In my thread about my new rescue sulcata, Scooter, prairie mom shared that a thread for us to share our special needs tortoise stories would be cool. I agree! So please, share your stories, updates, and ideas!
The special needs tortoises thread!
- Thread starter lisa127
- Start date
Yes
Good idea for a thread. I would love to keep track of the progress of these torts.
AnimalLady
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I agree, good idea!
Alaskamike
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Well ... Let me be the first. I have a thread on " Bubbles Galore" in the Redfoot section , so won't go into great detail here.
Had her about 2 months. Severely deformed shell , MBD, couldn't walk but scooted on back elbows , runny nose , and swollen eyes. Underbite , extremely long back nails.
Indeterminate age but only 340 grams.
What I've done
- fed great variety chopped up so she could eat
- water therapy 2-3x daily to swim
- put her in an outside habitat with dirt, rocks, a rolling terrain , numerous hides and natural plants / sunlight but brought her in at night to keep warm at 80f
- held her head down for 5 minutes at a time several times a day and used a baby bulb to suck mucus out of her nose. It cleared up in 2 weeks.
I still have to feed her daily. But I now put the food on a low tray in her surround so she has to find it and walk / scoot to it.
She almost walks now, but very splay legged. It's a start. Hasn't gained much weight , in fact lost about 30 grams the first month. Might have been the exercise I forced on her - gained it back now. I only do water therapy every other day now.
Here is Bubbles. Quite a trooper !
No doubt I've stressed her out. But without struggle she would have been soon dead.
Had her about 2 months. Severely deformed shell , MBD, couldn't walk but scooted on back elbows , runny nose , and swollen eyes. Underbite , extremely long back nails.
Indeterminate age but only 340 grams.
What I've done
- fed great variety chopped up so she could eat
- water therapy 2-3x daily to swim
- put her in an outside habitat with dirt, rocks, a rolling terrain , numerous hides and natural plants / sunlight but brought her in at night to keep warm at 80f
- held her head down for 5 minutes at a time several times a day and used a baby bulb to suck mucus out of her nose. It cleared up in 2 weeks.
I still have to feed her daily. But I now put the food on a low tray in her surround so she has to find it and walk / scoot to it.
She almost walks now, but very splay legged. It's a start. Hasn't gained much weight , in fact lost about 30 grams the first month. Might have been the exercise I forced on her - gained it back now. I only do water therapy every other day now.
Here is Bubbles. Quite a trooper !
No doubt I've stressed her out. But without struggle she would have been soon dead.
Prairie Mom
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This IS SO COOL! Hooray! I'm excited to follow the keepers for these special pets! I also think this has the potential to be incredibly helpful for new special needs tortoise owners. I hope to see this thread pop up often in my alerts!!! 
Prairie Mom
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@Lyn W I would love to see you post Lola's rescue and update here
Prairie Mom
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@SamAnn It would be awesome if you shared Bowser's story here too!
Prairie Mom
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I think the water therapy is a really interesting idea!
Hi,@Lyn W I would love to see you post Lola's rescue and update here
I don't have any recent downloadable photos of Lola at the moment (using 35mm)
but I can certainly tell you his story and post some older pics.
Lola was found wandering in a field by a friend who posted notices around the area, and contacted local vets to try to find his owner. She thought he had just lost some claws off a back foot but otherwise had a good appetite and was very active. As she couldn't keep him I contacted my animal mad sister who was very keen to give him home.
So I brought him home to what was supposed to be a half way house for him until I could take him to my sister. I found this forum to see what he needed and Tom put me in touch with another leopard keeper in UK. As he was almost 10 " he was too big for a table or viv so he moved into my disused shower room and I bought him all the lamps etc he needed.
He actually had a whole foot missing, but it had healed over so wasn't a new injury, and in spite of a lop sided walk, it certainly hasn't restricted him at all. I took him to the RSPCA to see if he had been microchipped and contacted several other herp vets in a wider area to see if they had treated the injury, but to no avail. I took him to a vets for a health check etc and he weighed in at 1801 gms and I was told he about 10 years old, and that he was a she because of the lack of a concave plastron. Hence the name - Lola!
Unfortunately my sister wasn't able to take Lola after all, so I contacted various organisations to see about rehoming her including the BATK who seemed the best option, but they were about 150 miles away so couldn't take her straight away.
However, after spending all summer with her I was hooked and decided to keep my lodger.
This forum has been my Tort Bible and has been invaluable to Lola and I.
A couple of months later I saw a 7 year old leopard and he was almost 3 times bigger than Lola , so after talking to the owner and showing him pics he thought Lola was much younger and prob only about 2-3 years old. Lola has also since shown me that in fact she is a he - as in the Kink's song - so the name has stuck.
Lola is still living in my old shower room and is very healthy relaxed and seemingly happy. He is now over 11" long and I can't remember what his weight was the last time he was weighed but it was a decent gain. I will try to weigh her tomorrow to let you know.
...and that's my Lola's story!
Prairie Mom
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Very cool
I love the part where you decided to keep your "lodger" I had never seen his foot close up before. Interesting. He healed so well. It looks like he must get around really well.
Yes he does, he is very active. Sometime stumbles if trying to climb but generally very good.Very cool
I do worry about how it may affect his other hip eventually but hopefully I can find some way of adding a prosthetic to ease the pressure on that side as he grows.
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Prairie Mom
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This hadn't occurred to me. I bet you're right. Interesting. Can't even fathom what you could do for him! Hopefully he'll be okay for a really long time.
Once my Dad shot a coyote that was digging up our recently deceased dog and when we got close to it it was missing one of its back feet. The wound had healed around the bone and it was sticking out like three claws.
its amazing to me just what all animals can survive with out us or treatment. It always makes me sad to see someone put down a pet because of a missing limb.
its amazing to me just what all animals can survive with out us or treatment. It always makes me sad to see someone put down a pet because of a missing limb.
How did you set up the shower room? Do you have pics?
A month ago I hatched out a little leopard with an underbite. He struggles to rip and tear food but he is extremely determined and after a little time alone in his own enclosure to eat shredded greens, he's now with his siblings full time with a little extra observation and a little hand feeding to make sure he's eating enough. He is growing well and is as cute as can be.
How sweet. Do you have a picture of the little guy?
I have two threads about him with pictures. I named him Jack.
One inquiring bout the abnormality and one for his progress and growth. Lots of pictures.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Hatchling-abnormality?.129587/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Little-Jack.131046/
He looks like the bulldog of the tortoise world!...lolI have two threads about him with pictures. I named him Jack.
One inquiring bout the abnormality and one for his progress and growth. Lots of pictures.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Hatchling-abnormality?.129587/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Little-Jack.131046/
