# Baby Russian tortoises not eating



## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Hi everyone my Russian tortoises hatched yesterday and they havent started eating, I don't know what to do! Is it normal not to eat for the first couple of days? My male Speedy and my female Flash eat all the time (they are the parents) but I am worried about the hatchlings as they haven't touched their food. The temperature of the enclosure is 82F, should that be warmer if so what temperature? Sorry if I am asking too much it's just that this is my first time with babies and I don't know what to do any help would be great and I would really appreciate it, also there is a hide so they can, well hide haha and I should be getting a UV light today I was expecting them to come next Monday?


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Babies


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## juli11 (Jul 4, 2016)

That's nothing you have to be worried about! They could need some days before they start eating. In the first days the "eat" from their yolk sac!


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Ah OK thank you how many days would you say that they will begin to eat, I read online that it could be a week


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Also I spoke to my local pet shop where I got my originals from and they said not to put any substrate down but instead wet paper towels should I do this, they said it is to help absorb the egg yolk/sack thing


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## juli11 (Jul 4, 2016)

Yes it could need a week! And yes your pet shop is right!


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## Linhdan Nguyen (Jul 4, 2016)

There is a thread on how to incubate and start hatchlings . Let me try to find it and post it for you. 
How excited were you that they hatched? 
Im thinking ill breed mine in a couple years so i to get to experience the hatching and all


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## Linhdan Nguyen (Jul 4, 2016)

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index....ggs-And-Start-Hatchlings.124266/#post-1149813


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## Cheryl Hills (Jul 4, 2016)

Congratulations


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## Tom (Jul 4, 2016)

James Bainbridge said:


> Hi everyone my Russian tortoises hatched yesterday and they havent started eating, I don't know what to do! Is it normal not to eat for the first couple of days? My male Speedy and my female Flash eat all the time (they are the parents) but I am worried about the hatchlings as they haven't touched their food. The temperature of the enclosure is 82F, should that be warmer if so what temperature? Sorry if I am asking too much it's just that this is my first time with babies and I don't know what to do any help would be great and I would really appreciate it, also there is a hide so they can, well hide haha and I should be getting a UV light today I was expecting them to come next Monday?



If they just hatched, they need to spend about a week in a brooder box in the incubator. They learn to eat in there before going into a regular enclosure. Read the link that Linhdan put up for you. Its all in there.

82 is a fine ambient temp for babies, but they still need a basking area where they can warm up to 95-100, once they move into a regular enclosure.


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Thank you all for your comments luckily one of them has started eating now so I'm just waiting for the other one


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Linhdan you could not believe how excited I was when I saw them in the morning I was scared yet happy to see them as I felt I should have been more prepared


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

Also one last thing when I checked on them earlier on one of them had fallen on their back, I put him back to normal as soon as I saw him like that and he seems to be fine now but I worry about him/her doing it again, is there anything I can do to stop this?


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 4, 2016)

I think he was trying to climb up the wall but failed


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## BrianWI (Jul 4, 2016)

Deep breath. They will be fine. I have noticed with many hatchlings that once one starts to eat, the rest follow the lead.


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## Gillian M (Jul 4, 2016)

James Bainbridge said:


> Ah OK thank you how many days would you say that they will begin to eat, I read online that it could be a week


Welcome to the forum!

Cute little torts.

They could take a week and maybe more: torts take VERY LONG to adapt to a new environment, so please try not to worry.


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## BinksTheEasternBoxTurtle (Jul 19, 2016)

Are they for sale? If so where are you located?


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## TammyJ (Jul 19, 2016)

Congrats on your little cuties!


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## James Bainbridge (Jul 30, 2016)

Thank you so much TammyJ unfortunately BlinksTheEasternBoxTurtle you have missed you chance on buying one as I am giving one to each of my aunts, however a couple of weeks ago my female did lay two more eggs if they are fertile I will let you know


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