# HELP! My Forest Hingeback Tortoise WILL NOT EAT!



## JBough10 (May 2, 2012)

Hi. I am a new tortoise owner. I have had my Forest Hingeback tortoise, Violet, for a little under a year. Let me give you some back history first. I bought Violet from a rinka-dink little pet store who had her in a small cage, and didn't even provide a heat source for her. They claimed she was healthy and she did seem fine and active. Over the past few months, she never seemed to want to eat. I would let her wander about our main level (kitchen/living room) and she would readily eat cheerios my daughter would leave on the floor (BAD I KNOW!) but she never eats the spring mix lettuce I provide for her. Occasionally she would eat fruit. A month ago her back left leg started limping so I took her to a reptile specialist. She said two things, 1) her leg was NOT broken, 2) some organ must be pressing on her nerves, causing the paralysis. So, they tested her for bugs and sure enough they said she was loaded with parasites. =( She was put on a 3 day treatment which seemed to do the trick... and I carefully force fed her a small amount of pureed pees to get food in her. She had 3 good poos which I did peek through and found lots of dead worms. Since that time she has been walking just fine, and is much less lethargic seeming. HOWEVER, it has been now 3 weeks since the initial parasite treatment and she still won't eat, and not pooed again either. I decided about 2 weeks ago to stop force feeding her in order for her to feed on her own. I ONLY am offering spring mix lettuce, because the vet said too much fruit could cause parasites. The only thing she has chomped at, once, was a cuttle bone I provided for her. She has still been fairly active, tromping around her cage. I have ceased to let her wander about our home, so she has a more stable, less stressful, and comfortable environment. ANY INFORMATION OR SUGGESTIONS IS MUCH APPRECIATED!! And, yes I know my initial care for her may not have been ideal, but now I am trying my absolute hardest to help her, please not condemn me for my lack of good judgement. 

Oh, and about her set up... she is in a 40g breeder size glass tank, because she is a mediteranian tort needing higher humidity, I mist her cage 3-4 times a day. The basking side temp is around 85 and the cooler side is 70 and she has a large pool to soak in freely. She has a heat bulb with UVA and a UVB 10.0 bulb.


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## Yvonne G (May 2, 2012)

Hi jbough10:

I'll let someone with more knowledge of Hingeback tortoises help you...I just wanted to say:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?

And may we know appx. where in the world you are?


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## dmarcus (May 2, 2012)

I have no knowledge of this species of tortoise to be able to assist you, just want to say welcome to the forum and I am sure you will get help very soon...


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## Laura (May 2, 2012)

you need to look up thier care needs.. lighting and temps and diet... 
its easy to do on google... but you can wait for a reply here too. 

here is a start:
http://www.turtlesarchive.com/care-sheets/hingeback-tortoise.php[hr]
here is a start:
http://www.turtlesarchive.com/care-sheets/hingeback-tortoise.php
Feeding 
Hingeback Tortoises will eat a combination of meat and plants. For the meat portion a variety of insects in addition to worms, snails and even liver or cooked chicken. Bananas, lettuce and zucchini work well to provide a balanced diet for the plant portion. 

Habitat 
Humidity: Hingeback Tortoises will need a humidity of almost 80% because that is what conditions are like in their native habitats. 

Lighting: These type of tortoises do not like as bright of a light source as many other turtles as they are used to living in the shady forests. 

Physical Design: Hingeback Tortoises are known to swim or soak in the water so they will require an area of water that is large enough to fit them. Plants in the enclosure can also help with the humidity so it is a good idea to place a couple of plants in the habitat. 

Substrate: Hingeback Tortoises like to dig into the ground so provide them with a substrate that will allow them to do this. Using peat moss or a similar material will actually help maintain the high humidity level much better than newsprint. 

Temperature: Daytime temperatures should be just above 80 degrees F with a basking spot that reaches at least 85 degrees F. At night an acceptable temperature would be 75 degrees F.


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## JBough10 (May 3, 2012)

Thank you for your replies so far. I have done AMPLE amount of Google research and have read possibly every site I could find relating to forest hingebacks. Also should mention, I am using the substrate which is the compressed coconut husk that you soak in water for 30 min. (I can't remember what this is called) and she has enjoyed digging a little den for herself. 

And the vet said if 2-4 weeks after her parasite treatment if she still isn't eating to bring her back in. It is now week 3. 

She will sniff the lettuce but just walks over it and ignores it all day. 

Would it be better to force feed her? Or would that be too stressful? Or should I keep waiting, hoping she'll go for it on her own?


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## JBough10 (May 3, 2012)

And my name is Jessica. =) I am in Michigan.


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## Itort (May 3, 2012)

The care requirements Laura gave are a good overview. I would give greens instead lettuce though. As is pointed out they are highly carnivarous (almost like box turtles). Mushrooms are a favorite. They get inactive at temps over 80. They tend to forage and eat at sunrise and sunset. I will tell you once you get them established they become active little pigs.


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## Kristina (May 3, 2012)

Okay Jessica, here we go  (I am in Michigan too!)

First off, please read this article - http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-Home-s-Hingeback-Tortoise#axzz1tobOnswZ

Second - there is little chance that your tortoise is going to eat that spring mix. The Hingebacks in the pet trade are wild caught imports from Africa. She has no idea what that lettuce is 

Don't force feed. Tortoises can go for a long time without eating, and to force feed if you are not 100% sure of what you are doing can do more harm than good. These are extremely shy tortoises and force feeding is probably causing a LOT of stress and contributing to not eating.

The vet that told you that too much fruit can cause parasites knows nothing about forest Hingebacks. These are not grazing tortoises. In the wild their diet consists heavily of fruits, mushrooms, worms and insects, and weeds.

Try this. Get some sweet potato, yellow summer squash, red bell pepper, some strawberries or water melon, portabella mushroom and red leaf romaine. Grate the sweet potato and squash with a cheese grater, and tear or cut the romaine into bite size pieces. You can tear the mushroom up too. First, give your tortoise a good warm water soak. Place her in a tub of warm water for 10-20 minutes. Make sure she can't climb out and that the water is warm to the touch, but not hot. Then, make sure your enclosure is in a quiet room such as a bedroom, with very low light and no noises or movements. Put the food in the enclosure, preferably right outside the tortoise's hide. Then leave her completely alone for as long as possible, even up to a day or two. The quieter and darker (think ambient light, not pitch black) the better.

You can also try tempting her appetite with some lean canned (in water only, not oil) salmon and/or live earthworms.

Can you please give me some details on your housing? What size, temps, humidity, lighting, etc.


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## Madkins007 (May 3, 2012)

Kristina- is that for all hinge-backs or primarily Forests?


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## Kristina (May 3, 2012)

Primarily Homes and Serrated (Erosa.) I don't personally have any experience with Bells or Spekii, but I understand from Jacqui and others that they are quite different.


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## JBough10 (May 3, 2012)

Kristina, we just moved her from a much too small of a cage to a 36X18 a few weeks ago, she has seemed to really enjoy the extra space and digging around. To keep the humidity up I have a heat bulb on one end and I mist the cage heavily 4 times a day. Also has the Reptisun 10.0 I believe it is called....

UPDATE: So today I put some strawberry and squash in per your suggestions and she wouldn't eat it from her food dish, but when I put some right in front of her face she took a few bites... HOWEVER... this afternoon she pooed for the first time in 2 weeks and there were visible moving worms, STILL! I called the vet and they are going to have me give her two medications, won't be able to pick up meds until tomorrow.

Do you all have any experience with treating for worms?? Is this common??


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## Kristina (May 3, 2012)

With Hingebacks, yes, this is a HUGE problem. They undergo such terrible conditions in the import process and at the pet store that they almost always have huge parasite loads.

I would be careful worming too much all at once. It is important to get the worms under control, but you have to remember that wormer is essentially poison. It is going to make her feel not so great, and not want to eat. Too much at once could be not a good thing. I usually start with a half a dose, and work my way up. You can also help by removing the substrate and keeping her on paper towels, throwing them away every day until she is done with the worming. The eggs are unfortunately now in your substrate.

How hot is it under the heat lamp? Does she have space to get away from the light created by the 10.0 bulb? Is it a coil, or the tube kind?


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## Laura (May 3, 2012)

parasites have a life cycle.. that is why 2-3 doses are sometimes required.. but you ahve to be careful. 
try adjusting the lighting.. more or less.. and try this too.. put a fake tortoise figurine in the enclosure.. it may make her feel like she has to eat and compete and really she isnt, but it make them think differently.. it worked for me before!


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## EricIvins (May 3, 2012)

First and foremost -

DON'T worry about the Parasites untill the animal is established and FEEDING. The added stress of Vet visits and dewormers are going to do nothing in the long run if the animal cant process what it takes in.........At this point, the cart is jumping the horse........Correct any husbandry issues, establish the animal, and by that time Parasites should be a non-issue........


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## JBough10 (May 3, 2012)

The heat lamp spot is about 80-85, and otherwise she has a lot of space where it's darker on one side, to cool down, dig, and a water pool. The UVB is the tube kind. And per Laura, I do have a tortoise figurine of my daughters so I will try that tomorrow as well. Perhaps I should try not having the heat lamp on and see if that helps? I was worried about the worms and eggs so I had waited a week after her initial treatment to set up her new cage... thinking the parasites were gone... bummer now all that substrate is contaminated. Are the eggs only in the excreted feces? Or do they some how lay them in the bedding? Because she hasn't pooed except today and I took it out right away.


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## Yvonne G (May 3, 2012)

The eggs are inside the tortoise.


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## JBough10 (May 5, 2012)

Sorry for my delayed update, I have two small children, as I am sure you can understand computer time is limited. =)

First I have to say, you all have been a HUGE help and clearly ya'll know what you are talking about!

So, I tried the suggestions of giving Violet a warm bath for 20 min. and then placing her in her cage with low light, and added the tortoise figurine by the food dish. When I peeked over I saw her at the food dish nibbling a strawberry. This is the first time she'd approached her food dish since I can remember! However, she didn't eat much, just a couple bites. After that, she wouldn't touch anything else in there... I also had put grapes and diced peppers.

Now, today I went and got mini-portabella mushrooms, and I was skeptical, but I put it right on the substrate, not the food dish, and I swear she seemed like the happiest little tort I have ever seen! She nudged it a bunch and finally ate half of the mushroom! After that she wouldn't touch it anymore. 

A few questions for you all...

Does your tortoise eat from a food dish, or from the floor of the cage? Of course a food dish seems much cleanlier, but Violet just seems to like eating food from the "ground" versus in the dish.

And this brings me to another question about substrate... first off, what kind do you use? And how often do you clean or change it?


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## Itort (May 6, 2012)

For substrat I use a mix of one third hardwood mulch, one third humis, and one third sphagnum covered with about three inches of leaves (in my case I use cottonwood). Mine will eat from dish but seem happier foraging in substrate. If your substrat is deep enough (3+ inches) you may want to introduce earthworms. Of course this is after the deworming is finished. I put my old used substrate in gardens as mulch/fertilizer about every 6 months and make a new batch up. Mine spend the summer outside by the way.


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## Kristina (May 6, 2012)

Mushrooms are a big part of wild a Hingeback's diet. I sometimes hide them around the enclosure like little treasures. While a food dish is cleaner, in the wild the eat off the ground without the benefit of a dish  Remember that what you have is a wild caught animal. She isn't domesticated or even tame, and that is why it is so important to let her have her space and quiet time and to do things in ways that make her feel comfortable, such as placing the food right on the ground. 

I use 100% organic humus covered with clean leaf litter while they are indoors. Outside, it is just dirt, lol  Here is one of my indoor enclosures.

















Misting before feeding can also encourage eating. Don't worry right now about a varied diet. If all she will eat is mushrooms and strawberries, let her have mushrooms and strawberries. You can introduce other food items one at a time. Stick to things that are brightly colored. You can also try smearing baby food butternut squash on things. They love that as well. 

Shrimp and veggie stuffed portabellas may be in your future!


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## turtlmom (May 6, 2012)

Hello. I am a new forest change back owner as well. I don't have a lot of experience, but Gertrude likes to eat anything orange. I make a mixture of grated sweet potato and carrot and maybe mix and some mushrooms chop it all up and add vitamins Timothy hay and calcium. As a special treat I also ad cherimoya which she loves. I can't seem to get her to eat much of anything that is green. She gets a little cooked chicken about once a week and her closure has a dirt and moss substrate with earthworms. She doesn't like it when I watch her eat. She was in active for about a month until I turned off The UV bulb completely. Now she is active all day long. Her enclosure is right next to a window which I open when it's nice out.


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## turtlmom (May 6, 2012)

How often do FHBTurtles poop? Mine eats almost daily and only seems to poop about once a month? She usually poops in her food dish. Don't know if this is coincidence or if she's making a statement on my cooking. Maybe she is just really smart pooing where I will find it. What are your experiences?


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## JBough10 (May 8, 2012)

Thanks for all the tips! I have felt confused before about changing the substrate, but I suspect it depends on how often you pick the poo out. I try to get it as soon as I see it. Speaking of... should I be concerned now that Violet hasn't pooed in a week even though she is now eating? She has eaten earthworms, mushrooms, and nibbled a little bit of orange pepper. Also, is worms from outside safe? I assumed they were so she's had two so far. I was amazed at how instantly she goes for them, when for months she has put her nose up to everything else I have offered... this tort knows what she wants!!


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## Kristina (May 9, 2012)

I have enclosures in which I have not changed the substrate in years. All of my enclosures are "inoculated" with pill bugs, millipedes, slugs, snails, springtails, and other garden variety bugs when they are set up. They eat the waste and also any left over food bits and help keep the enclosure clean. Not everyone is okay with having bugs in their house  but they truly are harmless, and no different than what a tortoise would come across in the wild. 

It may take a few days for her to have a really good solid poop. They don't digest the way we do, or the way mammals do. Things move a bit slower, and that includes digestion. Once she gets a build up in her intestine, it will be in with new, out with the old, in that order. The mushroom will help, it is a good source of fiber, however, the fruit may cause it to be a bit runny. That is okay for now. The important thing is that she is eating at this point, not really what she is eating. 

Earthworms are perfectly safe as long as they are collected from an area that you know for a fact has not been treated with any sort of fertilizer or pesticide. Also, it is best to keep away from areas that dogs use to go poop, because residues from medications used for heartworm, etc. can be deadly to tortoises.



turtlmom said:


> How often do FHBTurtles poop? Mine eats almost daily and only seems to poop about once a month? She usually poops in her food dish. Don't know if this is coincidence or if she's making a statement on my cooking. Maybe she is just really smart pooing where I will find it. What are your experiences?



Are you sure that she isn't using the water dish? That is where mine seem to go the most. Other than that, they generally poop right after being fed.


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## JBough10 (May 9, 2012)

I am a little concerned today about Violets lethargic behavior. Suddenly she is just sleeping ALL day, hasn't walked anywhere in her cage, and won't touch the mushrooms and melon I have given her. Still no poop either. At what point should I be concerned about possible fecal impaction (from parasite worms?)... what gives?! =/ I was so hopeful that she was getting better.


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## Kristina (May 9, 2012)

I have personally never experienced fecal impaction from parasites, and usually well hydrated tortoises do not become impacted even if they eat a bit of the substrate. You could give her a warm soak, and see if that perks her up a bit. She may just be feeling stressed and wants some peace. Has anyone yet spoke to you about baby food soaks?


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## JBough10 (May 9, 2012)

Baby food soaks? No. Haven't heard of it. But, I do have a small baby so there's plenty baby food on hand... I'm all ears. 

Btw, I just sprayed her cage down again and (thanks to your tip) gave her a cooked shrimp... she is happily chowing down.


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## Kristina (May 9, 2012)

Good deal  Water almost always will get them moving, eating and breeding  

Baby food soaks - 



> Soaking
> 
> Soaking your tortoise is a very good idea. Most tortoises will use this time to void their bladder and bowels as well as drink water. It helps to keep them hydrated and healthy.
> 
> ...


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