My 55 year old tortoise is poorly!

[mytortoiseisill]

apparently "tortie" has a parasite and if s/he doesn't start eating dandelions again in 5 days has to go to the vet for blood tests.

I didn't even realise tortie had blood in him/her.

Seriously though - how long do tortoises live? Is this old age? Am very fond of tortie (as was childhood pet) but I don't believe in prolonging animal lives unnecessarily.....

We do need a picture of Tortie please? 😍

Am hopefully seeing tortie Thursday so will snap then :)
Is there a Katy photo?

I don’t have a good recent pic of Katy - I’ll try to get one!

Katy hissed at me today. When I told DM she mused, “Yes, Katy isn’t very sociable lately!”
As if she used to regularly come in for an afternoon cuppa and chat...

:)

This is Katy

How is torture, @mytortoiseisill

Tortie, ffs!

Eating better apparently.
Am nudging mum to do more green leaves and fewer bits of fruit, etc.
Hopefully the deworming had some effect.

Mum can’t get (and I mean can’t) a GP appointment so that is taking priority. But I will order that supplement.....

Supplement on its way to tortie.....

Great that tortie is eating better.
Soon be hibernation time! Ours usually goes about mid-October, depending on the weather.

This is such a fascinating thread.

But I have a question for all those tortoise keepers.

I used to live in Central Asia. Torroises are natural there, and we woudl occasioanlly find wild ones wandering round.

The summer are warm but very short.
The climate is sunny all year round.
BUT the winters are very very long and cold. The snow arrives in october and stays til April. Average midday temp for most of the winter is minus 10-15 celsius. Frequently minus 20. Occasionally minus 40.

Steppe lands where they live is 90% grass, very little water around.

Everyone is referring to their natural climate as Greece. But Central Asian climate is quite different.

How do these toroises survive the winter? And winter is LOOONG. below freezing at night for at least 6 months. Consistently below freezing day and night for at least 4 -5 months

I don’t know, Steppemum. Ours had a couple of winters out many years ago, as he just buried himself before we could get him in, so maybe they do that. I read somewhere the other day that they can dig down to a metre under the ground.
Their bodies pretty much shut down too.
Ours never drinks anyway. I guess he gets a small amount of water from his food.
I didn’t realise Asia got so cold! Every day is a school day on Mumsnet.

We have a tortoise 🐢 called Aquathelis (long story ). He is the most amazing pet ever!! Such a character and a lot less trouble than our guinea pigs, budgies, dog! Pics attached

I'm glad it looks like Tortie is feeling better OP.

It doesn't seem like you're really in a position to care for Tortie properly (the question about whether it was time to euthanize Tortie doesn't scream emotional attachment) and it seems your mum is struggling a bit too so maybe it's time to think about rehoming him/her? Tortie could have another 50 years to live after all.

Maybe when he/she re-emerges in April it's time for pastures new? And it gives you 6 months to try and get your mum onboard with the rehoming plan.

Hi there - re weeds for Tortoises - this is a very helpful book. We were told not too many dandelions or they get addicted (?!) anyway, we tend to feed sow thistle and bell flower with apple for treats.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edible-Plants-for-Tortoises-in-the-UK-Third-Edition-book-by-Linda-King/143188065135

Xelam

How the fuck do you have MY dog ?

@LaurieFairyCake I hope you're not about to find out that your dog is living a double life and actually has two families. The heartbreak!

We have 3 rescue tortoises.
Spot (at least 100years old, bullies the other 2 so has to live separately)
Sheldon (smaller, has a scarred underneath from laying directly on a heat at at his previous home, pretty much blind and has to be hand fed)
Shelley (larger, had an ashtray glued to her shell which we had surgically removed. Lazy af)

Sow thistle and bell flower.....ok roger/Google that.

Buff said -absolutely - if I had learnt from this thread that tortie was in extreme old age and suffering I would have urged mum to have him put down. What kind of person wouldn’t?

Turns out though he is merely middle-aged!

@Papergirl1968

I don’t know, Steppemum. Ours had a couple of winters out many years ago, as he just buried himself before we could get him in, so maybe they do that. I read somewhere the other day that they can dig down to a metre under the ground. Their bodies pretty much shut down too. Ours never drinks anyway. I guess he gets a small amount of water from his food. I didn’t realise Asia got so cold! Every day is a school day on Mumsnet.

interesting, but the ground is frozen down to that depth, so they would still get frozen!

@LaurieFairyCake OMG that's a spitting image of our Milo (pictured with his friend)

Wouldn't put it past him to lead a double-life if he gets fed at both homes

Oops I don't know why the shampoo picture also appeared 😱

@Papergirl1968 Katy is gorgeous!!

@ArcherDog That's horrible! Poor tortoises People are awful. But pictures are soo cute! Why would someone glue an ashtray to a tortoise?!

Thank you, Xela. I don’t think she’s ever been called gorgeous before!
Milo is a handsome chap.