Duma escaped and came home injured

Status
Not open for further replies.

Melly-n-shorty

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,367
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix Arizona
A couple months back my husband and I moved the tortoise into a temporary enclosure while we took down our old fence and put up a new one. We have a city easement behind our back fence that leads to a busy street at one end and dead ends into the side of a mountain on the other end. Every day I checked Duma and Shorty morning and night until one morning I checked and found that Duma was missing. She was missing for 3 days... My husband spent each day searching the back yard, easement and mountain side for any sign of her. We had just about gave up hope when on the 4th day I was watching the dogs while they were doing their business (we still had no back fence) and I heard something rustling a little ways up the side of the mountain, I walked closer trying not to get my hopes up when I saw little Duma come tromping out of a patch of dried up aloe clusters. I was so happy I found her i was squealing and started to run to tell my husband when I noticed the chunk of shell was missing from over her back leg and I came to an abrupt halt... she had been chewed on by something. she had 2 spots where her shell was injured, and one part where her shell was missing and created a hole into her shell cavity. The vet cleaned out the wound and gave her a shot of antibiotics, and gave me cleaning instructions... it has been a month and she is still acting like her normal self, so I am hopeful that she wont develop a internal infection. A couple days ago a little thin piece of what I thought was bone came off her shell like a scab revealing new shell growth underneath. I thought for sure she would have scared bone in those spots for the rest of her life... the hole even closed up with healthy looking shell tissue... here are pictures...

Do you think she is past the point of worrying about infection? now that the hole is closed up do think its safe to let her go back outside? also she didnt gain any weight for the past month until this week she put on almost 10oz...is that normal for a injured tortoise?

as you can see this is the thin piece of what I thought was bone... I guess it was a scab?
IMG_6814_zps07b42073.jpg~original


Here is the spot the "scab" came off of. the open hole was the size of a pencil eraser and was to the far right of the wind (when looking at the picture).
IMG_6802_zps4e3bdfe3.jpg~original


You see that little part that is still covering part of her leg... see how it is actually split away from the rest of the shell? that is where the hole into her shell cavity used to be.
IMG_6803_zps14f29786.jpg~original


This is the second wound... this wasnt as bad... it too has a little piece of "scab" pealing off and new growth beneath. the only issue is that little corner at the seam of the two scutes that is now growing upwards like a spike... I hope it will stop growing that way.
IMG_6800_zps7fdf2632.jpg~original


this is the last injury. its a lot smaller then the other two and is just over her leg.
IMG_6805_zps57cc4b66.jpg~original
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
WOW, I am so glad you got here back. A bit beaten up for sure, but sounds like she is doing good.
 

mike taylor

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 28, 2012
Messages
13,461
I'm happy that you found her.

Mike
 

lkwagner

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
682
Was your temporary enclosure covered? Maybe an animal got in there and got her and that's how she escaped.... Luckily she came back home alive!!!
 

Melly-n-shorty

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,367
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix Arizona
no it wasn't covered but the vet thinks it was a small animal like a ground squirrel. I am happy she came back too.

do any of you know if: she is past the point of worrying about infection? now that the hole is closed up do think its safe to let her go back outside? also she didnt gain any weight for the past month until this week she put on almost 10oz...is that normal for a injured tortoise?
 

abclements

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2012
Messages
764
I would put her back outside. If everything has closed up nicely, then you're good to go. Just do a once over and look for areas that may be raw still or maybe *****. And if you don't see any, go ahead and put her back out.

The "scab" you found, is actually dead shell. It kind of works like a scab though. Once the new shell tissue has grown in, the dead shell gets pushed up and ends up flaking off!

I'm so glad you found her!
 

Melly-n-shorty

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,367
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix Arizona
abclements said:
I would put her back outside. If everything has closed up nicely, then you're good to go. Just do a once over and look for areas that may be raw still or maybe *****. And if you don't see any, go ahead and put her back out.

The "scab" you found, is actually dead shell. It kind of works like a scab though. Once the new shell tissue has grown in, the dead shell gets pushed up and ends up flaking off!

I'm so glad you found her!

oh wow! I had no idea the shell could repair itself to that extent! Its totally amazing! thank you so much, I have been wondering if that was normal and if i should be worried! for an animal that keeps so much hidden its hard not to worry about every little thing! so far she hasn't had any puss! she had maggots when the vet cleaned her wound... I was completely freaked out that she wasnt going to make it but he said they probably played a big role in keeping her from getting an infection. She will be so happy to be outside again! she hates the indoor enclosure!

I thank my lucky starts I found her every time I look at her!
 

Vickie

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2013
Messages
352
Just totally amazing! What a strong tort she is. So glad you got her back.
 

abclements

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2012
Messages
764
It's amazing how resilient tortoises are! Glad everything's working out in your favor!!
 

laney

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
803
Location (City and/or State)
Aberdeen, Scotland
Yay :) I'm so happy you got her back! She headed back towards home at the right time by the sounds of it :)
You must have been devastated! She is back in the best place now, and her healing looks great!!!
 

Melly-n-shorty

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,367
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix Arizona
lynnedit said:
What an amazing story! So glad you found her, and it does look nicely sealed up.

I am happy I found her too! I was so excited when the dead tissue came off that there was new growth over the hole!


laney said:
Yay :) I'm so happy you got her back! She headed back towards home at the right time by the sounds of it :)
You must have been devastated! She is back in the best place now, and her healing looks great!!!

Oh I was! Both when she was missing and the first week she was healing! I would snap out of bed every morning and go check if she was still alive! I guess only time will tell how it will look when she is older.
 

jojomo

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 24, 2013
Messages
47
great story....except for the unfortunate injuries. she seems to be doing well tho. I can't even imagine your joy and relief when you finally found her.
 

Melly-n-shorty

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,367
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix Arizona
jojomo said:
great story....except for the unfortunate injuries. she seems to be doing well tho. I can't even imagine your joy and relief when you finally found her.

I couldn't believe it, I was so happy! I thought for sure she was gone for good.
 

haidao88

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
183
She is very lucky indeed and a happy ending hopefully she heals up really well and very happy for you


My tortoise Peach hates apples
Mario loves Peaches
0.0.2 redfoot
 

haidao88

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
183
always a great sign when our babies begin to put back on the lbs lol


My tortoise Peach hates apples
Mario loves Peaches
0.0.2 redfoot
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top