# My tortoise won't eat



## Laura5002007 (May 3, 2015)

My Russian Horsefield tortoise hasn't been eating and sleeps a lot. We had her housed in a vivarium with a male tortoise but have since moved her to an open top tortoise table with a Mercury light that provides UVB and UVA with a basking temp of around 90 degrees. We took her to a vet and they kept her overnight and done an X-ray but couldn't find anything wrong, they gave us antibiotics for her and said they think it may be a fungal infection. I'm worried because she sleeps most of the time with her head against the wall of her tortoise table, even when she's in her hide she leans against the side with her head, does anyone have any tips on what we could do to encourage her to eat and drink. At the moment am bathing her for 20 mins twice a day to make sure she has a little drink. Do you have any idea what could be wrong? She's around 12 months old.


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 3, 2015)

Id be inclined to think the environment is way different than the old setup. Typically temps are too low overall for the tortoise.


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## crimson_lotus (May 3, 2015)

Do you know if the vet you went to is experienced with tortoises? I would be very hesitant to treat her for a fungal infection when there are no signs of a fungal infection on the shell. Just don't let them give your tortoise a vitamin shot. this can slough off the skin and potentially kill a baby tortoise.

When my tortoise had pneumonia she would lean her head vertically on the wall, I assume because she had trouble breathing. I would not jump to this conclusion for your tortoise right away, this is just something I've experienced. What is the cold side temperature? What substrate are you using? How long ago did you switch her to a new enclosure?


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## Yvonne G (May 3, 2015)

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Tortoises that sleep all the time and don't eat are usually sick. So we need some more info from you. What kind of lights are you using? Have you measured the temperature on the floor of the habitat all over the whole habitat? What kinds of food are you offering. Can we please see pictures of the tortoise inside its habitat?


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## Laura5002007 (May 4, 2015)

Hi, temp under light is 100 degrees, the light we have is a Mercury solar glow which does both jobs for UVB and UVA. I have been trying her with spinach, rocket, carrot, dandelion and dandelion leaves but she is not interested at all in the food. We did go to see a specialised vet as the local vet didn't specialise in tortoise's I will add a pic I am just figuring it out


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## Laura5002007 (May 4, 2015)




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## ZEROPILOT (May 4, 2015)

He is very pyramided for such a small tortoise and the substrate is very dry. He is very likely dehydrated and needs more humidity.
Read up on proper care and environments and adjust as needed.


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## Yvonne G (May 4, 2015)

Your little Russian tortoise probably needs more heat at the other end of the habitat. Please read the care sheet on baby russian tortoises that we have pinned at the top of our Russian section. If conditions aren't right, little tortoises won't eat and they will eventually die.


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## Laura5002007 (May 4, 2015)

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I will put food all over the tank and spritz the substrate. Any ideas how I can get the calcium in her if she's not eating, even the supplement I give her is usually sprinkled on her food so am worried she isn't getting any calcium also and this is causing the pyramiding, I have only had her a couple of months but I noticed the pyramiding on her shell when we brought her home from the pet store as the boy tort is a lot smoother


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## ZEROPILOT (May 4, 2015)

The pyramiding is caused by being too dry. Not lack of calcium.


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## Laura5002007 (May 5, 2015)

Thanks I always thought it was the calcium for the shell, I have been spritzing her substrate so hopefully it won't get any worse. I was reading a post from a few years ago on this forum and people advised somebody that it sounded like hibernation and advised him to trick his tortoise into thinking he had habinated by turning the lights off in his table and after a few days putting him in a box for 2 weeks. Would you advise this or not? I really am worried for her she's so tiny and I don't think she will survive much longer because she's not eating at all


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## Yvonne G (May 5, 2015)

I doubt your tortoise is thinking it's time to hibernate. That post won't help you at this time.


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## Laura5002007 (May 5, 2015)

Do you think it would help my tortoise if I did do this? I'm worried as she hasn't eaten for a long time and just sleeps unless I'm bathing her, even then she starts to fall back asleep. I'm thinking if I did do the hibernation it may help her as with the heat and the not eating I just think she's going to die


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## FujiBaird (May 5, 2015)

Hi Laura, I think @Yvonne G had a typo in one of her posts (that she's since corrected)... your baby needs more _heat_ across the enclosure, not necessarily more food across the enclosure. I'd highly recommend getting an infrared heat gun (available for a reasonable price at hardware stores) to measure temperatures at many points in your enclosure. You might try putting baby food (carrots, squash, etc.) in the soak so your tortoise can at least get a few nutrients in the bath.


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