terrific tortoises
26-08-2006, 05:01 PM
...Approx. 8 years ago, I rescued 2 torts called "Phil and Lill"...They had been attacked by a large dog (the owners new dog!) This idiot had owned these torts for 27 years, and had basically let them live their lives in his garden, even letting them hibernate themselves under a compost heap.
Anyway he got his new dog (a rottweiler) and just left the dog in his back garden along with the torts, whilst he went to work!!!...you can imagine what happened!
They were in a terrible state, the dog had mauled them quite badly, Phil had the worst injuries, he had a huge wound in one front limb, his other front limb wounded aswell, his carapace and plastron had also been chewed upon. Lill had a wound on top of her carapace and plastron, and also showed signs of being chewed.
I took them straight to the vets, the vet said that Phil might not recover, I assisted the vet by holding Phil up whilst he removed full size maggotts from Phils wounds! Lill was given a good chance of survival, but Phils future looked bleak. Looking back now, I dont think the vet did all he could for Phil, his tort experience was very limited?
My wife helped me put fresh bandages on phils front limbs every day for 6 weeks, along with the ususal bathing/cleaning etc. I knew the only way for him to heal and survive, was to get as much benefit from the sun as possible, yet not get re-infested by Flies/maggotts. Lill was eating and healing quite rapid, but it took some time for Phil to eat anything. But he made it in the end, and although he carries some battle scars, he is still alive and kicking, he is a big tort too, here are some photos I took today...T.T. 8)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-5-to-50.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-4-to-55.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-2-to-60.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-7-to-60.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-9-to-60.jpg
Anyway he got his new dog (a rottweiler) and just left the dog in his back garden along with the torts, whilst he went to work!!!...you can imagine what happened!
They were in a terrible state, the dog had mauled them quite badly, Phil had the worst injuries, he had a huge wound in one front limb, his other front limb wounded aswell, his carapace and plastron had also been chewed upon. Lill had a wound on top of her carapace and plastron, and also showed signs of being chewed.
I took them straight to the vets, the vet said that Phil might not recover, I assisted the vet by holding Phil up whilst he removed full size maggotts from Phils wounds! Lill was given a good chance of survival, but Phils future looked bleak. Looking back now, I dont think the vet did all he could for Phil, his tort experience was very limited?
My wife helped me put fresh bandages on phils front limbs every day for 6 weeks, along with the ususal bathing/cleaning etc. I knew the only way for him to heal and survive, was to get as much benefit from the sun as possible, yet not get re-infested by Flies/maggotts. Lill was eating and healing quite rapid, but it took some time for Phil to eat anything. But he made it in the end, and although he carries some battle scars, he is still alive and kicking, he is a big tort too, here are some photos I took today...T.T. 8)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-5-to-50.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-4-to-55.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-2-to-60.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-7-to-60.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/444888999/1-phil-9-to-60.jpg