Back from vet need advice!

[manetteaplin]

I'm back from the vet, he thinks Franklin is a girl but how would he know at 510g and 6 in long!! Also thinks I should raise him on a wood or astro turf carpet to prevent parasites, what a idiot! He was pretty good about feeding and lights but he said franklins curved shell (up by his head) is from him not getting enough calcium...is this true or is he dumber than I thought? lol

 

[OCTortoiseGuy]

He's dumber then you thought, your Franklin looks great!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Actually, he might be on to something. Sulcatas in the wild don't have that flared out carapace that you see quite often in "pet" sulcatas. Don't know if its calcium related, but its definitely "pet" related.

Just because a vet/person doesn't know good husbandry practices, doesn't mean they're dumb. Your vet is very well-schooled in the health issues and how to care for accidents, etc. But husbandry isn't taught at vet school. So unless he has tortoises of his own, you can't expect him to be up on the latest husbandry. Give him a break.

On the same note...it really bugs me when the vet talks to you as if he knows it all instead of being able to say, "I really don't know the answer to that, but I'll try to find out for you."

 

[mainey34]

Your Sulcata looks to be in good shape. The shell is nice and smooth. Does not seem to be dehydrated from what i could see in the pics. But i agree with Yvonne, about the flared out carapace. Where did you get him from? Did your vet check for parisites?

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

He's BEAUTIFUL!!!! Sulcata's are one of my favorites. I have an adult rescue, a giant rescue I'm picking up tomorrow from a veterinarian on the other side of the state, and a baby on the way from Tom....whom we've already named.....FRANKLIN!!!! I figured if it turned out to be female, I can call her Frankie. [GROWING HEART]

I agree with Yvonne regarding the curved scutes on the cranial aspect. I've read over and over this is typical of CB tortoises, but no one seems to know why or how. Not an indication of MVD.

And to inquire myself: When CAN you sex a Sulcata? It ultimately doesn't matter as I have zero desire to breed them, but if am a WHORE for any and all details of animals, so I gotta know. [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


-------
Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata (4.8 lbs)
Oliver the Sulcata (50 lbs)
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata Franklin on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!

 

[manetteaplin]

I well my husband got him at a pet store for my daughter, will be two years in January 31 we were like most not knowing people so I looked online to see what the hubby got us into! Luckily I found this forum in about day two of having him. I'm sure I'm don't perfect in his care but I sure try. I guess I was so offended by the vet telling me I needed to raise him on a hard surface, I actually debated with him for a while on how that could possibly be better for him. He also said his diet was good but watch the weeds I feed him because their ratios of c:f aren't right in most of them. Anyway he was given meds for round worms. He is pretty mad at me right now. new home last week and a vet visit today=one mad tort!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

What, pray tell, did the vet recommend as a diet if he felt weeds were not good as a staple? Also, did the vet know what type it was, or had you already told him? I ask just out of curiosity. Yvonne is correct in that vet school doesn't spend much time on raising critters. Remember, often times in today's veterinarian practice, exotic means llama or alpaca, whereas 20 years ago it was large, flightless birds. Even vets that specialize in reptiles may have limited knowledge of tortoises. Tortoises are a lot different than say, snakes.

 

[nate.mann]

sorry about my irrelevance to the topic, but that sulcata is perfect. and thanks a lot Yvonne..i will now be up all night trying to read up on what causes this flaring. looks like i'll be making coffee. anyone want a cup? i make it black with two spoonfuls of sugar.


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog

 

[manetteaplin]

The vet recommended spring mix, grass,clover,dandelion. When I mentioned other weeds like plantains is when he went on his rant about not to many weeds because the calcium ratios won't be right and will be harmful

 

[ascott]

i will now be up all night trying to read up on what causes this flaring

I have always theorized this to be because captive tortoise are much less active and are in the rest/spread out posture more of the time than that of a wild tort....I mean, there just is no comparison to the time at rest vs foraging and such.......

NOOOOWWWW, this is just my theory and I am in NO way saying this is what I know to be fact......

 

[nate.mann]

i will now be up all night trying to read up on what causes this flaring

I have always theorized this to be because captive tortoise are much less active and are in the rest/spread out posture more of the time than that of a wild tort....I mean, there just is no comparison to the time at rest vs foraging and such.......

NOOOOWWWW, this is just my theory and I am in NO way saying this is what I know to be fact......

thats an interesting thought. hm.


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog

 

[ashbelys]

On most things, especially the chemical balances (calcium) I would trust your vet. Most people don't know this, but it is harder to become a vet than a human doctor, so they definitely know what they're doing. I would just make sure you are going to a vet who specializes in reptiles. When I was looking for a vet for my aquatics, I straight up asked them if they care for turtles and most will tell you yes or no. When you find one, they may not know the exact care for that particular species but the vet usually has a pretty good idea. If he says to alter the diet, I would do it. Not everything you read online is correct and there is a lot of stuff not online because only a vet would know it. So I would definitely trust your vet, but certainly ask questions.