greek tortoise not eating after move

hil

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we have a Greek tortoise that has been in the family over 50 years, shes pretty hardy and spent a lot of time outdoors roaming a large garden. We have now inherited her and she has been moved to a smaller garden and until we can secure the perimeter is now in a large-ish run and allowed to roam free for an hour or so under supervision!. I don't think she is happy about this and has stopped eating, even refusing dandelions which was a favourite. We've had her about a week and a half and so far I have not visibly see her eat and there has only been one BM that I've seen.

Beginning to really worry now.

Shes being bathed regularly 1-4 times a day and this is something that hasn't happened much in the past.

her eyes are clear and is moving around still

can tortoises get stressed and and tips to help her.
 

TriciaStringer

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Many do take time to adjust to a new home. My russian stopped eating when he came to me. It took about a month for him to return to his usual self.
 

hil

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Many do take time to adjust to a new home. My russian stopped eating when he came to me. It took about a month for him to return to his usual self.
thanks, im hoping he will soon be back to her normal self then
 

Gillian M

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Hi, @hil and a very warm welcome to the forum!

I think that once soak a day is enough.

Please post pics of your tort. This would enable us to help you more easily.

And hope to hear that your tort begins to eat well soon.
 

Ben02

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we have a Greek tortoise that has been in the family over 50 years, shes pretty hardy and spent a lot of time outdoors roaming a large garden. We have now inherited her and she has been moved to a smaller garden and until we can secure the perimeter is now in a large-ish run and allowed to roam free for an hour or so under supervision!. I don't think she is happy about this and has stopped eating, even refusing dandelions which was a favourite. We've had her about a week and a half and so far I have not visibly see her eat and there has only been one BM that I've seen.

Beginning to really worry now.

Shes being bathed regularly 1-4 times a day and this is something that hasn't happened much in the past.

her eyes are clear and is moving around still

can tortoises get stressed and and tips to help her.
As she has been at the same place for years, I’m not surprised she hadn’t taken the dramatic change well. I’m sure she will get used to it, she won’t starve herself:)
 

jsheffield

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My tortoise has responded to each change in his environment by going on strike for a week or two ... then he adjusts.

Jamie
 

RosemaryDW

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If someone moved me after fifty years I'd be pretty annoyed myself!

I'd leave off the soaking. She's a healthy adult Greek; she doesn't need that much hydration and you're probably just fussing her worse. Give her some time; she absolutely won't starve herself. Soak her again in a few days if you can't stand it.

Patience! I know it's hard to watch them when they are off their feed.
 

JubJub

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Hi

Agree with above. I moved house with my girl who left her garden of 40 years and sulked the rest of the summer. She knew her old garden so well and all the favoured sleeping places so must have been very difficult for her. She spent many hours the first summer in her new garden exploring and finding places to sleep, sit and bask. An added worry for her was staying with a friend’s tortoise during the move so saw three different gardens in one summer. An added blow for her was our old cat passing away. She used to seek him out in the garden and slept next to him often.

I hand fed and still do if she is not keen on eating. Once she is awake and nice and warm from the sun or a warm bath I give her a bit of breakfast, melon or similar so she gets some moisture, sometimes a couple of strawberries. She loves the green tops from the latter so I save them for her. Win, win, I get lots of fruit and she gets the green tops!

I see you are in the UK like me. I think the weather is not helping as my girl is not happy with the rain and lack of sunshine. She too is not eating well so I am keeping an eye on her. Hope things get better for you.
 

dmmj

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Tortoises are suer OCD about change. They do not like it. Your tortoise is in a new territory and is concerned another tortiose may be in charge. So it will hang low for awhile and scope things out. Give it time.
 

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