Like most, we have planted outdoor bins the torts live in during the summer months. We take care to plant in the Spring, hoping by Summer there will be a bounty of foraging options for our shelled ones.
Whether it be hungry torts or cold winters, sometimes we run out of food for the torts. What happens, next? There are a couple options: Weeds are first and foremost the healthiest option for your shelled friend. Reach out to your neighbors and ask if they use pesticides or weed killers in their yards. If they have organic gardening practices, you might ask if you can help with weeding. We have a great neighbor who is a "Master Gardener" so we trust her with identification of weed species. When we start to run low, a quick text message to Mary generally results in a basket or bountiful box of nutritious tort food. Another option is to forage at the grocery store. You can find a wide selection of tortoise friendly foods at the market. Most of these are "feed in moderation" so we rotate items, Here is a partial list: *Arugula * Chia * Collard greens *Dandelion * Endive * Kale *Lambs Lettuce * Mustard greens * Radicchio * Spring mix (remove any spinach) * Turnip greens
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We recently received this photo wondering what could have happened with this egg. Upon close inspection, the tortoise laid the egg without a shell. The cause is likely due to a lack of calcium. We asked if the owner provided calcium cupcakes, a cuttle bone or supplements sprinkled on food. The answer was 'no'.
Lack of calcium can lead to a variety of complications. It is especially important in hatchlings. Without enough calcium, they can develop (then maintain) a shell with some flex. While we anticipate some flexibility in tortoises under a year, older animals' shells shouldn't have any give. Torts that have a diet low in calcium, can develop weak bones, outgrow their shells and have Metabolic Bone Disease - MBD. MBD presents itself as quilting in the tortoise's shell (think of a pan of biscuits). As our vet says, "Most tortoisey anomalies take a long time to happen; even longer to correct." Once a shell is severely malformed from MBD it may never look normal; a tortoise who outgrows its shell will always be vulnerable to other torts and predators. Another component to getting your tortoise on track with calcium is understanding why UVA/B are necessary. Torts need exposure to ultraviolet radiation A and B in order to manufacture vitamin D3. D3 is what allows the calcium to become absorbed in the digestive tract. Wild tortoises bask 8-14 hours/day to receive the necessary rays to aid in digestion, so if you have indoor torts (or winter them indoors) you'll want to provide appropriate lighting. (We can help if you have questions) On our Resources Page, you'll find a link to a terrific calcium cupcake recipie. Alternatively a cuttle bone (found in the bird section of the pet store) or powder to sprinkle on food 1-3x/week can be purchased through Carolina Pet Supply. Food should be dark leafy greens (preferrably weeds) but some grocery store finds are good, too. Be sure to check the Tortoise Table for safety and stay away from Romaine and Iceberg Lettuce! If you suspect your tortoise to have MBD or low calcium, take it to the vet. He/She can perform a radiograph to determine the severity and degree of MBD. Sometimes the vet will run a blood panel to ensure the animals other systems haven't been affected. If you have questions, we're happy to help! Over the past year, we've stopped searching Craigslist for tortoises. After all, our breeding group was about set with a proper female to male ratio (4:1); there was no need to add more girls. Then, it happened. A member of a social media group posted a local Craigslist ad for 2 males and 2 females. The torts looked rough, actually the little face above is what forced us to reach out and nearly double our current number of tortoises. The woman who had these animals trusted what the pet store told her about care. She didn't know that these animals require UVA and UVB light. She didn't know they need a varied diet and to be soaked at least once a week. She didn't know their beaks could overgrow. She didn't realize housing a male and female together would result in repeated breeding - to the point the female might suffer damage or die. She. Just. Didn't. Know. To. Research. We picked the animals up, brought them to the Resort and soaked them for an hour. A vet appointment confirmed our suspicions of malnutrition, dehydration, parasites. All four tortoises also presented with pink striping on the plastron (bottom of the shell), a couple had this present on the carapace (top); their legs were spindly, not elephant-like, one had such rapid growth... the bone of her plastron hadn't hardened and was translucent. Beaks were trimmed, tube feedings given (to jump-start their path to wellness), parasites addressed, subcue fluids given and a course of injectable antibiotics were prescribed. UPDATE: July 2017 - The torts are all doing better, though one female is still having a hard time with weight gain and energy. A blood panel was ordered, she was tubefed again with super-nutrients to aid in stimulating appetite.
Three of the torts will be ready for new homes next month. We couldn't be more excited at the change in these little lives. |
AuthorThe Tort Resort is a Whidbey Island based project dedicated to rescue and rehab of smaller tortoise species. Archives
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