Canadutch
I am crushed.
I am heartbroken.
I am to blame.
Today the other Bunker died.
This morning I found him laying on one of the rocks in the aquarium, his little head hanging down into the water. I was sure he was dead.
When I picked him up he lifted his head and I realized that he was still alive. His eyes were badly swollen as was his neck, beneath his chin… I phoned Xander and told him to come home immediately and started looking for a vet that deals with reptiles.
We took him to the vet and she told us that he had a severe vitamin deficiency. We explained how we cared for them, what we fed them etc and it wasn’t enough. The food we were giving them lacked most vitimins they needed, the light we had in the aquarium wasn’t the proper kind, and because of this, we lost them both.
She gave him 2 needles and gave us instructions for caring for him after we got home, but he didn’t last long once we got him back here. I got his little resting place all set up and nice and warm for him, and he died about an hour later. I can’t even explain how sad I am about this.
I’m disgusted with myself that I didn’t have the foresight to do a little research online and find info on how to care for them properly. I assumed the people at the pet store knew what they were talking about and since they seemed perfectly fine for the last four years, we had no reason to doubt it. Until the first one died out of the blue…
On Saturday we ordered and paid for a Juwel Rio 180, which is a 180 liter tank with a nice filter, a good heater etc. Now we have a 180L tank and one turtle (Frick!) left that is the size of a quarter *sigh*.
I’m so sad right now and I don’t know what I want to do. Do I take Frick! back and never have turtles again, filling the new tank with fish instead… or do I keep him and buy another baby and learn from our mistakes the first time and take better care of them? I really don’t know…
I know one thing, if there’s any piece of advice I could ever hand out to pet owners. Do your own research and find out how to care for your store-bought pets the way they are supposed to be taken care of. Don’t take the word of the people who work there, they may not know what they are talking about.
Oh noo, how sad. I’d keep Frick and buy another couple of babies. I think you know how to care for them now, and to see them flourish in your care would do yourself a favour. Maybe see it as a way to ‘make up’ for the two that died?
I’d be in bits too, animals are a BIG part of my life.
Good luck
Mandy :=)
Sorry to hear about all this. Its tough to lose a pet for sure.
Yeah I definately think the fish thing isn’t going to happen. I can’t take them out and hold with them and play with them like I can with the turtles.
My new aquarium will be here Friday, after it’s set up and functioning properly I’ll get Frick! a new friend.
I’m sorry to hear about this!
But learn from your mistakes, and keep Frick!
I’m so sorry to hear you lost your turtle. Though I don’t think filling your new tank with fish is the answer, unless you have past experience in fish keeping.
Good luck to you and your turtle(s)!
I’m very sorry for your loss. When my sister got her rabbitt the first thing we did was buy a small book like the person above suggested. It had all the vital info we needed in very easy to understand terms.
I’d keep Frick! and just learn from your mistakes. You now know what needs to be done to ensure a happy critter. I know right now it’s a difficult time but don’t be too hard on yourself and try to remember the good times!
I have found the best way to quickly educate yourself on how to take care of animals is to buy a small book that deals with care, etc. A smaller book is nice because 1. it doesn’t overwhelm you with information and 2. it gives you the basics so if you never learn anything else you should be fine.
I have worked in a pet shop and for a vet clinic. I myself do not know much about reptiles which goes to show that training on pet care (other than cats and dogs) is not a priority for some businesses.
I am really sorry to hear about your turtles. However, it sounds like you did the best you could and knew how. It is obvious you are a good pet owner because you did take the sick one to a vet…most don’t so good for you.
The question of fish vs. turtles in the new aqurium…know that fish, too, require special care and people at the pet shop may not be able to help you with learning what that is. I know some things about fish and I know that they can be more complicated than people realize. So, yep…more learning.