Might have a new addition on Sunday!

[armandoarturo]

Yaaaay!!
Im so glad that you got it!
I agree with Terry, I dont know why the kids are not taught to care for the animals, and nature...
I really thank god for my mom that did a great job... she would always teach me how to care for ill animals, and how nature should be respected and cared for..
I dont know why kids keep doing this kinds of things, many of my CDT had their shell and nails painted!
I even found one, back in time... that her shell had a little hole in the back, right next to the tail... they made the hole so they would be able to tie up the tortoise with a cord to a tree in the back yard. I couldnt Just believe this! now this tortoise its safe and has a beautiful life and backyard with one of my friends =)
Im really really glad that you got the tortoise, congrats!, truly she deserves you!
Oh! by the way, I saw that you were confused about texas and CDT..... theres a thread I made with the same question down here in north americas tortoises...
theres a little talking about both of them and their difference... and there are some pictures with the difference between them... (I think you might find this interesting)
Well... good luck with your new kid =) have fun!!

 

[Isa]

When I got Hermy, the pet store where I bought him from was feeding him dog and cat food and fruits and not too much veggies (no greens or grass at all!) It took time for him to like the right food for him... Even now, a couple of years later, he is still very picky.. Maybe Aurora does not know what it is to live a healthy tortoise life yet?!. Hope she feels better soon, good luck and keep us updated

 

[APBT_Fanatic]

Here are her puffy eyes. Is this normal?

I finally found her semi (no head) sprawled out in the sun.

 

[allenleaann]

Sounds like a happy and forever home for Mark!!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I think her eyes look like normal 'closed' desert tortoise eyes. I see where you say you tried to soak her but she "freaked out". If she were mine at this point I would give her shallow baby food soaks and feed her what her former captors fed her only you're gonna add some healthy food to it. I'd leave out the cranberries but add whatever else she was fed. I can't go back and read what you wrote because I am on the laptop and if I scroll down I will lose what I have typed so far. I know I'll get used to it sooner or later. But for now scrolling makes me lose what I have typed, unless I scroll just right. I didn't realize using a laptop was so much different from my desktop... Anyhow, regardless of how SHE feels about soaking, it is important to her health. Have you seen her drink anything? I think it is time for some tough love. So I'd do the babyfood soaks, making them kind of shallow. And I'd feed her what she recognizes as food mixing healthy food with it, then more healthy food and less crappy food until she is eating good. I doubt that a Vet can tell you anything more about her. Unless you can get a fecal...that would be my last suggestion, to see if she's carrying a parasite load. that's it, I hope I have helped you some...

 

[african cake queen]

hello there, your story about this tortoise got to me. how pretty,this tort. is! looks so sad . thank you for what you did! i just dont get some people! good luck. lindy

 

[APBT_Fanatic]

I think her eyes look like normal 'closed' desert tortoise eyes. I see where you say you tried to soak her but she "freaked out". If she were mine at this point I would give her shallow baby food soaks and feed her what her former captors fed her only you're gonna add some healthy food to it. I'd leave out the cranberries but add whatever else she was fed. I can't go back and read what you wrote because I am on the laptop and if I scroll down I will lose what I have typed so far. I know I'll get used to it sooner or later. But for now scrolling makes me lose what I have typed, unless I scroll just right. I didn't realize using a laptop was so much different from my desktop... Anyhow, regardless of how SHE feels about soaking, it is important to her health. Have you seen her drink anything? I think it is time for some tough love. So I'd do the babyfood soaks, making them kind of shallow. And I'd feed her what she recognizes as food mixing healthy food with it, then more healthy food and less crappy food until she is eating good. I doubt that a Vet can tell you anything more about her. Unless you can get a fecal...that would be my last suggestion, to see if she's carrying a parasite load. that's it, I hope I have helped you some...

Thanks for the info.

When it is done raining, I will try soaking her again, etc. No, I have not seen her drink. She barely moves around, as far as I know.... only staying in one half of her enclosure, going to sit in the sun, then go back in her house. None of my other CDTs really have puffy/white closed eyes like that, so that is why I was a little concerned. I am glad they look normal though.

I didn't expect her to eat right away; however, I did expect her to warm up to her new surroundings a little quicker (even just slightly), so that is why I was a little concerned. As long as she was active, I was planning on that being a good start, but she hasn't even done that yet.

Also, thanks momo!

 

[dmmj]

can you provide a large soaking dish for her to go into? Mine hates to be forced to soak, but he does love to wallow in mud and go into any pool of water he finds (CDT) The puffy eyes don't look right to me but does she open them on her own? are they clear?

 

[APBT_Fanatic]

can you provide a large soaking dish for her to go into? Mine hates to be forced to soak, but he does love to wallow in mud and go into any pool of water he finds (CDT) The puffy eyes don't look right to me but does she open them on her own? are they clear?

She has a large pot saucer in her enclosure that she can go in/out of as she pleases (see pics on previous pages).

Also, yes, she opens her eyes, but it just went along with my feeling that she did not feel 100%. I do believe her eyes are clear, but will double check.

Thanks!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have had several desert tortoises who's closed eyes look like that, and I thought something was wrong with them. But then I got to see that there was nothing wrong with them they just look different. In the case of mine their eyes just looked different just like each tortoise looks different from another. My Vet also thinks my tortoises eyes just look different, but in your case she is not acting normal either so there probably is something wrong with her.So I apologize...

 

[APBT_Fanatic]

I have had several desert tortoises who's closed eyes look like that, and I thought something was wrong with them. But then I got to see that there was nothing wrong with them they just look different. In the case of mine their eyes just looked different just like each tortoise looks different from another. My Vet also thinks my tortoises eyes just look different, but in your case she is not acting normal either so there probably is something wrong with her.So I apologize...

No need to apologize for anything. Thank you for your input!
I will keep working with her and see if she improves.

It is cold and windy today, so I don't blame her for staying inside today!

 

[APBT_Fanatic]

Woo Hoo!!!
Guess to I saw eating a small patch of grass this morning!
YAY Aurora!

 

[Isa]

Woohoo Good news

 

[Scooter]

That's great!

 

[dmarcus]

Very good news indeed...

 

[stingface]

I adopted an 18 month DT. It's eyes were really puffy and it's shell was too soft. It's neck was also puffy. A turtle rescue guy told me it has a severe calcium deficiency. I have been supplementing with calcium powder and cuttle bone for a month and the eyes are now bright and the shell is hardening up. I feed prickly pear, a plant called cheese mallow that grows on my property and the pelleted turtle food from Spikes; mazura. That's what my experience with puffy eyes is.