This is why I have a super sickly, nameless tortoise in a sick tank in my bedroom.
I actually saw this guy posted on our local reptiles classified last week but was feeling to overwhelmed with Turbo & Newt to take him. When the vet tech said "Russian tortoise," I knew that it was the same one. I felt terrible for the guy who bought him.
His new owner bought the tortoise to get him out of a bad environment but didn't know how severe its illness was. He took the tort to the vet but didn't have the money to save him.
That's why the vet called me.
I have the skills & supplies to do almost everything the vet wanted to do (minus the blood tests). I gave it a saline injection today and will give it another one tomorrow. Then I will start tube-feeding herbivore Critical Care formula. I have everything to do it so why not?
The tortoise is severely dehydrated, severely malnourished, and has severe Metabolic Bone Disease. I can treat all three of those.
Now we just wait and see if it's strong enough to pull through.
And I go back to poking a sick reptile to see if it's still alive.
