Hot Tub

I got to see Dr. Johnson today. He was glad to see I'm recovering from the respiratory infection, but he's very concerned about my scale loss and says it's a symptom of low protein. So I had another blood test and we'll find out soon if my anemia and protein levels are improving. If not, well, it will be very bad news. Very bad. Especially at hibernation time. Dr. Johnson said if the protein level is not improving after all the tube assist feeding for extra nutrition and vitamins, it would be a sign of intestinal malabsorption, or even worse, liver dysfunction. So we're all hoping the blood tests show improvement.

In the meantime, Dr. Johnson says to keep feeding me and keeping me warm indoors for as long as possible to let my body get stronger before hibernation. Unless I'm a lot healthier, well, let's just say hibernation would be way too hard on me to survive. Gulp. We don't want that. So we're hoping for good news from the lab test results this week. (Cross your fingers and toes, please!)

I've been waking up hungry and alert and really enjoy a nice Mazuri and shredded kale breakfast in my blue pan every morning. Then I get cleaned up and munch on a romaine leaf in the bathtub until I finally get tired and tuck in my little box again. The best part about staying in the bathtub is that's so warm that it boosts my metabolism and immune system. A reptile UV light hangs at one end of the tub keeping it at about 95 degrees, and my little box is at the other end so I can cool down to about 85 degrees. I adjust my body temperature just by moving from one end of the tub to the other. This is working well for now as it keeps me alert and hungry. Poor Tortellini is slowing waaaay down as it has cooled down so much at night and the days are shorter. She comes out to bask for a few minutes almost every day, but she's not very active or hungry anymore. Her metabolism is slowing down right on schedule for hibernation.  

But I'm staying in my hot tub, at least for a few more weeks. I know I'm lucky to get such good care, and get the guest bathroom all to myself (no magazine reading, ahem, with a tortoise for company!).

I'm glad I finally finished all the antibiotic injections - 7 of them over 14 days and hope I don't get another respiratory infection as this was my first in my whole life, and it was really hard to breathe plus I was so sick. I just want to feel better so I can go outside and live the tortoise lifestyle again. I'm sure grateful to Dr. Johnson and all my friends at Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital for not only helping me, but being genuinely kind and affectionate to me too. Thanks too to my Tortoise Mom and Dad and all my friends who are pulling for me. I hope to give you good news about the lab tests. Meanwhile, I'll just keep enjoying my hot tub.

Who needs a groundhog?

My tortoise mom just realized I'm more accurate at predicting Spring than any groundhog or even the Arizona version, Agua Fria Freddie (rattlesnake). Here's what I did on February 2: I woke up and started eating again! And I'm eating more all the time. I even insist on a bedtime snack. Yes, I wheel around and beg at the side of my tub, using my most expressive tortoise body language. I can't whimper or meow but I do get my point across anyway.

Since I blogged last (sorry about that), I've been so busy fighting off winter doldrums. At first it was hard to stay alert instead of giving in to the urge to hibernate, but now I'm more active every day. In fact, I've gotten a lot more adventurous and acrobatic so there have been some, ahem, escapes. But they always catch me really fast. I think I need some chamoflage for the light tan carpet. I must stick out like, well, a tortoise even though I freeze and pretend I'm not there in hopes no one will notice me. I'm determined to get into my tortoise dad's office because it has lots of good hiding places. I saw it once, so now I know it's like Tortoise Disneyland.

Now that I've perked up, I'm also gaining weight and my scales look better. I was feeling so poorly for a while there that the scales fell off around my eyes and my skin was flaking off. Dare I say, the skin on my neck was so bad that I now understand why they invented turtlenecks, to hide winter skin.

Dr. Johnson was delighted last time he saw me a month ago, and my blood work showed improvements in white cell, calcium and hydration levels. Plus I gained 100 grams, a very good sign. I'm going to see him again tomorrow so I hope I can make him smile again with my perky attitude, more weight and some new scales on my skin. Tortoises are not supposed to molt! You know, they can block all natural light from my view, but my body knows it's time for hibernation anyway. You can put lots of special lights and heat on timers, but you really can't totally fool Mother Nature, or a tortoise in the prime of life.

I've been indoors for 5 months now. I wonder how many more? But I'll have to get a lot better before I can totally feed myself again. I munch on romaine lettuce but I'm not interested in other foods yet. Dr. Johnson says even though I'm eating again, my appetite isn't "voracious" yet. Yeah, that sounds right. So I'm grateful for my tube feedings twice a day. I am so patient while they feed me. But the minute they're done, it's back to doing all my tortoise business in my tub. I'm a busy gal now!