Just got a tortoise bit worried so registered for advice please help!

[Sophie-g-l]

Hiya I've just got a tortoise on Sunday from a petshop in the local market as she was advertised and was worried she would go to a bad home. Her shell is slightly diformed I got told she had never been outside and was kept in a glass veverium all her life. She's apparently 4yrs old but I think she's possible 10 yrs old. I have had some experiance in looking after a tortoise which i inherited and had for 10 yrs. sadly it died about 4 yrs ago from old age, my family estimated it was about 86 yrs old.
Any way I have named my new tortoise Olive and she seems fine appart from a bit of a bumpy shell- not too bad. She seems strong and healthy but I am slightly worried she hasn't done a poo/ wee and eaten very little. I know it's only Tuesday but I'm worried. Can someone give me some advice please. I know about the warm shallow bath but i'm worried that it will stress her out. If I get too close to her she seems to bob her head pant and bob her front legs up and down. Please help I really want to help her and make her happy
Sophie and Olive the Hermans tortoise. x

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Sophie and welcome to the forum and if you get a chance to post pics, we can tell you how bad off the shell may or may not be..

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Welcome to the forum and could we get some pics of her to see if she looks ok? It doesnt seem like shes too bad but some pics will probably help us out in helping you.

 

[Missy]

Welcome to TFO. I would go ahead and soak her. Pics will help us help you.

 

[DixieParadise]

Welcome Sophie...I am sure you will find the answers to all your questions here. Congrats on your addition. I like that name, "Olive"

 

[Fernando]

Hi Sophie! Welcome to TFO!

When a tortoise does the little head bob that usually means they are breathing heavily and can usually mean they are a little stressed. Make sure the water is warm enough but I would still give her the warm soaks. Make sure she isn't floating in the water really but still enough so that if she decides to take a drink she can go down enough to put her whole head in. Is she getting exercise? Outside?

 

[kale315]

Welcome Sophie. I too am new but what I've read bobbing of head and legs is normal as they need to to breath.

 

[Fernando]

Welcome Sophie. I too am new but what I've read bobbing of head and legs is normal as they need to to breath.

If it's a heavy bobbing I notice that's when my tortoises are stressed. I notice it more when my son is standing right in front of the tank staring at my tortoise...once my tortoise sees him "There goes the head bobbing"

 

[Sophie-g-l]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all the quick replies. She has been outside in the sun today, i've just fetched her in and put her in her table. I filled her water bath/ bowl up with warmish water. Nothing happened yet... I will keep doing this everyday hopefully it's just a stress thing and she'll settle in soon. Her are some pictures i've just taken them now, sorry if they're a little dark i didn't want to scare her with flashes or anything. I have tried to show her bumpy shell for you guys to tell me if it's something i should be worried about.
Cheers Sophie & Olive

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Welcome Sophie. I too am new but what I've read bobbing of head and legs is normal as they need to to breath.

If it's a heavy bobbing I notice that's when my tortoises are stressed. I notice it more when my son is standing right in front of the tank staring at my tortoise...once my tortoise sees him "There goes the head bobbing"

Thank you for your replies. The bobbing gets heavier if I get closer, I do think it's stress related. Hopefully she will get used to me. As far as i know she has never been outside. Since i got her i put her outside in large secure area with plenty of tortoise friendly weeds/ grass/ soil and bushes to hide in. Once it get cold i bring her inside to her tortoise table which is also very large so she has got plenty of room to wonder round, dig and climb if she wants to. I have got her a UVA & UVB combined Vapor Mercury lamp too so if it's looking a bit dull or raining i will switch that on and keep her in her tortoise table.The weather has been lovely since Sunday though so haven't had to use it yet.

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Welcome Sophie. I too am new but what I've read bobbing of head and legs is normal as they need to to breath.

Thanks for your reply Kale315. She doesn't do it all the time though it tends to be if i'm walking towards her or standing too close. I think it could be stress?

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Hello Sophie and welcome to the forum and if you get a chance to post pics, we can tell you how bad off the shell may or may not be..

Thank you so much Dalano73, I have posted some photos now, I would really appreciate you taking a look when you have time. Cheers

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Welcome to the forum and could we get some pics of her to see if she looks ok? It doesnt seem like shes too bad but some pics will probably help us out in helping you.

Hi Eweezyfosheezy, I have posted some photos now. Any advice would be very appreciated. Thank you

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Welcome to TFO. I would go ahead and soak her. Pics will help us help you.

Hi Missy, Thank you for your reply. I soaked her. nothing happened yet. I will do it again in the morning and again tomorrow night. I've also posted some pictures of her shell now too if you have time to have a look.
Thanks so much!

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Welcome Sophie...I am sure you will find the answers to all your questions here. Congrats on your addition. I like that name, "Olive"

Hey DixieParadise, Thanks for the reply. Your right people on here are so helpful!

 

[Fernando]

Hmmm...it looks like at one point the tortoise was in a worse condition and then started growing shortly after. I've never seen that before. Is the shell soft at all?

You are doing great. Keep us updated!

 

[Kristina]

Wowzers, that has got to be one of the oddest shells I have ever seen. Absolutely amazing how the pleurals grew on the outer edge (and not on the inner) to compensate for the lack of growth in the vertebrals.

Based on the growth of the pleural scutes on the outer edge, I doubt this is a case of MBD or nutritional defect.

Fortunately they can still live a healthy happy life even if the shell is a bit off, as long as everything inside is okay

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Sophie:

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Sophie-g-l]

Hmmm...it looks like at one point the tortoise was in a worse condition and then started growing shortly after. I've never seen that before. Is the shell soft at all?

You are doing great. Keep us updated!

Yeah thats what i thought I recon she's had a few different homes and been looked after to varying degrees. No the shell is really hard all over no soft bits. She doesn't seem unhealthy apart from the poo situation and the way her shell looks. I am hoping she'll get used to me and her new surroundings and she'll stop bobbing at me. Maybe she's not used to the space she can wonder in and the fact she's out in the garden?
Thanks again for your help I'll keep you posted.

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Wowzers, that has got to be one of the oddest shells I have ever seen. Absolutely amazing how the pleurals grew on the outer edge (and not on the inner) to compensate for the lack of growth in the vertebrals.

Based on the growth of the pleural scutes on the outer edge, I doubt this is a case of MBD or nutritional defect.

Fortunately they can still live a healthy happy life even if the shell is a bit off, as long as everything inside is okay

Welcome to the forum!

Aww thank you for your reply. I was really worried she could have MBD. She's very strong though and quite energetic. She's got a fast pace on her! Hopefully I'll beable to look after her now and she'll be fine and healthy. I've got her nutrobol and limestone to sprinkle on her food a few times a week and she's getting plenty of natural sunlight too so hopfully if i cant fix what's already been done she'll have a heathy life from now on.
thanks for your reply, you've eased my worries

 

[SILVERSTAR]

as far as the panting and opening the mouth and up and down wit the legs........mine does it too but nothing wakes him up like a warm soak.

 

[dmmj]

Welcome
Give the tortoise time it will come around, remember to them you look like a big predator, they soon realize they have nothing to fear from you, and often wait for you to feed them.