Reaper
Click on the image above to view the slide show.
Photos courtesy of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club (CTTC): Valley Chapter
Text by Karen Berry: Treasurer | Adoption Chair
Reaper came to Valley Chapter in May 2010, and is currently the patient under our care for the
longest period of time, almost 9 years. He had escaped from his habitat, and fallen into the opening to the area underneath the house, and
gone in. No one knew he was there and he was stuck under the house with no food or water for a long time, including over the winter. When
he arrived at his foster location, and was more closely examined, he appeared to be sick, possibly with a respiratory infection, and very
weak. He was placed in a box under a heat emitter so he could warm up. He went to the vet the next day, and was given an antibiotic
injection and fluids, as he was very dehydrated. His foster "Mom" was very concerned about his condition, and that he might not make
it. He had no appetite and ate very little. The most unusual thing about him was his walk. His gait wasn’t normal, and is often referred
to as "high-stepping." which is an indicator of some kind of neurological damage, sometimes from heat stroke. He can also get his legs
stuck underneath him and from the efforts to free them, can roll over. It is intermittent, and unpredictable, so he is never left alone
during his waking hours.
He was moved to a different foster home a month later. He would eat small amounts of food placed in front of him, but would not
graze on grass. For the rest of the summer, he had daily physical therapy to try and build strength, and boost his appetite. He was
walking fairly well, still "high-stepping," but at the end of summer, he became weak and unable to walk well. He wasn’t going to be
allowed to hibernate because of his condition, but was determined to go to sleep. The vet advised to closely monitor him over the
winter, to make sure he survived, and pull him out if he had trouble or appeared to get sick. When he awoke in the spring, instead
of being revitalized, he was weak, and was not able to negotiate under his own power. He went in to the vet for evaluation, and a
treatment plan was developed to see if he would respond. He was tube fed for a couple of weeks to pick up his appetite, and then
was introduced to Critical Care in "mush" form. He started eating that with added chopped dandelions and grape leaves. He ate all
of it at every feeding, and ate hibiscus flowers and rose petals, but still wouldn’t eat grass. But what to do about the inability
to walk under his own power....? We made Reaper a "skateboard" with "outriggers" that would keep him balanced and stop him from rolling over,
His "skateboard" was attached by Velcro to a corresponding Velcro patch on his bottom shell. At first, he wouldn’t move, or even try. Gradually,
he would venture out, and the skateboard supported his weight, so he could move his legs and try to walk. Over the summer, with daily
physical therapy, he went from the skateboard to walking under his own power. And by the end of summer, he was eating well and nibbling on
grass. He was OK’d to hibernate that winter and monitored closely. He woke up in good condition, and has been able to hibernate every winter
since. He has made amazing progress over the years, but is still hindered by getting his legs stuck underneath him, and occasionally rolling
over. He behaves like a normal tortoise, and doesn’t let his conditions keep him from doing whatever he wants, although he does sometimes end
up upside down from his "daredevil" activity.
Currently, he lives with the adoption team leader, who adopted him to give him a stable home while he continues his rehabilitation. He will
continue with his physical therapy, and this year’s plan is to work on turns to teach him a new way for him to make them, and not
roll over, as well as continue to build up muscle strength and stamina. It takes a lot of time and effort for his rehabilitation, but he’s
willing to try anything.
Reaper
Reaper
Click on the image above to view the slide show.
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
Reaper came to Valley Chapter in May 2010, and is currently the patient under our care for the
longest period of time, almost 9 years. He had escaped from his habitat, and fallen into the opening to the area underneath the house, and
gone in. No one knew he was there and he was stuck under the house with no food or water for a long time, including over the winter. When
he arrived at his foster location, and was more closely examined, he appeared to be sick, possibly with a respiratory infection, and very
weak. He was placed in a box under a heat emitter so he could warm up. He went to the vet the next day, and was given an antibiotic
injection and fluids, as he was very dehydrated. His foster "Mom" was very concerned about his condition, and that he might not make
it. He had no appetite and ate very little. The most unusual thing about him was his walk. His gait wasn’t normal, and is often referred
to as "high-stepping." which is an indicator of some kind of neurological damage, sometimes from heat stroke. He can also get his legs
stuck underneath him and from the efforts to free them, can roll over. It is intermittent, and unpredictable, so he is never left alone
during his waking hours.
He was moved to a different foster home a month later. He would eat small amounts of food placed in front of him, but would not
graze on grass. For the rest of the summer, he had daily physical therapy to try and build strength, and boost his appetite. He was
walking fairly well, still "high-stepping," but at the end of summer, he became weak and unable to walk well. He wasn’t going to be
allowed to hibernate because of his condition, but was determined to go to sleep. The vet advised to closely monitor him over the
winter, to make sure he survived, and pull him out if he had trouble or appeared to get sick. When he awoke in the spring, instead
of being revitalized, he was weak, and was not able to negotiate under his own power. He went in to the vet for evaluation, and a
treatment plan was developed to see if he would respond. He was tube fed for a couple of weeks to pick up his appetite, and then
was introduced to Critical Care in "mush" form. He started eating that with added chopped dandelions and grape leaves. He ate all
of it at every feeding, and ate hibiscus flowers and rose petals, but still wouldn’t eat grass. But what to do about the inability
to walk under his own power....? We made Reaper a "skateboard" with "outriggers" that would keep him balanced and stop him from rolling over,
His "skateboard" was attached by Velcro to a corresponding Velcro patch on his bottom shell. At first, he wouldn’t move, or even try. Gradually,
he would venture out, and the skateboard supported his weight, so he could move his legs and try to walk. Over the summer, with daily
physical therapy, he went from the skateboard to walking under his own power. And by the end of summer, he was eating well and nibbling on
grass. He was OK’d to hibernate that winter and monitored closely. He woke up in good condition, and has been able to hibernate every winter
since. He has made amazing progress over the years, but is still hindered by getting his legs stuck underneath him, and occasionally rolling
over. He behaves like a normal tortoise, and doesn’t let his conditions keep him from doing whatever he wants, although he does sometimes end
up upside down from his "daredevil" activity.
Currently, he lives with the adoption team leader, who adopted him to give him a stable home while he continues his rehabilitation. He will
continue with his physical therapy, and this year’s plan is to work on turns to teach him a new way for him to make them, and not
roll over, as well as continue to build up muscle strength and stamina. It takes a lot of time and effort for his rehabilitation, but he’s
willing to try anything.
