Don't Go In
It was the room they never opened. The smells alone were enough to keep every one of the siblings away.
Even as they grew into adults, the door stayed firmly closed. It wasn't until thirty years later they were forced to go inside. That’s when they discovered something none of them could wrap their brains around.
Good Intentions
Leonel was the patriarch of the Almeida family in Brazil. One of his “hobbies” was fixing used or thrown away furniture or other objects he deemed “still perfectly good.”
It was a practice the family watched grow from a mild annoyance and minor clutter to something far more worrying that began to take over entire rooms.
Junk Overload
He would come home with entire boxes of junk. “He just kept accumulating things,” his daughter Lenita said.
One of the spare rooms soon became the designated storage area for his treasures. Neat stacks turned into messy piles and pockets of unrecognizable smells. The children wouldn’t go near it. One day, he brought something different home.
Different Gift
Lenita braced herself for another garbage gift. But when she felt something heavy and moving on her hand, she opened her eyes to something completely unexpected.
Her dad had brought her back a tortoise. She named it Manuela and dubbed it an official part of the family. If only she knew it wouldn’t last that long.
Good Pet
Tortoises are common pets where Lenita comes from. They are easy to care for and slow enough that there’s no worry of them escaping their caretakers.
At least that’s what the family thought. It was only a few days later they lost track of the tiny pet. It didn’t help that their home had been under construction.
Escape Artist
They looked for it everywhere. Out in the garden, around the property, and down the street.
Wherever a tortoise would enjoy hiding, they scoured. They hoped it was at least near water. The scorching heat wouldn’t be kind to an infant such as Manuela. They also hoped it hadn’t been caught under an unsuspecting foot.
Distant Memory
However, as days passed, they finally gave up and moved on.
Years passed and the experience slowly faded into an amusing childhood memory that barely made it into the forefront of their adult minds. It was only when Leonel grew old and passed did the story truly become significant again.
Hold Your Breath
One of the jobs the siblings had to deal with was cleaning out the spare room – the junk room.
When they opened the rickety door, every sense was bombarded with must, mold, and the smell of rot. They had no choice but to empty it. Pile after pile made it out onto the curb for trash pickup.
You're Sure?
The son, Leandro, was taking out a couple of heavy boxes when a neighbor noticed the growing mountain and asked if they could take a look.
Another hoarder? Go for it. They rummaged around, their reactions varied. They opened one box and looked at the son, confused. “You’re not throwing out that as well, are you?”
Peering Inside
Leandro peered inside the box, his eyes scanning over the odds and ends from his father’s junk collection.
He thought the man must be talking about his father’s old garbage-picked record player. Maybe it was an antique? Then, he saw it and his eyes widened in disbelief. But what he was seeing couldn’t be possible.
Impossible!
“What?” He leaned closer into the box and his jaw came unhinged. There was Manuela … very much alive.
“That’s not possible!” he thought, turning white and then called out to the rest of the family. Everyone stood in a circle, eyes wide and at a loss for words. How in the world did it survive?
Vet Attention
The tortoise was immediately rushed to the vet. It probably needed medical attention.
They also needed answers. It had been thirty years! When the vet heard the story, he was also amazed, but not nearly as surprised. He went on to explain the amazing facts about the species.
Any Food
While most tortoises are impressive survivalists, the red-footed family is extra resilient.
They like to eat fruit and leaves but can also subsist on expired animals or droppings. If necessary, they can go for two or three years with no food. The father’s stash also ended up a key element in Manuela’s existence.
Helping Hoard
The vet suspected that the furniture he brought home had termites and other bugs.
The tortoise could eat away at them as they repopulated. It could also lick away at any condensation that came from the extra humid room. That didn’t mean everything was okay in the health department. The time in storage was still far too long.
Experts Weigh In
Anthony Pilny, a veterinary surgeon and specialist in birds and reptiles at the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine in New York City, also had some answers for the family.
He explained that most reptiles have reserve fat pads that they can draw on when food is scarce. But, he also pointed out that reintroducing Manuela to the world might prove to be a challenge.
Advice
“They should go very slowly - start by warming her up and rehydrating Manuela before feeding … Give her warm water soaks and offer a small meal after she seems stable,” Pilny advised.
“Then take her to a veterinarian who specializes in reptiles for a checkup and some bloodwork.” But it’s not the first time Pilny has seen something like this happen.
Survivalists
One day, Pilny’s own red-eared slider water turtle vanished from his tank: “I looked everywhere, turned my apartment upside down, but to no avail. About three months later I was packing to move, and while cleaning out my bedroom closet, found him in a shoe buried in the back of the closet,” he said.
“He wasn’t responsive or moving, but didn’t look dead, so I dropped him in the tank. Nothing happened for a few minutes as he sank, but then he suddenly came alive and acted as if nothing had ever happened.”
Not Out Of The Woods
“We’re all thrilled to have Manuela back,” Lenita said. “But no one can understand how she managed to survive for 30 years in there—it’s just unbelievable.”
Their vet, Jeferson Pires, was equally astounded. A tortoise surviving in an attic without food must be some kind of record! But even though she’d survived her 30-year ordeal, she wasn’t quite out of the woods yet.
Tortise TLC
For Manuela to be rehabilitated, the family would need to follow a detailed plan to reintroduce better food and water.
And they would have to do it very slowly. After, they could give it a proper home in their garden. In a strange way, their father was the one to thank. How about now?
Lifelong Friend
The Almeida family has another thirty years to enjoy with their old friend. Yes, these are not pets to take on lightly.
They might be “easy”, but they are still a long commitment. This is because the pet versions cannot be released into the wild. They will be with you for a long time.