A Little Help Please

[GettingGreen]

I have a tortoise that I have had for a couple years and until recenly has been doing well. Lately he is lethargic and his eyes look a little puffy. He loves to eat romaine and I throw in watermelon, apples and other fruit on occasion. I have tried crickets but he won't take. I also put calcium on his food. Any better food suggestions?
Also, is this a Hermans tortoise?

 

[Isa]

Hello and Welcome to the forum
Yes, you have an Hermann tortoise, I am not sure about the subspecies but I am sure someone on the forum will be able to help you
Could you tell us more about his enclosure please, temps, substrate...
Hermann tortoises do not eat crikets, they eat spring mix, radichio, romaine, chicory, escarole, plantain, dandelion.. I do not think you should feed him fruits, it could hurt his tummy.
Here is a caresheet of the Hermann tortoise
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-1000.html
here is a very good list of what to feed to your little one
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-5823.html

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi GettinGreen:

to the forum!!

I don't know anything about the Hermann's tortoise, so I can't offer you any advice except to say, the diet sounds to me like it is VERY incorrect. I'm sure someone with more Hermann's experience will help you, but in the meantime, do a little research on feeding. We have a Hermann's section here on the forum that may help you.

Yvonne

 

[Jacqui]

*waves* Hi! I see you took my advice and joined over here. Welcome!

 

[tortoisenerd]

Welcome! Hermanns are herbivores, and cannot properly digest fruit. Think lots of weeds, greens, lettuces, etc. Isa has great advice. Best wishes and let us know if you have specific questions. Feel free to start new threads for them. Is it pure calcium? What kind of enclosure do you have? If it's indoors, doe she have a UVB light? Can you give us more information of how you are caring for it? If at all possible, take him to a tortoise vet. Likely, something with the care is off such that the tortoise is just now showing symptoms. Many times when a tort finally shows symptoms of an illness, it can be too late to save them. That's why I say don't wait to go to a vet. Look on Google for a tortoise vet if you can't find a personal recommendation or listing.

What temperature is he kept at? It should be a range about from the 70s to 90s. You want to aim for a more varied diet. The only thing you listed that is ok but romaine, but ideally you'd be wanting 15-20+ different things you rotate through and feed. Do you have a chemical free lawn for him to spend time in, in an enclosure safe from predators? Spring mix is a good start to a diet, the mixed salad greens in the produce section (pick out any spinach if it's in there). From there, you ideally would want to add in any other greens or weeds that you can find that are free from pesticides/fertilizers and listed on a reputable care sheet as safe. Best wishes.

 

[katesgoey]

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Ozric]

Hi there! Yes I agree this is a Hermann tortoise. As already said, they don't eat any kind of insects or meat of any kind and fruit is something that they shoudn't really have either. Yes possibly in the wild a Hermann might find fruit occasionally and would eat it but that is a completely different thing to feeding it in captivity.

Romaine lettuce is alright but not too often. I agree with the foods on the caresheet although personally I never feed any manufactured foods and rely on what I grow in the garden (I'm in the UK), weeds and some flowers. Dandellion is a good one but like the Romaine, we mustn't feed it all the time. Other food you might be able to buy include Raddicio, Rocket, Watercress, Lambs Lettuce.

Keep in touch!

 

[siwash]

I feed my little guy fruit about 4 or 5 times per month and he's fine.. loves it.. berries and mangoes are a good treat...

the other 25 days he eats all of the above-mentioned greens and rapini.. plus some flowers like geraniums and hibiscus (loves the latter)