Hi Everyone

Well I have collected my tort that I rehomed. her name is Molly, she is roughly 25-30yrs old. I have posted her photo's on the members Gallery. Molly has had a hysterectomy 2 yrs ago. She still has the acrylic that was used to put the square of plastron that was removed, back into place, has anyone ever had experience of a tort who had a hysterectomy? I would be interested if they could tell me how's theirs is doing etc..
I was also going to collect a hatchling for a friend for Keya, as well as collecting Molly, but after alot of thought and thinking way up in front, it was not a good move. As torts can't be sexed until 4ish and Molly can't have a male with her, and I don't want to breed, I would not have had the space in my garden to have seperated them. I was abit disappointed but it all came down to what was best for the torts.
Molly is lovely and we love her dearly already. Molly's new house will be ready tomorrow so she will have another adventure to go through...
Jane

Molly is gorgeous, Jane! What a lovely smooth shell, and I thought the photo of 'Molly goes camping' {g} was great. She must be loving her new home with you.

I know it must have been a hard decision to not get the hatchling, but I think it was probably the right one. I've done the same, actually -- where I am living now, I don't have the facilities to have a completely separate enclosure in the garden, so my Doris will continue to live the single life -- for the time being anyway.

Nina

She's adorable Jane and I'm sure Molly will bring you lots of pleasure.  Yes we have a TPG admin who has a Ibera that had a hysterectomy.  I'm sure we can get Darren to come and tell you how she is now.  In fact we have several pictures of the surgical procedure.  At present the vet is doing a small write up with each picture so we may know exactly what the picture demonstrates. Once done I'll be loading them on the TPG photo gallery.

Here's one of them to be going on with.

Helen

Hi Helen

That would be very kind of Darren if he could share any experience he has, as I am unsure what happens when the acrylic falls off, and if she should have another x-ray 2 yrs down the line to check everything is OK. I have all the details of her operation and it all looks like she was well cared for, having a follow-up x-ray after. Molly had a hysterectomy because she had lots of fibroids growing, not for the usual of being egg bound. It will also help me have a better understanding of what Molly has been through, and have a better awareness for her.
Other than that she is really well, I have done all the checks, and she is in perfect health, her poo's are not how I would like to see them. Molly was brought up on advacado Pear and pellets yeukkkkkkk, the person who was rehoming Mollying on behalf of the previous owners, started her straright away  on weed mix,  but Molly doesn't seem too keen at the moment, unfortunately she likes the cucumber, so I will have to try and leave that out for a while until I get her onto the road of healthy eating.... 
The photo you sent was fascinating, I will look forward to seeing the others when they are ready, excuse my ignorance but why is the tube inserted into the torts back area, is this a vaccum hysterectomy?
As always appreciate everyones input
Jane

Hi Nina

Thanks- I think she is lovely too.  Molly's new home is being built while we speak, so she should be moving in tonight. I will do some Photo's to put on her gallery when it is done.
I think when I can afford to move, it will be a small house, large garden and then it doesn't matter what sex they are teehee

Jane

Hi Jane

cucumber is OK as it will keep Molly hydrated.  If she loves it why not try smearing the juice on her weeds to tempt her to eat them.  No doubt avacado will be off the menu from now on.

I'm not sure what the instrument is doing in this picture and that's the reason for asking the vet to do the write up.  It isn't a vacuum hysterectomy because other shots show the flap of plastron being removed and then the ovaries, with eggs and also the uterus.

 I have the full sequence of photos but would like to be able to say what you can see in each one before they are loaded up.

As soon as Darren gets back online I'll ask him to check in.

Helen

Hi Helen

It will be really interesting to see the whole sequence, and nice to read the write ups that go with them, but whenever you are ready and Darren can do that.
I tried the tiny pieces of cucumber just to flavour her food, but she wasn't having any of that. I will try a little bit of Romain in with the weeds and see if that will tempt her. She was very lively today, into so much mischief, I have added some more photo's on the members gallery, where she was getting involved with my husband Terry making her new home. It is a nice combination a hatchling & an adult as they both need different types of attention and have their own play times, also I have relaxed abit more with Keya as I think I may have been abit over anxious with her and was not enjoying her as much as I should have been. So now I just enjoy Keya & Molly and their antics.

Jane

Hi everyone
This is a new one I will be answering myself. I got the name of the plant after I posted... campanula
Thanks

Jane

Hi Jane,

I noticed that campanula photo yesterday, but as there was no question associated with it, I just assumed it was Keya in camouflage mode {g}. I'm glad they are both doing so well!

Nina

Hi Nina

I didn't think that the photo had loaded so I didn't post. Liked your comment though, that made me chuckle

Jane

Hi Jane,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

Hebe prolapsed when she had eggs. The prolapse tore and quickly became infected which meant it couldn’t be placed back inside. She had to have the eggs surgically removed and a hysterectomy at the same time. She also had a bough prolapse a few years back and had to have a small operation to tighten everything up. We've never had a problem since though.....thankfully.

Hebe's doing really well; she’s a real character. It was sometime ago she had her operation. The acrylic was attached for 2-3 years. It started to come loose, one day we found it in the garden. She still has quite deep crevices where the incisions were made, but otherwise you'd never know she'd had the operation, but then she was tearing around the very next day as though nothing had happened.

I'm waiting for my vet to let me have a little write-up to go with each photo then we're going to load it up onto the website (will give him a gentle reminder). I’ll make sure I take some photos of her now as well:-)

HTH

Darren

Hi Darren

Great to hear that the torts recover well after a hysterectomy. I have been wondering how the acrylic will fall off and roughly how long it will take to do so. Molly had her hysterectomy 2 yrs ago so I guess something should start to happen next year. Molly had an X-ray after her operation, according to the paper work I have been given, but I don't know if she had another one  later on, how many did Hebe have to have?.
I appreciate you sharing yours and Hebes experience with me, as it is a great help for me to understand what Molly has been through and also what to expect

The sequence of photo's of Hebes surgical procedure, will be really interesting to read and see when the photo's and write ups are complete, look forward to that. Glad Hebe is doing well
Regards
Jane

Hi Jane,

Hebe was around 8 years old when we first got her so I would imagine the plastron would still be growing very slightly and may have dislodged the acrylic a bit earlier than a fully grown tortoise- so it may take longer. I wouldn't worry about it though it'll come off eventually:-)

Hebe had two prolapses. Apparently they're at a higher risk of having a bough prolapse following a hysterectomy. Also, Hebe had awful husbandry up until she came to us. No UV, kept in a vivarium, fed on tortoise pellets. She was only 8 and had eggs. Her sister is much smaller but very bumpy too. The lady who rehomed them thought she was doing everything right as she followed the pet-shop's instructions to a tee.

Looking forward to seeing the photos with the accompanying write-up myself:-)

Kindest Regards

Darren