What happened to my sisters tortoises?

[petstoreworker]

This is an upsetting one so feel free to skip.

My sister had two desert tortoises, housed separately in large wooden enclosures outside. The wooden enclosures were in the shade, with plenty of hides and plants and a covered compartment to the side. We aren't sure about the age cause they were rescued but their shells were about 6-7in from head to tail.

Yesterday night, she went to check on them, and they were both dead. Their heads were tucked in but arms and legs were out. It wasn't ants or other bugs, it wasn't an animal attack of any kind as there weren't any marks or visible injuries. She had them for 4 years with no problems and then one day they die within hours of each other.

Could they have overheated? It wasn't particularly hot yesterday, they have been outside the last 2 summers with no problem. Could it be someone sprayed a pesticide or something nearby that got to them?

Their names were Tortellini and Wedginald (when she was smaller she liked to get herself wedged between rocks). The picture is from a few years ago of Wedgie.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

 

[Ink]

I'm sorry for your family's loss. Hopefully someone will be able to help you.

 

[petstoreworker]

I'm sorry for your family's loss. Hopefully someone will be able to help you.

Thank you, I really appreciate that. My sister is blaming herself and she is feeling terribly. I'm just hoping they went peacefully.

 

[Ink]

Where does your sister live? It might help out with a cause of her tortoise loss

 

[petstoreworker]

Where does your sister live? It might help out with a cause of her tortoise loss

We live in the southern AZ in the Sonoran Desert.

 

[Markw84]

IF kept separately, yet both died suddenly at the same time, I would suspect eating something fed to both that was either poisonous or contaminated. What were they recently fed? Was there some food or moistened pellets that were left out and then eaten?

 

[petstoreworker]

IF kept separately, yet both died suddenly at the same time, I would suspect eating something fed to both that was either poisonous or contaminated. What were they recently fed? Was there some food or moistened pellets that were left out and then eaten?

They ate the same thing for as long as my sister had them. Hay, some sort of green (turnip, collard, mustard, etc.) and pellets. I think mazuri but I would have to ask her. They were not moistened but they were small and brittle so the tortoises never had a problem eating them. The greens were always from Fry's. They had calcium/mineral supplement sprinkled on their meals 3x a week. Every morning my sister cleaned out their bowls and refilled them with fresh food. They did not eat their food on the day that they died.

Sometimes we would give them wheatgrass or cactus paddles (cleaned and chopped into little bites) or flowers of my Mexican petunia but these all grew in my yard and were free of pesticides or any other sprays. They didn't have either of those things at the time of their deaths or in the last few weeks.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I am sorry for your loss. I hope someone has the answers you are looking for.

 

[petstoreworker]

I am sorry for your loss. I hope someone has the answers you are looking for.

Thank you ❤ i really appreciate the kind words.

 

[zovick]

Thank you ❤ i really appreciate the kind words.

Is there any chance a neighbor may have sprayed some kind of pesticide or weed killer in their own yard which drifted over the fence and got to your sister's tortoises? I just saw another post where that happened and it killed the grass and the tortoise in a neighbor's yard a few days ago. I think that spray was a weed killer because the grass was totally dead and you could see where the spray had drifted over the fence into the yard with the tortoise.

Very sorry to hear of this tragic event.

 

[Yvonne G]

My first thought was the same as what Mark posted. Does your sister wash all food before feeding?

My second thought goes along with what Zovick said. Some sort of airborn toxin

I'm terribly sorry they both died. What an awful thing to experience.

 

[petstoreworker]

Is there any chance a neighbor may have sprayed some kind of pesticide or weed killer in their own yard which drifted over the fence and got to your sister's tortoises? I just saw another post where that happened and it killed the grass and the tortoise in a neighbor's yard a few days ago. I think that spray was a weed killer because the grass was totally dead and you could see where the spray had drifted over the fence into the yard with the tortoise.

Very sorry to hear of this tragic event.

That is what I was thinking. She lives in a gated community and there are houses on either side of hers. It's been quite windy and the wall around her yard is only about 4'. Thank you for the kind words .

 

[petstoreworker]

My first thought was the same as what Mark posted. Does your sister wash all food before feeding?

My second thought goes along with what Zovick said. Some sort of airborn toxin

I'm terribly sorry they both died. What an awful thing to experience.

Thank you for your condolences. She does wash all the greens before feeding. It was just very sudden and unexpected, they were fine one day and the next they were gone.

 

[TammyJ]

I am very sorry about this awful loss. I do agree that it is due to exposure to poison.