Meet "Henni" new pics

Shop with us on Ebay
Fins us on Amazon
Advertise with us
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
M

Melissa's ZOO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Messages
2,199
Location
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Henri (she) is an African Spurred Turtle that I took from my roommate who was not even providing her with the minimal care needed.

I plan to find a sanctuary or maybe the Zoo would take her in a few years (depending on how attached I get) or if we are in a position to build her a pen and a shed outside, we will see.

The tub is her temporary home until I can get her large cage in the house this weekend. But it works. I am also going to get her proper food today. But the lettuce will do till tonight. She was hungry this morning.

DSC05395.jpg


DSC05391.jpg


DSC05392.jpg
 
You know I have read such conflicting information about water and food. I am just going to take both with a grain of salt and do whatever I think will make her happy. :bow:

Some say they need water at all times (they do not swim and will sink like a rock) and others say they do not need water only to be soaked in warm water 2 to 3 times a week to prevent bladder stones.

But personally I think all creatures need water so I will give her some when I get home tonight. I had to get a very shallow dish to make sure she does not tip over which could cause her to suffocate and die if not caught early.

I soaked her last night since her rear was nasty. And I did not see her drink the water but she was probably to scared too.
 
Henri is not a turtle, she is a tortoise, and they require a much different environment than a turtle does. They do not need to be in water like turtles, they are land animals. They cannot survive submerged in water.
I have a friend on Facebook, named Darren, who runs the Tortoise Protection Group. Darren is in the UK, but he might be able to hook you up with someone local who is qualified to take Henri.
You can reach Darren at the groups website:
http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/1.asp
At MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/tortoiseprotectiongroup
At their Yahoo Group:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/TortoiseProtectionGroup/
At their Facebook Group:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=557931890&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=5669812423
 
WOW, she is really nice looking the shell is just stunning i never people could have a tortes as a pet. long time a go a girl i new had a turtle but i found them really stinky.
 
Vannesa, thank you so much for the links I will look him up. I will have to remember she is a tortoise not a turtle, I did not know there was a difference but it makes sense sine one is land and the other aquatic.

I actually think I may keep Henni and when she is large enough she will spend her summers outside (with a reenforced buried fence) and her winters in our spare bedroom. Our plan is to take the carpet up and put tile down that way it will be easy to clean up. I could also put in a drain to the outside that if I needed to I could hose the room down. We will also put something like plastic sheeting around the walls to protect them as well as seal around the bottom to the tile. This will all be in the next 3 to 5 years I am guessing.

I have finally found a hay she will eat. She loves Orchard Hay and she likes shredded carrots and sweet potatoes (which she only gets every other night as a treat) she also gets the occasional banana which she likes but their stomachs do not tolerate the sugar well so she get one 1/2 inch slice once a week. She loves rose petals and I have prickley pear cactus pads on their way.

She LOVES her heat lamp and has finally figured out that she can bury herself in the pile of coconut bark I piled up for her. I think she is finally happy and eating so well. Before she barely ate and was not living like a turtle at all. I try to make her life as close to her natural habit as possible.

She also likes to look at me and will let me pet her face without huffing in fear and retracting to her shell. She really is a very intelligent and facinating creature. When I change her cage around, add new things or fresh water she immediately checks everything out.

I will post a pic of her new home tomorrow.

Henni does not stink at all. But I clean her cage of her feces twice a day and she gets fresh water everyday, sometimes twice if she made it really dirty. I think it is all about being diligent and keeping them sanitary.
 
She is going to get huge, and will live for decades. Tortoises are a huge responsibility that lasts a lifetime. Sometimes even beyond. Like all animals, they do require some vet care throughout their lives and the vet needs to be qualified to care for them.
Darren has tortoises himself, he is an expert on their care and needs. You will be able to find all the information you need about Henni's care from his websites.
Tortoises and turtles really get bad press. People think they are boring and lack personality, but it can't be further from the truth. They are extremely smart and personable, and can be very good companions.
She is very gorgeous.
 
9+*Vannessa I looked at Darren's webpage for hours last night and cried for most of it those poor tortoises. It is just sick. Humans truly are disgusting creatures. :redhot:

Henni last night got a bath in warm water and a gentle scrub with a child's tooth brush. It has taken me two weeks to get all the crap off of her from my dumb*## roommate. She appreciated it and just sat there unafraid of what I was doing to her. :hugs:

I have some guestions for Darren so i am going to send an email and make sure I am doing everything possbile for Henni. She also has a check-up with my vet on the 15th. Dr. Setser is a very well known exotic vet and when I last took Willow in I told him about Henni and he talked my ear off for about 30 minutes about her species and the proper care she needs and all he told me is dead on with what I have researched so I feel confident in his ability.

Anyways here are some new pics of Henni and her cage.
For size comparison next to the FN.
DSC05402.jpg

Her heated aera about 90 degrees with temp gauge (to the left) and her very shallow pool.
DSC05407.jpg

You can see the heat lamp in the far corner and the lamp in the middle is a UVB 10.0 lamp.
DSC05398.jpg

Henni enjoying her grassland tort fed and carrot mix along with some Orchard Hay. She is fed 1/4 cup twice a day and gets a hand full of hay in the morning. Slow and steady growth is key so overfeeding is very harmful to her.
DSC05404.jpg

The other side of the cage/cooler side it is about 75 degrees. The white thing is a calcium cuttle bone and she actually chews on it.
DSC05401.jpg

Last pic is with the lid closed. The hubby is going to cut me a door on the side so I don't have to have a step ladder to get in there and do things and so she will have a little more airflow since it will have hardware mesh on it like the top does.
DSC05409.jpg
 
I think you have done an excellent job on Henni's enclosure, especially since you didn't get any time to really prepare. She looks very content.
Darren is truly wonderful, and the effort he makes for tortoises is fabulous. I am sure that he will be more than happy to help you with any questions that you have.
 
lilratsy43 said:
Is her cage a converted desk? Did you guys make that? IF so you did a great job. She looks very happy and seems to be enjoying her new home.
Click to expand...

No it is just sitting on a desk. The box is actually what she was living in before my roomate got lazy and quit taking care of her properly.

Henni has finally learned what it means to be a tortoise. Here are a few pics of her burying herself for bedtime and her being sound asleep. I really do love her and she will now let me touch her face without hissing as me.

DSC05427.jpg

DSC05428.jpg


Her eyes have been really watery lately and has been making a lot of noises (not sure if they make noise) which has me worried but we have a vet appointment tomorrow. Hopefully it is nothing.

I will get some pics of her in her outside enclosure and post them tomorrow. It has been too wet and chilly for her to go out but today will be 80F and sunny, perfect tort weather. :wink:
 
I read Darren's caresheet on Sulcata, and you have really got your hands full with her. They are the third largest tortoise in the world, and they can easily reach 150lbs as an adult. I love the part where he says that people need a wheelbarrow to get them to the vets.
It would be awesome if you could arrange for your vet to do housecalls when Henni is full grown.
You're going to need a new type of enclosure for her at some point, unless you can manage to allow her to freerange.
It's no wonder that most don't reach adulthood, they are more responsibility than a child. I can't imagine being responsible for a creature like that for the rest of my life.
 
Henni is a huge responsibility!!!! But Chris (hubby) and I have discussed it and we are willing to take it on. We are 27 and 29 and the longest living in captivity was 56 (hopefully we can surpass that). We have plans laid out for her outdoor enclosure which will be started this summer. I have looked at numerous web pages and have a really great plan that will give Henni everything she needs and more.

Last time I was in the vets with Willow he and I got to talking about Henni and he did say that he does do housecalls because Henni will get so big and that his rate is just the normal office visit fee plus mileage (he is only 2.8 miles away from us) so minimal fee for house calls.

Our backyard is HUGE so we have plenty of room for her back there and it is all privacy fence so no one can see her. We will be reenforcing the fence with 2X4's and plywood as a second barrier so she cannot push the fence down. She will have a shed with a ramp, heat/fan depending on the season and we are going to put a swimming pool in the ground for her. It is also half shade and half sun so she will have options. All in all the enclsoure with be about 30 ft X 30 ft with shade at two corners shrubs for her to hide in and destory and a huge oak tree to lounge under. So I think our plan is a pretty good one considering.

I never in a million years would have choosen this animal for myself. But I could just not sit back and let my idiot roommate treat her the way he was treating her. And if ever it becomes to much to handle Safari Animal Sancturay 20 miles away said that they would be willing to take her from me (mostly a big cat santuary). So I have an option if I become unable to care for her. :thumbup:
 
I'm sure you have everything covered, and that is super about your vet! I can't wait to see her new outdoor enclosure once it's done.
Henni couldn't have fallen into better hands, and I am sure that she will give you great pleasure in the years to come.
I wouldn't have one, though. Looking after my sisters turtle for a few weeks a year is hard work, I wouldn't have a turtle either. But, like you, the turtle was in bad hands when my sister stepped in. Michele didn't go looking for her either. And back 20 years ago, when she saved Homer, there were not the options that there are today for rehoming unwanted turtles.
Even if I were in your shoes, I would have found another route to make sure she was happy and well looked after in another home.
 
I think it's great that you guys are taking her on. I love tortoises and turtles but I can't imagine being responsible for one of that magnitude. It sounds like you guys have really thought it out and have covered your bases in terms of vet care and if you can't keep her long term.

I hope you keep posting about her and updating us!!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top