Constipated?

[Tatty91]

Thank you for all your comments, they truly have helped. I have just returned from the vet who did an X-ray. She had a very large bladder stone. He said the way I looked after sounded perfect and that she should have been hydrated enough from what I did. It definitely sounded like the stone has been building up for a long time.

[terrypin]

Originally Posted by Tatty91

Thank you for all your comments, they truly have helped. I have just returned from the vet who did an X-ray. She had a very large bladder stone. He said the way I looked after sounded perfect and that she should have been hydrated enough from what I did. It definitely sounded like the stone has been building up for a long time.

Looking at your past posts I believe this may have started about a year ago when you were having problems controlling temperatures indoors. Most places give out the information you should leave their lights on upto 12 hours a day but this is very old information and is not suitable for things like combilamps. these when used on tortoise tables should have a seperate lighting unit giving a cold UVB/UVA light replicating daylight and the combilamp only for basking which I dont think is healthy for more than a couple of hours in the morning before you leave for work and again for 2 to 4 hours in the evening when you get home one good reason is fire safety and the other is to reduce the risk of dehydration. Nothing is better than being outdoors during the summer months with the added benefit of being able to utilise your indoor setup and basking area to assist digestion should we see several dull or rainy days. Once again please let me say you did everything possible to ease your tortoises sufferring and you are in no way to blame for what happened.

[burnt toast]

So sorry to read your sad news Tatty. Thinking of you

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by terrypin

Looking at your past posts I believe this may have started about a year ago when you were having problems controlling temperatures indoors. Most places give out the information you should leave their lights on upto 12 hours a day but this is very old information and is not suitable for things like combilamps. these when used on tortoise tables should have a seperate lighting unit giving a cold UVB/UVA light replicating daylight and the combilamp only for basking which I dont think is healthy for more than a couple of hours in the morning before you leave for work and again for 2 to 4 hours in the evening when you get home one good reason is fire safety and the other is to reduce the risk of dehydration. Nothing is better than being outdoors during the summer months with the added benefit of being able to utilise your indoor setup and basking area to assist digestion should we see several dull or rainy days. Once again please let me say you did everything possible to ease your tortoises sufferring and you are in no way to blame for what happened.

I agree with this. I gave one of my hatchlings to a friend last September, and after 6 weeks I took her back because she was shrivelled like a prune, she had become very dehydrated , even tho the friend had bathed her everyday. I think this had happened from over basking. So I kept her all winter, I turned her basking light off in the afternoons, but left the uv on , and slowly the new shell growth started come come back good, and by Easter she was looking lovely again. Hatchlings in captivity bask a lot more than in the wild, and I think are more likely to dehydrate.

[Jan W]

Dear Tatty91
Thank you so much for taking the time to update us on the follow up with the vet. It really is appreciated as it is helpful to know what happened and particularly as it is a difficult time for you.

Best wishes

[Tatty91]

If I get another tortoise I will definitely take on board comments about how long the basking lamp is on. When I first got Mabel, I always read that the lamp should be on 12-14 hours a day, but I guess this means UV not heat necessarily?

I buried Mabel today. She has a lovely spot down the side of my house, and her favourite flower pot is on top of where she's buried.

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Tatty91

If I get another tortoise I will definitely take on board comments about how long the basking lamp is on. When I first got Mabel, I always read that the lamp should be on 12-14 hours a day, but I guess this means UV not heat necessarily?

I buried Mabel today. She has a lovely spot down the side of my house, and her favourite flower pot is on top of where she's buried.

Ah that's sounds lovely. When you are overwintering a tortoise, you do need to keeps lights on for 12 hours to convince the tortoise that it's summer, but having said that, hatchlings and even adults don't need to bask at 32c for 12 hours. And hatchlings in captivity, do seem to bask for longer than in the wild , so are at risk of dehydrating. So when I said I turned the basking light off in the afternoon, the room temps were warm 20c , and the uv light is providing the light to convince the tort that it's summer, they don't actually need 12hours of uv, but they do need light. I hope that makes sense.

[CherryBrandy]

Originally Posted by Tatty91

If I get another tortoise I will definitely take on board comments about how long the basking lamp is on. When I first got Mabel, I always read that the lamp should be on 12-14 hours a day, but I guess this means UV not heat necessarily?

I buried Mabel today. She has a lovely spot down the side of my house, and her favourite flower pot is on top of where she's buried.

that's lovely Tatts. Don't get hung up on diagnosis or a label. Bladder stones can be caused with tortoises kept on newspaper which I did for years with no ill effect. My lot will sit under basking lamps or in the greenhouse at 51.9 degrees. They smile. If they didn't like it they would move away, against a backdrop of good husbandry which you did. If she was critically dehydrated it would have likely been renal failure, her eyes may have sunk, as Suze says shows in shell, lasting effects sometimes, and lastly UVA of the UVb combi lamps strip vitamin A, point being all in moderation which I think you did personally.
It's like humans, we can get bladder stones, kidney stones, and all sorts doesn't mean we've purged on all the bad things, just we are human and susceptible to illness, some people over come some don't . I really hope you get another little one, rescue one perhaps who needs a loving home and a bit of tlc. A little painted pebble on the site does help too , CB x

[Jan W]

After the sad news it was a nice touch to describe her 'resting place'. Brought a lump to my throat reading about her favourite flower pot.

As CB advises, don't get 'hung up ....'. We all want an explanation whether a pet or a human, but sometimes there is often no clear explanation. She was so lucky to have you care for her, especially during her poorly days. Many people wouldn't even seek the help of the vet. I hope you can soon think about the happiness she brought you as the pain lessens.