Introducing Burt The New Rescue Turt

**omgitsapibble** · 05-20-2010, 08:44 PM

My newest addition, this is Burt, who I took in yesterday. Burt was a "re-home", after being bought at a pet store last year on a whim and then the kids apparently lost interest. Burt had no proper setup, and was being housed with a freakin' ball python, which was apparently a baby, considering Burt is still alive. Idiots.

Burt's now happily in a huge 75 gallon tank, with lots of dirt to bury under, and a big watering pool to lounge in, with proper heat, and fresh food. His previous owner had only fed him dried tortoise pellets, so Burt is suffering from a vitamin deficiency as a result.

He absolutely was not taken care of. As soon as I picked him up, I had to rush him to the vet immediately. He's suffering from a upper respiratory infection, a possible vitamin A deficiency, dehydration, and a honkin' huge ear abcess. The abcess has since been drained and disinfected, and he's now on Baytril injections for the next 10 days, and then has to go back for a re-check.

Some pics of Burt...

This was Burt right after I got him...

Burt tonight... he's enjoying a nice long soak in his water pool. He's been sitting in it for over an hour, kicking around and apparently enjoying himself. :yup:

**chocolatepuppy** · 05-20-2010, 09:08 PM

Burt is adorable! Thank goodness you rescued him! I just hate it when someone has a pet they don't take care of properly!

**Karen** · 05-20-2010, 09:22 PM

He is gorgeous, and looks happy to have water to swim in! What kind of turtle is he? And thanks for rescuing him, people ought to have to pass a test before they can adopt a helpless creature.

**omgitsapibble** · 05-20-2010, 09:29 PM

I completely agree, people should have to pass a test before being allowed to adopt an animal. Because this is what happens when idiots get pets. Of course, sometimes people are inexperienced with a new pet, which is why they should research the animal they are getting. But in Burt's case, how do you not notice the turtle is wheezing, breathing with its mouth open, has swollen eyes, and a huge abcess on the side of its face? And who houses a turtle with a snake?

Burt is a 3-Toed box turtle.

**Suki Wingy** · 05-20-2010, 10:34 PM

He is really cute! We are getting turtles soon too but ours have been in the family since before I was born, we're just getting them back from my grandma. They are technically my mom's and have been since 1990.

**Casper** · 05-21-2010, 02:05 PM

Aww, I have such a soft spot for box turtles.

Thanks for helping this guy out... good vibes headed his way for a quick recovery!

**king2005** · 05-22-2010, 10:23 PM

He's a lucky one.

We've gotten a lot of neglected turtles over the past 2yrs at the RES Q. One turtle had grown INTO her plastic container

They have to smash it open to get her out. Last week we got a turtle in a cup, a 6" in a 10 gallon tank, & too many sick ones from outright neglect

In 2 yrs we've rescued well over 300 turtles, most being Red Eared Sliders & other cooters. The 1 water Dragon we got in a couple months ago wasn't able to move its back legs from sever MBD. Marc gave him all kinds of vitamins, & meds, & extra UVA/B in hopes it would survive. Now you can't even tell the little guy was close to death. He's super active & only has 1/2 a dead toe. Austin the guy I'm fostering was in horrible shape too, not as bad as the water dragon, but wasn't far behind. He can walk better, & is earing more. His ribs aren't a solid mass anymore, but his wrists are still bad. I gave him a log to hang out on to help build up strength in his wrists so the tendons can heal faster/better, so he wan walk without pain & with ease.

We almost always have 80 turtles + a few random lizards/snakes/frogs at the rescue, & thats only 1 out of our 5 locations

the others are much smaller, but in total there are a hair over 100 unwanted animals at any given time

In a couple weeks we'll be rehoming about 100+ turtles from a different rescue (a friend) that wants to retire from the rescue side of things, & just stick with the Rehabilitation of Native Species. We found someone with a MASSIVE man-made pond that is willing to take them in. He wants more for his massive pond, but we want to give him the turtles in multiple deliveries. So he'll empty the retiring ladies turtles, then next year we'll give him some of ours. We did that with another guy that had a massive man-made pond. It worked out very well. Its also a lot of fun to see the ponds & owners again.

Turtle Rescue is very rewarding, don't you agree?

**cassiesmom** · 05-22-2010, 11:25 PM

Hello, Burt! It is very nice to meet you! I don't know much about turtles so your mum's informative posts are teaching me all kinds of things. What an interesting turtle pattern you have! I'm a big fan of your turtle-brother Squirt the camera star

. What do you like to eat? When you regain your health, will you be able to go outdoors for yard visits with mum, like Squirt does now? I am sorry that your previous owners let you get sick, and I hope you will have a very long, healthy, happy life now.