What To Do If You Think Your Tortoise Is Dead

   The unfortunate fact is that everything on earth has a life limit, with some species dying sooner than others. Although. in favourable conditions, tortoises can live between 50 and 200 years, depending on the species, like everything else though, it is guaranteed that they will die at some stage.

   Often, if your tortoise has been ill and under veterinary care then, they will die at the surgery, and you will not have to worry because the vet will verify that it is truly dead.

   However, if you discover your tortoise at home and have concerns it may have died, say during the night, it is often more difficult for you to be sure. So don’t be too keen to bury or cremate it, give it 24 hours, and a chance, to show a positive reaction.

   The first obvious questioned to be answered is - Is It Really Dead?

   Most species of tortoises hibernate over winter, these are usually the smaller species but the larger ones will go into something known as Brumation, which is a phase just shy of actual hibernation. Basically it means they are not as deeply asleep as those hibernating but they have still shut their body functions down to minimal levels, to preserve energy, in Aldabra this is about 8 heartbeats a minute. This usually happens when it is too cold or dismal for them to venture outside and they will just sit quietly in a deep doze throughout the day. However, hibernating and Brumating animals are still alive, and although their heart level will be much slower than usual, it will still be beating.

   Brumation happens in winter but Estivation happens over summer, when it is warmer. They don’t shut down as deeply, as with Brumation, but they will hide from the sun and sleep more intensely. Just like Brumation, Estivation is something that can affect all size of tortoise species, to certain degrees. It is like us sleeping through a siesta when it is hot but tortoises can make it last days, and sometimes weeks in extreme cases, instead of just hours.

Very important to note:

   During this natural Brumation period, in winter, a tortoise can have its head and legs right out and positioned at uncomfortable looking angles, and frankly they can look dead. They do not always huddle tightly into their shell, like a poorly tortoise would.

   However, they are not dead, they are still very much alive, just in a dormant state.

   They will be slower to respond to stimulation such as touch or sound. If one animal in the group is behaving in this manor then the rest of the group will also follow suit, to varying degrees. It is important to note that tortoises do not do this every year, they are influenced by the weather outside, and it can be quite a shock when you find a slow responsive tortoise for the first time. Your mind automatically assumes the worst.

PLEASE DO NOT IMMEDIATELY ASSUME THEY ARE DEAD AND DISPOSE OF THEM.

   An increase in the UV light availability will help them to come out of it. Leave their lamps on for longer, than just daylight hours, to help simulate summertime day length. UV light promotes stimulation and a desire to eat and move around.

   Brumation can affect all species of tortoise, as well as other reptiles.

Signs Of Life Checks

   A hibernating, Brumating, or Estivating tortoise will still react to stimuli, and show signs of life, it may be slower to react but it will still flinch or pull into its shell, if you touch a head, leg or tail.

They will still be breathing, you can test this by putting a mirror or something light, like a feather, in front of their face and see if there is any sign of breath or air movement.

   Tortoises do get surprisingly cold during hibernation but if you are worried it has got too cold then put it in a warm bath to soak. Start with aired water and bring the temperature up gradually. Don’t put it immediately into a bowl of hot water, the sudden temperature shock could kill it. Begin with just under hand temperature, and then you can warm it up, as necessary, to a warm bath temperature, by adding further warm water. You don’t need a thermometer- if it would be too hot for you to sit in then its too warm for them, you aren’t trying to boil them. Remember to take out some water when you are adding it, or you cold risk drowning them.

   They wont instantly perk up but if there is no sign of improvement, however small, after ten minutes, you can try putting your hand around a younger tortoise, on top and bottom of the shell and squeeze, firmly but not crushingly. You will feel the Plastron underneath give slightly, beneath the pressure of your thumb. Repeatedly squeeze to the tempo of your own breaths. If you can, do this with one hand, and use the other to move the front limb forwards and backwards to stimulate the lungs to breathe. You wont be able to do this with an adult tortoise or the larger species, the Plastron is too thick to move but you can still try moving the legs forwards and back, to encourage it to breathe.

   Unfortunately, in most cases this will not have any effect of bringing your tortoise back to life but there is always a slim chance that it might just make the difference for an animal on the brink. Remember you cant hurt the dead but you just might save the living.

   If you still think there is doubt, then give the animal chance to come around, in a box, overnight at room temperature, and repeat the checks for signs of life. If there is no difference, then unfortunately your tortoise has died.

   Dead tortoises will have sunken eyes and sometimes swollen eyelids. It will often have its head pulled in, and there will be a lot of space around it, and you will get a definite feeling that no one is home.

   At that stage they will also be a feeling of loose relaxed muscles, of floppy of arms and legs, the mouth might gape slightly and you may notice that the limbs have started to bloat and the mouth might gape slightly.

   If you are unsure, at any point, take it to a vet, or reptile specialist, and get them to check for a heart beat.

   Tortoises can survive with a very low heart beat and low oxygen consumption, meaning the brain could still be alive and functioning. In some cases when a tortoise has been badly injured it is difficult to be fully certain if they are dead. If necessary the vet can insert a pith into the tortoises brain, which is a sharp tool that destroys brain cells and ensures death. No brain function means certain death. However, they are more likely they would just give it an injection to euthanise it, and the tortoise is able to be buried or cremated with humane confidence.

If You Find Your Tortoise And Think It Might Have Died

• Immediately separate from other tortoises.
• Perform signs of life checks to see it it is still breathing, indicating it could actually be in hibernation or Brumation and still be alive.
• Don’t be too keen to dispose of the body if you are not sure it has died. If in doubt take it to a professional for verification.
• Move your other tortoises to another pen too, so that you can clean and disinfect the area in which the tortoise died in.
• If you are certain the animal has died then don’t keep the body hanging around, for days before you bury it or have it cremated, it will attract flies, especially in summer.
• Bacteria, viruses and disease can spread quickly, so attend to cleaning the pen as a priority to prevent further infections occurring, don’t leave it festering for days.
• If the animal died of illness, keep a close eye on your other tortoises and monitor for ill health. Seek vet attention of necessary.
• Try to find find out cause of death if you can, in case it is contagious to your other animals.

Do Dead Tortoises Smell?

   Yes, all decomposing animals smell of death, to varying degrees. The smell of death is a result of bacteria and micro orgasms beginning to feed off the body, creating a rotting, unpleasant smell, which will get worse for the first week, as they body decomposes. The temperature of the weather will also influence how quickly and how strongly a body smells at decomposure. It will be worse over summer than in winter, when the process happens much slower.

Stages Of Decomposition

Decomposition begins with:

Fresh- which means the heart has stopped beating and the body will gradually cool down to the air temperature around it. The eyes will also begin to sink into their head and this happens quite quickly.

Bloat- This is when they start to smell, The bacteria in their gut begins to break down and form gasses, you will see arms, legs, tails and neck beginning to swell as a result. In extreme cases, if left in heat the skin might begin to break open and gasses be release from orifices. These gases are also what attracts the flies to the body, which in turn lay eggs which soon become maggots that begin to feed on the flesh. The tortoise is definitely dead and you need to bury it, or have it cremated, sooner rather than later.

Active Decay- This can take several days or weeks, to begin, it is greatly influenced by the temperature. The warmer the temperature the faster the flies find the corpse and the sooner the maggots, insects and scavengers will begin decomposition of the flesh.

Advanced Decay - can be achieved, and completed, in weeks, but can take months or even years. How quickly it happens depends on the size of the tortoise and the number of animals and insects taking part with decomposition, as well as the temperature in the surrounding environment. This is the point where there is nothing really useful left to take from the body, the bones have been picked mainly clean.

Dry- is when all that is left are the bones and the shell. Due to their hard composition it will take a very long time for these to breakdown fully and this is where some people like to clean the shell off and preserve it, to keep it for posterity, to remember their pet.