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Photos courtesy of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club (CTTC): Valley Chapter
Text by Karen Berry: Treasurer | Adoption Chair

Photos courtesy of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club (CTTC): Valley Chapter Text by Karen Berry: Treasurer | Adoption Chair

Endora came from West Valley Shelter in October of 2011. She was sick, suffering from a possible respiratory infection. She was seen by the vet, who also determined that she had a bladder stone, which was confirmed by x-ray on a subsequent vet visit. She also had 2 infertile, retained eggs which she was able to pass after injections of oxytocin.

With the wet winter that year, the vet decided to wait until the weather was warmer to perform the surgery to remove the stone. It made her uncomfortable, though, and many nights, she was rocked to sleep. The surgery was successful and she recuperated well, but it was also necessary for the vet to spay her while inside. She had numerous large follicles in her ovaries. The vet said she would have put all her effort into them becoming eggs, rather than healing, and likely would have died. The captive breeding of desert tortoises is not allowed, so this makes her life a lot easier. She has had periodic respiratory issues, but they may not be related to an infection. She likes to sit in the water dish while she’s drinking, so the patch on her shell needs to be checked regularly to make sure it’s not damaged, which could allow water to get underneath it and cause problems. She is extremely friendly, loves to be held, and really likes to be around people. Several prospective adoptions have fallen through, with adopters having work to do on their yard, and losing interest in making it safe for her.