Limping tortoise

[Nellie and Morla]

Well at least she isn't dehydrated, that's something at least. I got it wrong which leg, it's the right she's limping on. I thought she was dragging the left but it turns out she's dropping when she's pulling that one in, her limp on the right leg is making it difficult for her to pull the left forward again so she has to pull it part way on the floor before normal movement. She is putting some weight on the right until it stretches so far back. She was managing better today but given what you say I'm guessing a vet's trip is still in order. They love giving you all the problems at once.

*Edit* I finally got a chance to feel her legs properly instead of only a full feel of feet and a brief feel of the outside line of the leg but separately, not in the same session to compare. Able to compare now her right leg feels more solid, so slightly swollen but not enough to see. This is a relief to me because my worst nightmare was her being eggbound, we've actually been hoping, since both appear to be hermaphrodites, that she wasn't quite female enough to produce eggs. My worst nightmare now is definitely a bladder stone. I'm glad it may be simpler.

[Nellie and Morla]

Got appointment for tomorrow. Even over the phone the vet suspects Morla is egg bound. We were hoping we would never have this to worry about but nevermind, as long as it means she gets sorted.

Out of concern for her, I can't find info on keeping a female tortoise without breeding. We don't have the space or money to breed so she isn't intended for breeding. Will she still need a nest to get her to lay the unfertilized eggs?

[egyptiandan64]

Yes if she is going to keep producing eggs. That usually slows down/stops when kept alone.

Danny

[Nellie and Morla]

She already is on her own. They get to wander outside their vivs together 2 days in the week supervised and that's it. If one's ill they get out separate. But wouldn't be the first time I've heard of one that's never been bred doing this. First eggbound tort I saw was with a poor lady with a Greek, it hadn't seen another tort in 50 odd years. We shall see tomorrow what the vet thinks. Not sure if he's doing an xray or not, think he wants to check out the leg first to see if it's necessary.

[egyptiandan64]

Have him do an x-ray anyway, don't let him bully you

Danny

[Nellie and Morla]

I was going to make sure of that anyway. Turned out it was the receptionist misunderstood. He did want to look at it first but he wanted to check there weren't two things going on. He had considered probing but seen it was Morla so knew he'd have to X-ray. He took her out and had to ask which leg it was because she was so tightly clamped into her shell but he was pleased it meant he didn't have to sedate her for the X-ray thanks to it. The X-ray is clean. Not gravid, no stones, no gas and no breaks. Hopefully she never produces eggs in the first place but I know to watch out for it.

The bones aren't as dense as they should be but he reckons that's probably because before us she wasn't kept correctly and had bad MBD building up for 3 years so it'll take a bit more calcium than usual to get it into those bones. Great thing to hear when she's not eating.

He can only imagine it's a soft tissue injury at the moment so she has been given an anti-inflammatory. We just have to keep an eye on her now sadly. She hasn't eaten today or yesterday. I managed to get some Reptoboost yesterday so she's getting 3 baths in that a day.

She's back on greens since she's refusing the pellets anyway and can apparently eat them chopped. We're going to increase the dusting regime to attempt to remedy her soft bones. Problem is persuading her to eat reliably.

[Evie]

Hope she picks up soon x

What a worry for you

[emma_mcraf]

At least the X-ray was reassuring. Hopefully she'll soon recover from her leg pain and you now know to increase her calcium consumption to help her. I hope she starts to eat more reliably and picks up.

[Nellie and Morla]

I'm now really worried. We're on the 4th week. The first 2 she didn't eat mostly except the weekend of the second she ate a tiny amount of salad. Then she was eating a third of her daily food, about 3 times the previous tiny amount. Over from Thursday she was eating that every 2 days. Then Monday she stopped eating again. On Monday night she had a little bit of carrot added and she picked a couple of tiny lumps out and that was it. This morning I put in a cactus flower and this night cucumber. She's showing no interest whatsoever in it.

With the anti-inflammatory she is walking much better so is able to at least get about. I can't help worrying about her going this long with next to nothing to eat though. I am going to go measure and weigh her before her light goes out.

[Nellie and Morla]

Sorry about 2 posts so close together. I have weighed and measured her. I am not sure what to think now because she is 121mm and 456g which by McIntyre's is bang on. The other formula even puts her slightly over the ideal for her overall shape by 50g (obviously not significantly over). I don't understand why she has no interest in food and has been so lethargic as it gets further on if that's the case. Any ideas anyone?