content with the knowledge of the staff, but I was a little disheartened by the slight roughness with my baby.

I do have one complaint...​

No staff had weighed my little tort, and it completely slipped my mind while I was in there. I feel like that's really important information that they missed out on, and so did I because I have not invested in a scale for my little dude Moby, yet.


​

 

[wellington]

Sounds like you might have a good vet there, let's hope so, that's a big plus for you. I don't like the ruffness and missing the weight, but if they seem knowledgable, I'd over look it for now.
Just an FYI. The vets listed on the forum have not nessicarily been tested or approved by anyone. It is just a list of reptile vets. Sounds like you got lucky.

 

[BrianWI]

Yesterday I took my 5 month old leopard tort to the vet for the first time! I've only had Moby for a little over a month now, so I wanted to go in and see if I had been taking care of him correctly. The vet I took Moby to is Dr. Shawn Hook in Madison, Wisconsin (on the tortoise vet list on TFO).

90% of the information I have is from this forum, and I'm trying not to learn as I go. I am trying to educate myself on everything beforehand as much as possible, and the vet was impressed with how much I knew compared to most coming in with baby torts. He asked where I learned such accurate, good information and I told him about TFO briefly.

In result of my researching I've, so far, been raising Moby healthily and correctly! My little baby got man handled by the big scary vet man, and he hated him so very much! It seemed like he knew the vet was coming, and he stored extra pee just for vengeance... Because he was a little turtle pee fountain on the Dr., it was hilarious.

​

Hello fellow Wisconsinite! Want that shell to harden up? Get her outside for a half hour a couple times a week. That will do it.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Thanks for ur report. Id suggest that you search on line and invest in a cheap kitchen-grade scale and take your own measurements. We found this a really good and fun thing to do and it really is a good indicator of ur tort's health. Seems like your vet would have recorded weight and length (SCL) so there was a baseline if u take him back. Hope that you didnt pay too much! Lots of free info on the forum!

 

[PJay]

Good job checking in on his health!

 

[Gillian M]

Yesterday I took my 5 month old leopard tort to the vet for the first time! I've only had Moby for a little over a month now, so I wanted to go in and see if I had been taking care of him correctly. The vet I took Moby to is Dr. Shawn Hook in Madison, Wisconsin (on the tortoise vet list on TFO).

90% of the information I have is from this forum, and I'm trying not to learn as I go. I am trying to educate myself on everything beforehand as much as possible, and the vet was impressed with how much I knew compared to most coming in with baby torts. He asked where I learned such accurate, good information and I told him about TFO briefly.

In result of my researching I've, so far, been raising Moby healthily and correctly! My little baby got man handled by the big scary vet man, and he hated him so very much! It seemed like he knew the vet was coming, and he stored extra pee just for vengeance... Because he was a little turtle pee fountain on the Dr., it was hilarious.

(STRAIGHT FORWARD INFO BELOW)​

Were there any medical problems with my tort?​

There was only one small issue, his plastron shell was a little bit soft. Dr. Hook told me that I should add a vitamin supplement into his diet a couple of times a week to help with this, as well as doing calcium on his food more often than I was (maybe twice a week at most).

How was the vet with your tortoise?​

I used a recommended vet off of the list on this forum, Dr. Hook in Madison, Wisconsin. The vet seemed very well educated, and so did his assistant! She seemed almost as educated as he did about tortoises. As far as physically handling my tortoise, the assistant didn't even touch Moby. The doctor was a little bit rough, so it seemed to me, with my tort. He held him upwards almost the entire time he spoke to me, which was quite a while, and Moby obviously didn't like it. He peed ALL over him in he best of times. When the vet was trying to open his mouth to take a look, he kind of scuffed and scratched Moby's mouth with the metal tools he was using. But after about an hour they visibly went away. Other than that, it was great.

What's your over all opinion about your experience?​

I wasn't sure what to expect with my appointment with Moby, and what I would hear as feedback. Everyone in the office was really nice and well educated. The doctor almost seemed more like a salesman than he did a vet at times, but I suppose you do what you've got to do. I was content with the knowledge of the staff, but I was a little disheartened by the slight roughness with my baby.

I do have one complaint...​

No staff had weighed my little tort, and it completely slipped my mind while I was in there. I feel like that's really important information that they missed out on, and so did I because I have not invested in a scale for my little dude Moby, yet.

​

Well done, and a very warm welcome to the forum!

Would love to see a pic of your tort and his enclosure.

 

[Kasia]

Yesterday I took my 5 month old leopard tort to the vet for the first time! I've only had Moby for a little over a month now, so I wanted to go in and see if I had been taking care of him correctly. The vet I took Moby to is Dr. Shawn Hook in Madison, Wisconsin (on the tortoise vet list on TFO).

90% of the information I have is from this forum, and I'm trying not to learn as I go. I am trying to educate myself on everything beforehand as much as possible, and the vet was impressed with how much I knew compared to most coming in with baby torts. He asked where I learned such accurate, good information and I told him about TFO briefly.

In result of my researching I've, so far, been raising Moby healthily and correctly! My little baby got man handled by the big scary vet man, and he hated him so very much! It seemed like he knew the vet was coming, and he stored extra pee just for vengeance... Because he was a little turtle pee fountain on the Dr., it was hilarious.

(STRAIGHT FORWARD INFO BELOW)​

Were there any medical problems with my tort?​

There was only one small issue, his plastron shell was a little bit soft. Dr. Hook told me that I should add a vitamin supplement into his diet a couple of times a week to help with this, as well as doing calcium on his food more often than I was (maybe twice a week at most).

How was the vet with your tortoise?​

I used a recommended vet off of the list on this forum, Dr. Hook in Madison, Wisconsin. The vet seemed very well educated, and so did his assistant! She seemed almost as educated as he did about tortoises. As far as physically handling my tortoise, the assistant didn't even touch Moby. The doctor was a little bit rough, so it seemed to me, with my tort. He held him upwards almost the entire time he spoke to me, which was quite a while, and Moby obviously didn't like it. He peed ALL over him in he best of times. When the vet was trying to open his mouth to take a look, he kind of scuffed and scratched Moby's mouth with the metal tools he was using. But after about an hour they visibly went away. Other than that, it was great.

What's your over all opinion about your experience?​

I wasn't sure what to expect with my appointment with Moby, and what I would hear as feedback. Everyone in the office was really nice and well educated. The doctor almost seemed more like a salesman than he did a vet at times, but I suppose you do what you've got to do. I was content with the knowledge of the staff, but I was a little disheartened by the slight roughness with my baby.

I do have one complaint.​

No staff had weighed my little tort, and it completely slipped my mind while I was in there. I feel like that's really important information that they missed out on, and so did I because I have not invested in a scale for my little dude Moby, yet.
​

Hi Mellisa
"Dr. Hook told me that I should add a vitamin supplement into his diet a couple of times a week to help with this, as well as doing calcium on his food more often than I was (maybe twice a week at most)."
What vitamines he had in mind? I think that being harsh is ok (it often looks that way) but not weighing the lil guy in my opinion is a big NO NO. On the next visit how will he now if your tortie gained or lost weight? It slliped your mind but the Vet should go through all the routine with his eyes closed, he is paid to do it. Did he suggested doing a fecal exam? Sometimes diet can be good but parasites can cause malnutrition hence soft shell. If I were you I would keep him in mind but still be opened for better options. Hugs for Moby

 

[Melissa Herman]

Hi Mellisa
"Dr. Hook told me that I should add a vitamin supplement into his diet a couple of times a week to help with this, as well as doing calcium on his food more often than I was (maybe twice a week at most)."
What vitamines he had in mind? I think that being harsh is ok (it often looks that way) but not weighing the lil guy in my opinion is a big NO NO. On the next visit how will he now if your tortie gained or lost weight? It slliped your mind but the Vet should go through all the routine with his eyes closed, he is paid to do it. Did he suggested doing a fecal exam? Sometimes diet can be good but parasites can cause malnutrition hence soft shell. If I were you I would keep him in mind but still be opened for better options. Hugs for Moby

Dr had vitiman A and D3 in mind for my little baby, so I added that 3 times a week on top of Moby's greens, and calcium on the other 3, leaving one rest day of normal noms. The vet did recommend a fecal test, but Moby refused to poop the entire day. Not during the hour and a half drive, not in his bath in the morning, and not even when he was getting roughed all over haha.

I'll post a pic of him and his enclosure in just a bit!

 

[Melissa Herman]

Here is my Moby! Enclosure pictures to come after work.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Melissa:

Take a piece of binder paper and set Moby right in the middle of it. Make a pencil outline around the baby onto the paper, and make a note in the outline of today's date. Then next month on the same day, place Moby again in the center of that outline and make a new tracing with a new date. You can keep doing this until he's bigger than the paper, and after that you can weigh him instead.

 

[Melissa Herman]

Pictures fresh from today

 

[Melissa Herman]

Hi Melissa:

Take a piece of binder paper and set Moby right in the middle of it. Make a pencil outline around the baby onto the paper, and make a note in the outline of today's date. Then next month on the same day, place Moby again in the center of that outline and make a new tracing with a new date. You can keep doing this until he's bigger than the paper, and after that you can weigh him instead.

View attachment 183980

Never even thought of that! Brilliant, I'm going to start doing this today. Thank you for the wonderful idea.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks for this post, Melissa.
It's very interesting to see what vets actually do.

 

[Kasia]

Dr had vitiman A and D3 in mind for my little baby, so I added that 3 times a week on top of Moby's greens, and calcium on the other 3, leaving one rest day of normal noms. The vet did recommend a fecal test, but Moby refused to poop the entire day. Not during the hour and a half drive, not in his bath in the morning, and not even when he was getting roughed all over haha.

I'll post a pic of him and his enclosure in just a bit!

if you have a varied diet and give him some natural sunshine he does not need additional vitamines A and D3. His cute face tells me though that his been getting high amount of vitamin L (..ove). Sorry for to much cheesenes . Send that Vet a sample for exam when Moby decides to go number 2. On the second pic he looks a bit puffy but maybe it is just the pose or you have taken the pic after the Vet messed with him. Keep up the good work and post pics - tortie babies are precious and I can never get enough I think I speak for many people on this forum....