Im pretty sure mine was caught from the wild, so she was already used to roaming outside. But I get the concern and I should of have taken proper care of her.Sorry for your lossFortunately 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.