Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I teach a lab animal class at the local college in the vet-tech program. My vet now officially has a tax excempt animal sanctuary and she's so generous about letting the classes come over to her hospital to observe.
Yesterday she showed me a young sulcata that was maybe 3 years old & it was just pitiful...
It's not her sulcata it's a patient, the owner has been feeding the poor thing nothing but straw, not even hay just straw so it's plastron feels like a sponge. There is zero nutrition in straw.
The baby has a blockage that she can't remove because in the poor state it's in it can't be given anesthesia right now.

I don't know who the owner is but she said the person has had this baby for 2 years & oh my gosh I have just never seen one in such horrible shape. She's got it eating real food on it's own right now so- that's an improvement but she didn't hold out much hope that it's going to make it through this.
If I find out any updates on this one I'll post it but I have a feeling the update later will be that it didn't live.
Seeing that baby really bummed me out for the day.
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PHRatz

That is sad. Surprising it made it this long on straw. I just dont understand why someone wouldnt do a little research on proper care.

Oh that's awful. I'm sorry to hear that.
That's actually what I find frustrating as well..the care for these guys is actually pretty simple. Especially if you in a state like Mexico/AZ/Texas where temps are very similar to their native environment.

See if you can "Steal" it and try and nurse it back to health. Poor poor little thing.

Phratz--any updates with this tortoise?