How do I encourage my tortoise to eat?

Becs18

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
5
hi, I'm a new tortoise owner having found an abandoned 1 yr old horse field half buried in our garden after storm Doris! He's on antibiotics from the vet for a gammy eye. I know they recover slowly, but think he would do better if I could get him to eat. He's inside on a tortoise table, but doesn't seem to have eaten for a couple of weeks :( Any ideas with how I might tempt him?
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
when a tortoise is on antibiotics they tend to stop eating pretty much completely. Your tortoise will probably not start eating until it's off the antibiotics for a week or two. until that time do 50-50 baby carrot food soaks with the water. continue offering small amounts of food every day because you never know he may start eating at any time.
 

Becs18

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
5
when a tortoise is on antibiotics they tend to stop eating pretty much completely. Your tortoise will probably not start eating until it's off the antibiotics for a week or two. until that time do 50-50 baby carrot food soaps with the water.
Oh! That's interesting, thank you, no wonder he's not eating then. Did you mean 50/50, baby carrots soaked in water?
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
No, Gerber baby food mixed with the water
 

Becs18

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
5
Ah ok. I'm guessing this is a US product as I'm not familiar with it (I'm in the U.K.), any organic puréed veg baby food would do tho I guess. Thanks dmmj, I'll get some today and try that :)
 

Smush

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
17
Hipps is a good U.K. Baby food, make sure it says organic and simply carrots on the label though.
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,606
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
hi, I'm a new tortoise owner having found an abandoned 1 yr old horse field half buried in our garden after storm Doris! He's on antibiotics from the vet for a gammy eye. I know they recover slowly, but think he would do better if I could get him to eat. He's inside on a tortoise table, but doesn't seem to have eaten for a couple of weeks :( Any ideas with how I might tempt him?
Hi Becs

If you post photos of your setup and lighting we can look it over.

Usually failure to eat is caused by a problem with temperatures. Do you know what temperatures you have directly under the basking lamp, warm side, cool side and overnight minimum?

A temperature gun thermometer like this is best for measuring spot temperatures

I have my doubts about this tort's age. Mostly because you cannot guess a tort's age without a hatch date and at 1 year old most Russians (Horsfields) are tiny. How big (Straight Carapace Length) is it? Here's how to measure it http://www.tlady.clara.net/measure.htm
 

Becs18

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
5
Hi, he's 10cm SCL. It was the vet who said he thought he was about 1 as I had no idea. He's been in this tortoise table a week but hasn't moved from the warm end so I haven't measured temp at the 'cool end' but the whole table is about 100cm long by 40 wide. Under the lamp is 38-40C, his flower pot in the corner about 26-30 (he usually goes between the two). Any thoughts would be much appreciated :)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6441.JPG
    IMG_6441.JPG
    1.6 MB · Views: 7

New Posts

Top