Painted shell

[a torte named Charlie]

Looks like a russian tortoise. From my years of experience rescuing unwanted and abused tortoises, I have surmised (guessed) that a tortoise kept in the house on a poor diet with no UVB will grow the soft parts (skin, muscle, etc), but the shell either doesn't grow or grows much more slowly. That's why your tortoise looks too big for her shell. I've never kept one of these rescues (I adopted them to good homes), so I don't know if the shell will catch up to the body or not. She probably has a shortened lifespan, but with good care, there's no reason she won't give you many years of enjoyment.

Awe that just breaks my heart. I am expecting that little girl to out live me! Maybe with all the love and care she will Her personality is so different from when we first got her. She actually comes out of her log in the mornings when i go in the room and she hears my voice The light part on the shell was actually covered in the paint and as she was finishing her bath the other nite i decided to try a little more nail polish remover with tissue and spent a little longer than usual on it and that was what was under her paint. My husband freaked out because he thought i had rubbed her natural color off of her shell. I panicked because i thought maybe i did too. It's so sad to think that that just maybe her natural color that we haven't ever seen! She has definitely really grown since we've had her. I did notice how she is too big for her shell and we figured the polish maybe had cut off air supply or something like that to keep it from growing. It's just sickening.

How old would you guess she is? My best estimate after talking to one of the previous owners is that she is 12 or 13 years old but who really knows.

Thabk you so much for your reply! ?

 

[a torte named Charlie]

That is soo sad. I am so glad he found you.

So so sad. I am glad too ?

 

[a torte named Charlie]

Thank you so much for rescuing her.

Awe ? There was no way i was leaving her!

 

[MichaelL]

Awe that just breaks my heart. I am expecting that little girl to out live me! Maybe with all the love and care she will ❤ Her personality is so different from when we first got her. She actually comes out of her log in the mornings when i go in the room and she hears my voice The light part on the shell was actually covered in the paint and as she was finishing her bath the other nite i decided to try a little more nail polish remover with tissue and spent a little longer than usual on it and that was what was under her paint. My husband freaked out because he thought i had rubbed her natural color off of her shell. I panicked because i thought maybe i did too. It's so sad to think that that just maybe her natural color that we haven't ever seen! She has definitely really grown since we've had her. I did notice how she is too big for her shell and we figured the polish maybe had cut off air supply or something like that to keep it from growing. It's just sickening.

How old would you guess she is? My best estimate after talking to one of the previous owners is that she is 12 or 13 years old but who really knows.

Thabk you so much for your reply! ?

I'm guessing around that age too. Thanks for caring for her well!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Read the care sheets here for Russian torts. If staying indoors they need a enclosure 4'x8'. For this poor tort. I am sure you are doing better than where she came from. Thanks again for rescuing. If you still have the heat rock get rid of it. Not meant for torts. A CHE(ceramic heat emitter) up above in a domed fixture would be better.
Again read the care sheets and asked questions.
Good luck and thank you again.

 

[a torte named Charlie]

I'm guessing around that age too. Thanks for caring for her well!

Thank YOU guys for sharing your knowledge! I can't express how elated i was when i found this forum with people that also care so much about the well being of animals / tortoises that they actually take time out of the day to try and help others & their shell babies. It's a beautiful thing!

 

[a torte named Charlie]

Read the care sheets here for Russian torts. If staying indoors they need a enclosure 4'x8'. For this poor tort. I am sure you are doing better than where she came from. Thanks again for rescuing. If you still have the heat rock get rid of it. Not meant for torts. A CHE(ceramic heat emitter) up above in a domed fixture would be better.
Again read the care sheets and asked questions.
Good luck and thank you again.

Yes our goal is to make her a bigger area but where we live now this is as good as we can do at the moment. We have 2 indoor rescue cats that love to snuggle her but we will not leave them unattended so the aquarium is where we know she is safe. I try and get her outside atleast a few times a week for exercise & sun. Previously she was in a 10 gal aquarium which she had been raised in (in a 50 gal now which has MUCH more floor space than previously). We are on the road to a much, much bigger space hopefully w/in the year when we move.... We have big plans for Miss Charlie! ? i will refer to the care sheets again. Thank you for your reply & advice

 

[a torte named Charlie]

I'm guessing around that age too. Thanks for caring for her well!

Awesome! Thank u guys for being here to get advice from ?

 

[Ray--Opo]

Yes our goal is to make her a bigger area but where we live now this is as good as we can do at the moment. We have 2 indoor rescue cats that love to snuggle her but we will not leave them unattended so the aquarium is where we know she is safe. I try and get her outside atleast a few times a week for exercise & sun. Previously she was in a 10 gal aquarium which she had been raised in (in a 50 gal now which has MUCH more floor space than previously). We are on the road to a much, much bigger space hopefully w/in the year when we move.... We have big plans for Miss Charlie! ? i will refer to the care sheets again. Thank you for your reply & advice

Miss Charlie is lucky to have you.

 

[ISU]

This is really sad. I also found abandoned turtles on the website of an animal center in Korea. Someone wrote on their shells with paint and dumped them on the beach

 

[silverbird]

It is sad what some people will do to poor defenseless animals; but at least you came to the right place. You will get the help you need, and good luck.

 

[Skip K]

Just my two cents. Since the carapace is not nearly completely painted...and rather than stress the tort out with different procedures...I’d mostly let the tort be. Id give occasional warm soakings with maybe light scrubbing the painted areas with a toothbrush and let the UVB lighting ( or natural sun )weaken and break down the paint naturally

 

[jeneliza]

Well it's not great, however it's better than I thought it would be, it looks like some as worn off over time, a little bit extra socking and a little bit of toothbrushing should help remove the rest, I think it is bad but I seen alot worst, I think she be okay, with the right care,

 

[a torte named Charlie]

I'm guessing around that age too. Thanks for caring for her well!

Awesome. Thank u guys for being here to get advice from ?

Well it's not great, however it's better than I thought it would be, it looks like some as worn off over time, a little bit extra socking and a little bit of toothbrushing should help remove the rest, I think it is bad but I seen alot worst, I think she be okay, with the right care,

Yes alot of it has worn off over the years and with bathing and my attempts to get rid of it. I am feeling a little more optimistic now

 

[jeneliza]

Awesome. Thank u guys for being here to get advice from ?

Yes alot of it has worn off over the years and with bathing and my attempts to get rid of it. I am feeling a little more optimistic now

I think it be okay, just a little at a time will come off, but enough is off so she should be able to get uvb, now