Hi Joe,
I have printed yours and Debbie's post from yesterday, March 19th, and have placed an urgent call to our vet. Unfortunately our vet does not return calls in a timely manner. However, if I can get an appt tomorrow I will move reschedule my clients (take off work) and get both babies back there for the treatment prescribed by Debbie. BTW, so as not to further add to the confusion there are two vets that practice together. "Dr. Susan and Dr. Clark". Unfortunately we never know who is going to be on call and I wonder how good the note taking is and the follow-up when one doc is looking at the other's notes. Ugh!!
quote:"I don't think the contradiction of information given here and at your vets is so much true, rather misunderstanding whats said. It was implied in a previous post that temperature recommendations by your vet to be universally 80-85 degrees and now through your post here "its only the warm spot." My thought would be to take all the information gotten here, compare it to what your vet said or ask for clarification, and then decide"
I must tell you that both my husband and I are professionals and because we are so darned confused by all the different information we are reading herein, and advice given to us by our vets, we both read the same information and we go to the vets together so there is no chance of us missing any info or misinterpreting info --- and yet, we both feel so stupid because there is obviously something we are missing or not getting.
When we take Louise (13 year old RT) to the vet they continually praise us for our husbandry; yet ever since we purchased Afra and lost her through death we are absolutely befuddled. If I had known how much more difficult it is to take care of the babies, I would have made another choice.
I frankly am very disheartened because we have learned through sad experience that we cannot trust the pet shop to provide adequate care and treatment of the RTs they sell. I was so happy to find this site and to be able to connect with Joe and with the MA Turtle Rescue -- I really felt it was a blessing to have found you both. But we really are getting different information. For instance: the pet shop told us to use rabbit pellets for strata; the vet said newspaper shavings are ok; we have found out from Joe that neither of these are acceptable. Our vet wondered why Louise was dry!!! Duh? We bath her, she soaks; her diet is good, but we had her on newspaper!!!!
I realize neither (you) Joe, or Debbie knows me, but I am an accountant. I deal with number realities all day long. When I go to a doctor, I am completely compliant although I will not follow blindly without understanding why I am doing something. But, I do follow instructions well, and I do understand the English language.
I am reading from Joe more specific information - meaning that it is not the ambient temperature that is important, but the temperature of the strata. Am I understanding that correctly? As I have mentioned several times, I have a thermometer and a humidity gage in their pen and strata level -- not on the wall of the entire room. When the temp is 90-92 degrees at strata level, they are dehydrating. The humidity varies between 60-80 at strata level. Please tell me what it is that I have not understood.
In the interim, as I did with Afra, I will continue to pray.....and prepare to throw myself off the nearest bridge if anything happens to these little guys.
Donna
