New member

[lgdpt]

Hi all, I love this forum. I just read almost every thread in the DT section. Great info.

I just adopted a female DT a few months ago and she is doing great. She came to me with her shell painted and a hole drilled in the back.

She is a big girl and must be really old. I think shes had a hard life (scars and such). She was VERY fearfull at first but now is coming around and eats out of my hand and even comes out of her house when she hears me in the yard.

She has a huge backyard with several types of grasses, clover, dandylion, etc. I have 5 hybiscus growing(but they are still small) and ordered some concord grape vines to plant. Also, I made her a house based on the design given to me by the CTTC representative. She loves it and goes in and out of it all day.

I love in Corona, CA and just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the good info. I tried to attach some crappy cell phone pics but they are too large and Im not savy enough to shrink them.

 

[Crazy1]

lgdpt, welcome to the forum

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi lgdpt: Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name? Desert tortoises are one of my favorite tortoises. They are so very personable. And easy to do any doctoring to!

Take a few minutes and go to your profile and fill out some information about yourself. It helps us to answer your questions when we know a little more about you. If you don't know where that is, look at the top of the screen. It will say in black letters: welcome back, lgdpt. You last visited: whatever time. Then in bold blue letters: (User CP - Log out)

If you click on "user CP" it takes you to a page where you can choose all sorts of things along the left side. Scroll down a few items and click on "edit profile." That's where you can tell us more about yourself.

Again, welcome! Here's hoping you get a digital camera soon. I'd love to see pictures of your girl.

Yvonne

P.S. Were you able to get the paint off her?

 

[lgdpt]

Sure, my name is Travis.

I will fill out the User CP area right after this post.

I have not removed all the old paint off of her. It seems like it needs to be scratched off and it really freaks her out when I try to do it. I hate the idea of stressing her out. What do you think....should I just sit down and commmit to it? Any special tips on removing it? So far I have just used my fingernail. VERY slow going....

We do have a digital camera, but its usually with my wife. I will get some good pics soon.

Thanks for the welcome, Yvonne and Robyn.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Travis:

I copied this from the Tortoise Group:

Never drill holes through the shell. There are nerves and blood vessels under the entire shell. Drilling causes pain. Never cover the shell with paint or similar material. If you receive a tortoise that has been painted, do not try to remove the paint. Solvents that remove paint should not come in contact with the seams between the shell plates (scutes) where there is sensitive, live tissue. Scraping the paint can cause injury. The paint will eventually wear off.

My thought on the subject would be to gently scrub the shell on a once a week basis with room temperature water and a soft bristle brush. This will help to wear the paint off.

Yvonne

 

[lgdpt]

Hi Travis:

I copied this from the Tortoise Group:

Never drill holes through the shell. There are nerves and blood vessels under the entire shell. Drilling causes pain. Never cover the shell with paint or similar material. If you receive a tortoise that has been painted, do not try to remove the paint. Solvents that remove paint should not come in contact with the seams between the shell plates (scutes) where there is sensitive, live tissue. Scraping the paint can cause injury. The paint will eventually wear off.

My thought on the subject would be to gently scrub the shell on a once a week basis with room temperature water and a soft bristle brush. This will help to wear the paint off.

Yvonne

Sounds like great advice. I will try that. I only spent about 10 seconds scratching with my fingernail (on the day I received her) and it made her nervous so I gave up. I will try a toothbrush and some water. I can tell this paint has been on her shell a LONG time. Its slowly wearing off.

That hole in her shell seems so unbelievable...Just the idea of her tethered to a stake makes me so mad. People are so cruel

 

[egyptiandan]

Welcome to the forum Travis

Danny

 

[Stazz]

Welcome to the forum Travis and your female DT Whats her name?

 

[lgdpt]

Thank you, her name is Shelly (I know.....not very original). It just fit her so well.

 

[Stazz]

Shelly is a lovely name

 

[bikerchicspain]

Welcome to the forum Travis and Shelly.

 

[dmmj]

A long time ago people used to drill holes in their shells so they could lasso them to something to keep them on a short leash. They thought it did not feel pain because it was just a shell, we know diff now. anyways good info here since you live in CA you could always join the C.T.T.C and get helpful advice from them if you are not already a memeber, anways wlcome and enjoy.

 

[jlyoncc1]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like she is in good hands now!

 

[lgdpt]

dmmj, I joined the CTTC when I adopted her. They are the ones who gave her to me.

I dont know if they ever give out more than one per houshold....I would love to have a few more just like her!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Hi welcome to the forum. Actually your scratching her carapace does not make her nervous, their shells are very sensitive and so in her case it may bother her. Some tortoises very much enjoy it. Take your fingers of both hands and go back and forth rubbing lightly and sometimes you can get them to do what I call the hootchie cootchie dance. Many will move back and forth with the motion of your hands.
I sit in the evening in the shed with my big Sulcata and talk to him and lightly caress his carapace and he just loves it.

 

[lgdpt]

I will try that Maggie!

 

[Jacqui]

Welcome Travis! The DT i had also had a drill hole. His first family had done that to keep him tied while camping. Fortunately I think more and more folks are understanding that is not the way to go. Nice to have you joining us.

 

[lgdpt]

Thank you Jacqui

 

[BigBiscuit]

Sorry I am a little late, but Hello and welcome

 

[lgdpt]

Thanks Evan!