Conjoined Tortoises Separated in Arizona

lovechild · Post by **lovechild** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 4:56 pm

MESA, Ariz. - A pair of conjoined tortoises were separated Sunday at a Tempe animal hospital in what is believed to be the first surgery of its kind in Arizona.

"I think it was a great success," said Sharon Ehasz, 24, who owns the African leopard tortoises with her husband, Bobby Ehasz. "I think they're going to be a little confused — the world as they knew it is going to be somewhat tilted."

Peanut Butter and Jelly — so named because "you can't have one without the other," Ehasz said — were joined at the side of the belly near the tail end, slightly offset in a heart-shaped configuration.

The two tortoises spent about half of their lives with one on its back, the other trying to kick itself over.

Bobby Ehasz, 29, said he and his wife routinely flipped over the tortoises, carefully logging the time one stayed on its back while the other was upright.

"This is life for them," he said.

Veterinarians Jay Johnson of University Animal Hospital in Tempe and Jim Jarchow of Orange Grove Animal Hospital in Tucson worked for about three hours to separate the tortoises.

Johnson said the condition is "extremely rare." That's partly why Johnson and Jarchow agreed to operate on the animals at no charge to the Ehaszes, other than the cost for anesthesia and other items.

The Tucson couple said they were aware of the risks. But they bought the tortoises a day after Christmas with the intent of having them separated.

Both animals are expected to survive. And now to their delight, Peanut Butter and Jelly aren't a sandwich anymore.

Coor · Post by **Coor** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 5:59 pm

DUDE! People stop fucking with nature! Gzzzzz, if I was nature and I had all these people second guessing my shit, I'd be pissed, no wonder why the weather is all messed up. OK, sorry weird ranting.

lovechild · Post by **lovechild** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 7:02 am

LOL, i feel ya coor!

white_darkness · Post by **white_darkness** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 11:04 am

Seperating conjoined tortoises is fucking with nature?

I view this more as correcting a mistake. Obviously, both tortoises (if they successfully recover) will experience an improvement in their quality of life. No more having to spend half their lives upside down being dragged around.

Of course, if it is, guess all those conjoined humans need to stay that way and try to live as best they can.

no_Evil_here · Post by **no_Evil_here** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:33 pm

Yeah it is kinda weird that they had to be flipped back and forth.
Although, I do love the fact that they aren't a sandwhich anymore.

Coor · Post by **Coor** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 3:58 pm

Seperating conjoined tortoises is fucking with nature?

I view this more as correcting a mistake. Obviously, both tortoises (if they successfully recover) will experience an improvement in their quality of life. No more having to spend half their lives upside down being dragged around.

Of course, if it is, guess all those conjoined humans need to stay that way and try to live as best they can.

I bet that's what that little girl's family thought. "If she can't be "normal" why live at all?"[/code]

white_darkness · Post by **white_darkness** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 4:51 pm

Which little girl? I can't keep up with the news?