Hello,
I am a new member, my name is Astrid. I have been meaning to introduce myself and say hello for a while but due to having a 10 month old baby I have put it off. After a terrible experience yesterday with Freddy I feel I must do it now.
Fred is a Spur Thighed tortoise. I found him in 1975 when I was 5 years old. So he is at least 36 years old, he was quite large at the time so I imagine he is around about 40 now. Over the years he has been well cared for mainly by my Mum. In 2005 Fred was attacked during the day in my sisters back garden by a fox whilst being looked after. It was a very big shock as up until then (30 years) he had always been left to roam our gardens as long as we knew he had bushes and could not escape. It was a terrible time but after help from various vets and eventually finding a fantastic specialist vet in Faygate Fred recovered and thrived.
Fred hibernates from usually end of Oct until March depending on the weather. He loves his food, particularly romaine lettuce, partly boiled broccoli and carrots. He is gorgeous and I am sure he knows us.
In the summer Fred has a part of the garden that is cordoned off for him with a house that he is closed in in the evening and during the day if my parents are out.
The problem we have is that there are a lot of foxes around and he cannot now be left to roam as before and after the last attack we don't take any chances.
We feel cruel and have been trying to decide how best to move forward and find Fred a home where he will be loved and given the care he needs and deserves but at the same time he is part of our family so it's a tough one.
I saw Fred and hand fed him his usual mixture of the above at 3.30pm on Monday. It was lovely and sunny and he was happy. As we were around he was left wandering outside in his area.
After a day out the next day and getting back to put Fred out at about 2pm we found his door open and Fred no where to be seen in his area of the garden.
This was possibly the 3rd time in 6 years that Fred has been left out overnight.
I found Fred after searching for a couple of hours upside down in some bushes. At first thinking 'phew found him'. Then realising there was something wrong.
Fred had been attacked by I think two foxes. His two front feet are very sore with scales missing from where he has protected his face and they have been gnawed off. They even managed to have a good go at his shell underneath at the bottom. I thought it had been punctured due to the blood (sorry if squeamish) but learnt that his shell is actually bone so of course carries blood but thank goodness they hadn't got through.
I had to rush Fred to a local vet, who after calling the specialist vet treated him with pain relief, cleaned and bandaged him. Then once I knew how he was I rushed him to the specialist vet which is further away. I brought him home last night but after being told that he would need to see the vet every day for the next 14 days to have pain relief administered I have
decided to leave Fred there for the next three weeks as I can't give him the care he needs myself and I'm due to go away. I know he will be getting the pain relief and care he needs but I feel so guilty.
The foxes are a huge problem where I live, I can't exactly blame them as a lot of it is due to stupid people who feed them.
Excuse me for saying 'Hi' on a negative note but felt I needed to make other owners aware of the risks of the foxes (and apparently rats) that possibly didn't already know.
Thanks for reading and give your tortoise a little rub from me.

Hello Astrid and
Sorry in the delay in welcoming you, I had to have my two Rabbits spayed yesterday so it was a very stressful day, they are doing well so hopefully soon they will be back out in their pen, and forget anything ever happened!!
What a very sad story, I am so sorry to hear what has happened, and it is so kind of you to warn us members.  Foxes seem to be becoming quite a problem and getting more and more bold, even daring to come into peoples houses!
I will have everything croosed fou you and Fred that he has a speedy recovery. Will you have to build a secure pen for him now? it would be a shame to part company with eachother after all these years, but I admire you for thinking of puttin Fred first, it is very brave. Please let us know how he gets on
Jane
PS Keya & Molly says thanks for the Rub TeeHee

Hello Jane,

Thanks for your reply. I hope your rabbits are feeling ok :-)
I will have to have a secure pen built for Fred if I keep him. Some of the photos of people pens look very comfortable for tortoises. I like the idea of digging the pots into the earth for them. Fred loves getting himself lodged into weird uncomfortable looking spaces. I will speak to the vet again tomorrow for an update. His wounds are healing well but he isn't feeding which isn't surprising as he normally cuts down this time of year plus being in a different environment. I'm still not sure what to do with Fred. Obviously I have to get him better before I make a decision. But I think he really needs to be with someone who can give him more time than I can. You have a rehoming page. Is this something that can be done through the tortoise protection group if that is the way I decide to go?
Thanks
Astrid

Hi Astrid

Unfortunately the rehoming service is suspended at the moment, like most other sites are doing. You could try the Tortoise Trust site and see if any of the members might know of someone?
Glad Fred is recovering
Jane

I hope Fred recovers well and soon, we have 2 spur thighs and a marginated that live outside in the summer, they have a greenhouse with a run, in 2 seperate sections, we have made sure it is very secure to stop anything getting in to harm them. I love my torts, Im sort of glad that winter is here as then they come in the house and I know nothing can get at them. Please keep us updated on how Fred is doing. Bless him. XX

Yes Hazel I  feel the same with mine, even though I miss them when they hibernate, I am also glad I have them safe
Jane

Ahh thank you. Well I need to get something sorted out with better protection for him. So thanks for the idea of a green house. I have been racking my brain. I can't think of something that gives him a large area to enjoy himself and for me to clean it out. How does everyone clean out the err pooh! At the moment it's easy because we can get to it quickly but if it's in an enclosure it must be quite difficult.

Another question for anyone who can answer. I have read that male tortoises are solitary. Is this true? Should I try and get Fred a friend.

An update on Fred. Well Fred's wounds seem to be healing well but like everything with tortoises it is very slow and the recovery time is between 6 and 9 months which means I wont be able to hibernate him fully. Well that is what the vet says but Fred will want to go to sleep and he wont want to eat so I will keep close and keep an eye on him
Fred is not eating but again at this time of year he really doesn't eat much. The vet has put a feeding tube in. Whilst doing this they removed a tumour from his neck and sent it away to be tested. The vet also told me that Fred has slightly puffy eyes (which he has never had) and they may need to take a blood test to see what's going on.
Poor Fred. He is so strong and clever. I don't want him to suffer and I am putting my trust in the vet who is a specialist and hope its just part of the shock of what he has been through.
The tumour. Last time I queried this with a vet I was told that this was quite normal.
Thanks for your concern.
Astrid x

Hi Astrid
The enclosure I have has hinges so that you can lift the top up and get easy access, of course if you can aford to do it, then a walk in enclosure is ideal. Poor Fred does seem to be going through the wars, lets hope all the blood tests come back negative.
Tortoises are said to be solitude animals by nature, apart from mating time
I do have friends that have several tortoises, but you have to take in to account that they will all need to be the same species plus the ratios male to females, which if I am correct is 3 females to1 male. Personally I think that Fred is probably best left on his own until he is fully recovered. Going back to to your enclosure, you could get a Greenhouse with an entry out into an enclosure which could have a picket fence around and fox proof covering over the top, in our Rabbit pen we have done 3 big square tops and each of those can be lifted out so that we can get in and clean it out.
Please keep us posted about Fred, will be interested to hear about his progress
Jane

Thanks Jane. That gives me a much better idea about the enclosure. Do you have any photos at all. I know someone who could make it for me. I think you are right about him being solitary. I found Fred first then a few years later I found another tortoise strangely enough. I thought Fred was going to hurt the other tortoise as he chased him round and round trying to bite him/her. I also couldn't believe the speed of them both. So had to separate them until we found the owner.

I saw Fred this weekend. He doesn't look great in the photo but seeing him I could tell he was getting stronger and he is also putting on weight. The lump that was removed from his neck had turned into some kind of bacterial infection and they got it all out. That must be a great relief for him. His eyes looked absolutely fine to me and so far they haven't had to take a blood test. He is in the best place for now as he still needs pain killers and antibiotics for about another week and the staff are very good. His wounds are healing well, his legs are still bandaged so as to not aggravate his wounds when he walks.
Thanks again for the information it's very helpful,
Astrid

Hi Astrid
Thank you so much for updating us about Fred, he does look a poor little soldier doesn't he, but getting the best attention by the look of it.
I will get some photo's posted this evening, until then

TC
Jane

Aw, bless him, glad to hear he is doing so well. Get well soon. xx

I would personaly keep a watch out for the tortoise for instance foxes were stealing my dogs toys (I know I know that dogs are potential risks) but my brother kept firing paint balls at them so mabye you should get a spiked fence give a rub to freddy and mabye try and (this will sound desgusting but it may just worck) collect pee and spread it around the fence

HI, I have made a secure outdoor enclosure for my George. It ended up costing about £150 all in all but I know its very secure. Off of Ebay I asked a carpenter to make for me a raised type bed which is about 6 planks of wood high. All in all its around 10ft by 4ft but he can make any size you want. I secured it by placing strong chicken wire underneath the pen before I filled it with soil and sand to stop any hedgehogs or mice ect getting to him. I then made two very strong and heavy wooden lids on hindges so that you can place your tortoise in and out. He loves his new home in the summer time. My little man is only 4 years old so of course not very big at all, you would have to make yours larger. If it helps at all I can send you over some pictures to show you how it was made. good luck with your little man :) x

Hi, My dad made me a lovely secure 'box' for my tortoise at night, but im now thinking he needs something a little larger. I would love to see your photographs, then maybe i can get my dad to recreate another one for him ! Thanks, Im a new member, so im glad to have found a site that addresses similar worries and concerns that are relevent to me !

Hello

Hi, I'm new to this but thought it important to let others know about the fox problem.