abby12345233
New Member
I got a baby tortoise last Saturday and it are on Sunday but it hasn't eaten since I always has food out for it but it won't eat anything
My baby tortoise won't eat
- Thread starter abby12345233
- Start date
Minority2
Well-Known Member
1. Are the temperature and humidity levels within the range of a Sulcata hatchling needs?
2. Did you read the links provided in your last thread and changed what was needed?
3. Do you have any information as to how your tortoise was cared by the breeder/retailer prior to being purchased?
4. Any early non-essential handling can easily spook them. They're tiny and we're supersized looking predators. It takes awhile before they see us as food providers.
5. Are you keeping up with daily soakings?
6. Try waving a piece of food near their face to get them interested. Tortoises are pretty habitual. They'll get themselves into a rhythm once they learn where the food is.
The right temperature and humidity levels will increase their appetites if there is nothing wrong with them.
We need more info on your housing, heating and lighting. Lack of appetite s a sign that something is wrong. Babies don't have a large margin of error, so we need to get it fixed ASAP.
abby12345233
New Member
He has a reptile lamp on all the time to keep him warm
The person that owned him before me didn't have a light and was feeding him fruit
I soak him 2 times a day for 30 minutes with the heat lamp on him with a crushed pelt in the water also the water is warm
Minority2
Well-Known Member
Go over these care sheets for Sulcatas. Buy whatever equipment you do not have and change whatever is needed:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
Reptile lamp is a very loose term. It can mean any light bulb for all we know. Sulcatas require basking lamps and stable overnight heating. Usually a requirement such as this would mean a basking fixture as well as a ceramic heat emitter or reptile basic heating panel/kane heating mat.
You have yet to mention your enclosure's basking spot temp, warm side temp, cool side day temp, and night time low temp. Do you have a decent thermometer hygrometer reader to get these readings? And if not, get one as soon as possible.
You'll also want to have a backup UVB strip fixture even if you take your tortoise outside regularly. Many people will claim to do this but will often miss more days than they would like to admit to.
Humidity should be (80%) high. A closed top will make it possible to keep humidity levels high inside enclosures. The thread provided in the links will explain more about this subject and everything else I have mentioned so far.
Hatchlings that come from knowledgeable and reputable breeders will often, upon arrival, eat the moment they're offered food. Questionable small for profit breeders aren't going to provide the same level of care. If I were you I would make changes and speak to the breeder about Sulcata specifics to see what they did right as well as wrong to get a better idea on what the tortoise has been through.
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