Red spots on shell
- Thread starter MarcJacob
- Start date
help anybody please? I do not want to lose her. She has a good 40 years to go if lucky and I want to spend all 40 with her. What should I do. I hope she is in the coma state and will come back. I cant lose her. Come back and anybodyy please help what should i do. I she gone?
There is no way for us to know. Check for death by lightly tapping the corner of the eye to see if you get a blink response.
No respone, but ive heard tortoises come back from a coma like state. I hope she comws back. Before this tragedy started she hadnt eating very well. She was quite active when we let her free roam around the house. Its around 20-25 celsius in our home and outside 25-30 celsius.
They should never be free roaming in a house. That almost always harms them in one or more ways. Its not safe and cannot be made safe. Many people argue when we tell them this. Some people get upset and leave the forum. But we see a steady stream of cases like yours here, and we try to warn people before it is too late. We were too late to help you, it would appear. Sorry for your loss.
She has been roaming around the house for almost 7 years now or more and most of the time me and my dad has been keeping and eye out on her. She usually finds a spot in the house to stay for a couple of days and comes back. Then we feed her. Its been quite hot outside and we have been letting her in the backyard.
If you had come here 7 years ago, I would have told you not to let the tortoise roam the house and this sad day might have been prevented. As I said, free roaming the house is not safe or suitable in any way, it cannot be made safe or suitable, and it almost always kills them, injures them, loses them, or makes them sick. We see it here regularly. Tortoises need to be kept in large suitable enclosures, both indoors and out. Free roaming kills them.
Im devastated to hear that since me and my dad have never thought of it that way. Maybe someway she would get injured, but we keep an eye on her and she usually is more happier outside her cage. She even sometimes scratches the terrarium to get outside. Whenever we do put her outdoors we let her roam and then leave her in a closed area with a shade and some food. We were very devasted to wake up in the morning to see her limbs get stiff.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Did you take him to the vet?
Unfortunately it was fully boomed yesterday and we can only go today in 2 hours
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Okay, the vet can tell if the tortoise is comatose or dead. So sorry you have to go through this 
Thank you for the kind words. Hope she comes back KilpuOkay, the vet can tell if the tortoise is comatose or dead. So sorry you have to go through this
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
I’d still get the vet to check for a heartbeat if you can.
As Tom has said,
I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low quite often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam
, flipping hazards, smooth services, the list goes on and is endless.
They don’t have the reasoning skills to understand why they aren’t comfortable, they just want to to explore, but that discomfort is there, our home doesn’t mimic the outdoors.
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, it’s why an appropriately sized enclosure is key, many people will recommend far too small a size. They need a minimum of an 8x4 foot space.
I really am hoping for a miracle for you!
if they improve we can go over correct set up and equipment to use
As Tom has said,
I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low quite often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam
, flipping hazards, smooth services, the list goes on and is endless.They don’t have the reasoning skills to understand why they aren’t comfortable, they just want to to explore, but that discomfort is there, our home doesn’t mimic the outdoors.
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, it’s why an appropriately sized enclosure is key, many people will recommend far too small a size. They need a minimum of an 8x4 foot space.
I really am hoping for a miracle for you!
if they improve we can go over correct set up and equipment to useThank you so much! Definitely noted a couple of things and will do in the future. Right now lets just hope. Because this is purely now is gods hands.I’d still get the vet to check for a heartbeat if you can.
As Tom has said,
I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low quite often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam
They don’t have the reasoning skills to understand why they aren’t comfortable, they just want to to explore, but that discomfort is there, our home doesn’t mimic the outdoors.
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, it’s why an appropriately sized enclosure is key, many people will recommend far too small a size. They need a minimum of an 8x4 foot space.
I really am hoping for a miracle for you!
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
I hope for the best for her. Did you get to the vet?
No reptile vet in town right now. There will be one on tuesday, but we went to a regular animal doctor and they thought it was dead already. I still have some hope even if its 1%
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Did the regular vet check for a heartbeat?
I think they checked like certain body temperatures like the same way they do on humans. I didnt see the process since we had to wait outside. Really short process tho like a couple of minutes. But when they came back they said it was dead 1 or 2 days ago already which seems odd.
Sorry for your loss 
Fortunately and unfortunately tortoises are so tough and resilient that they can survive improper care for many years. This is why your baby was able to live 7 years as a free-roamer but it eventually catches up to them. Surviving is not the same as thriving. Some can live decades like that but the end result is often the same. I don’t say it to hurt you, but if you do get a new tortoise at any point, strongly consider proper indoor and outdoor housing.
Growing up my father had a free roaming box turtle. Amazingly we still have this box turtle 30 years later, when I was young, I didn’t know any better but as I got older and learned more about tortoises / turtles, I realized how completely improper that keeping was, and I eventually took over his box turtle, he’s mine now. The change in this turtle the last few years with proper care has been drastic. His color is better, his beak is no longer overgrown (it eventually broke), he no longer suffers abscesses, has a great appetite, has tons of energy. It’s like night and day. I am positive his turtle wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t just take over it’s care. The breaking point was a nasty ear abscess that my dad ignored but I sought treatment for, I couldn’t let the poor turtle suffer.
They truly cannot thrive when free-roaming in the house.
Fortunately and unfortunately tortoises are so tough and resilient that they can survive improper care for many years. This is why your baby was able to live 7 years as a free-roamer but it eventually catches up to them. Surviving is not the same as thriving. Some can live decades like that but the end result is often the same. I don’t say it to hurt you, but if you do get a new tortoise at any point, strongly consider proper indoor and outdoor housing.Growing up my father had a free roaming box turtle. Amazingly we still have this box turtle 30 years later, when I was young, I didn’t know any better but as I got older and learned more about tortoises / turtles, I realized how completely improper that keeping was, and I eventually took over his box turtle, he’s mine now. The change in this turtle the last few years with proper care has been drastic. His color is better, his beak is no longer overgrown (it eventually broke), he no longer suffers abscesses, has a great appetite, has tons of energy. It’s like night and day. I am positive his turtle wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t just take over it’s care. The breaking point was a nasty ear abscess that my dad ignored but I sought treatment for, I couldn’t let the poor turtle suffer.
They truly cannot thrive when free-roaming in the house.
