Big Bertha Doing Great

[ZEROPILOT]

I know I'm a little light in the photos, but I place no fewer than 4 or 5 different items in front of her daily and I mix them up looking for the one item that she'll eat. If she eats that item, within two days she will no longer want it anymore and then I have to start all over again. This has been going on for a little more than a year.

 

[Anyfoot]

I know I'm a little light in the photos, but I place no fewer than 4 or 5 different items in front of her daily and I mix them up looking for the one item that she'll eat. If she eats that item, within two days she will no longer want it anymore and then I have to start all over again. This has been going on for a little more than a year.

Is she loosing a lot of weight?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes. But mostly because of her reluctance to drink. The water adds a lot very quickly.

 

[Anyfoot]

Yes. But mostly because of her reluctance to drink. The water adds a lot very quickly.

Do you have an area outside where she can pick at growing weeds. At her last home was she allowed to wander outdoors picking at whatever she crossed. Some of mine eat grass, but only from the garden, if you pick it for them they wont eat it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I park her royal rear end in the yard a few times a week and then go retrieve her a couple hours later from exactly the same spot. Sometimes she will have moved a foot or two.
My other tortoises will eat yard grass, but only if I'm late with the "real" food.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I have heard of tortoises being hand fed or even force fed, becoming accustomed to it and only eating like that.
Has Bertha just got used to not feeding herself or exercising, do you think?

 

[Anyfoot]

I park her royal rear end in the yard a few times a week and then go retrieve her a couple hours later from exactly the same spot. Sometimes she will have moved a foot or two.
My other tortoises will eat yard grass, but only if I'm late with the "real" food.

I can't think of anything else. Other than keep offering food,water and baths. It's frustrating for us, so god knows what your like.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It's getting pretty old, pretty quickly. I can tell you that.

 

[Pearly]

I know you are feeling totally spent, but remember us taking about probiotic? I think it was called iFlora, maybe there are others. I'm not sure if the cultures in the ones we have available for us humans would be good to populate reptile guts with. From what I had read back then this iFlora was specifically designed for torts (or reptiles in general) and it was said to be "medical grade". I'll look into this again and will let you know. Meanwhile perhaps there are tort experts out there who have already looked into the subject and can set things straight for us?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I know you are feeling totally spent, but remember us taking about probiotic? I think it was called iFlora, maybe there are others. I'm not sure if the cultures in the ones we have available for us humans would be good to populate reptile guts with. From what I had read back then this iFlora was specifically designed for torts (or reptiles in general) and it was said to be "medical grade". I'll look into this again and will let you know. Meanwhile perhaps there are tort experts out there who have already looked into the subject and can set things straight for us?

Right now even if I had a MIRACLE pill, I still would have no way of making her eat it. Even though I saw that some Romaine was missing yesterday. It was a very small section.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi Ed. How is Bertha doing today. Sincerely hope to hear she's better.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hi Ed. How is Bertha doing today. Sincerely hope to hear she's better.

No. She wont eat or drink.
However, she also seems no worse and I don't know why.

 

[Gillian M]

No. She wont eat or drink.
However, she also seems no worse and I don't know why.

Very sorry to hear there's no improvement. Do you mean she's in 'coma?' if so I may put it. I really do hope that the vets are able to do something for her, and that she gets better soon.

Hope is the last thing to die, so don't give up hope, Ed.

 

[Gillian M]

No. She wont eat or drink.
However, she also seems no worse and I don't know why.

Very sorry to hear there's no improvement. Do you mean she's in 'coma?' if so I may put it. I really do hope that the vets are able to do something for her, and that she gets better soon.

Hope is the last thing to die, so don't give up hope, Ed.

 

[Gillian M]

Sorry for having posted twice by mistake.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Very sorry to hear there's no improvement. Do you mean she's in 'coma?' if so I may put it. I really do hope that the vets are able to do something for her, and that she gets better soon.

Hope is the last thing to die, so don't give up hope, Ed.

No. She's aware. She looks around. Looks at me and sometime even moves a little. Her head moves quite a bit.
Hope is not the last thing to die..........Bertha is.

 

[Anyfoot]

No. She's aware. She looks around. Looks at me and sometime even moves a little. Her head moves quite a bit.
Hope is not the last thing to die..........Bertha is.

Ed. The only thing I can think of that you haven't done yet. (Other than going into deep costly medical test). Is to force her to exercise. See if it gets the system going again. The only way I can see to force exercise is swimming in deep water. Even then she may refuse a sink like a lead balloon. Just a thought.

 

[Gillian M]

No. She's aware. She looks around. Looks at me and sometime even moves a little. Her head moves quite a bit.
Hope is not the last thing to die..........Bertha is.

You've done all you can, I think.

Wishes for a speedy recovery, Bertha!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I did dunk her in deep water but I chickened out and pulled her back up.
She sometimes won't even bother to raise her head.

 

[Anyfoot]

I did dunk her in deep water but I chickened out and pulled her back up.
She sometimes won't even bother to raise her head.

Cluck cluck . How about sit her plastron on a upside down bucket in water, with water upto her neck. So she can move her legs in water.