advice please (doesn't eat much)

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ustwoandthekids

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hi i have posted on here a few times about my marginated tortoise called humbug, but I need a bit more advice please.
I got humbug just over 2weeks ago and he/she is around a year old, anyway I think I have his set up right for him for now, he is currently in a viv on advice from someone to control heat, as when in the tortoise table had trouble keeping the heat up. I am using coco coir substrate and hot end is around 100 and cool end is about 75. the viv is wooden apart from the front, I leave the doors open most of the time so it doesn't get to hot in there, he cant get out with the doors open!!

anyway my questions are since I have had humbug I have only seen one poo on the day I first got him, so not sure if hes eating it or just not pooing, also he doesn't seem to eat much, I am given him spring mix at the mo, curly kale and shop brought pellets (he wont touch the pellets) and just starting to grow my own weeds, as I am in the uk and as its winter not a lot of wild weeds about, so once the weeds have grown I am planning to have him on a complete weed diet. I bath him daily for about 20-30mins but find the water get cool very quick so have been putting a heat mat under his bath to try to keep it warmer for longer. anyway just wondering if any ideas how to get him to eat more and poo more?

loving having my tortoise but very worrying while still learning. any advice would be very greatful for

he does seem quite happy in his self does sleep quite abit but when a wake quite active
 

JoesMum

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Hello from another UK member.

Your tortoise is very new and that will affect his behaviour. Tortoises are notoriously slow to adapt to change and it can take weeks, possibly months for them to adapt to a new home no matter how perfect the habitat.

Here are some pointers to help him settle in:

1. Make sure heating and lighting are correct.

2. Make sure the lights and heat go on and off at roughly the same time every day
In the UK at the moment, the days are short and the light levels low. Your tort needs plenty of bright light and UV to keep him healthy and active. Use a timer to create a 12 hour summer's day, so that the lights and heat go on and off at the same time every day just like the sun goes up and down each day. The heat levels can be reduced overnight and all lights must be off.

3. Before he's warmed up properly, soak him for a good 20-30 minutes. My soaking tips are here
Hydration is essential to help with both feeding and pooing... if you're not sure he's eating properly, it's even more necessary to soak every day.

4. Feed straight after the soak - my tortoise, Joe. is always hungriest after his bath

5. Leave him alone to explore and work out that this new home is safe. Tempting as it is, don't stand over him to watch; it's intimidating.

Establishing this routine will help your tortoise to learn what is expected and when. A little bit of handling at bath time will help to learn to trust you as well. Don't over-handle him... if you have children teach them to watch quietly rather than pick him up constantly.

Gradually, your tortoise will start to be more trusting and active you just have to give him time.

A tray of 'living lettuce' from one of the supermarkets (Waitrose and Sainsburys definitely sell them) placed directly in the enclosure will encourage your tortoise to browse naturally between meals - it has the advantage of not going limp as long as you remember to water it!

Tortoises can be VERY picky eaters, so don't be surprised if he doesn't like pellets.they don't all like them. You must soak the pellets before feeding.

The tortoise table's Plant Booklet is very handy to print off or have on your phone so that you can identify tasty healthy tfood when you're out and about. The weather is so warm at the moment that weeds are still growing. I saw a fab danelion only yesterday, but Joe's hibernating so I had to leave it!

The Tortoise Table Plant Database is very handy for looking up foodstuff as well. It has both weeds and things you can buy in the shops.
 

ustwoandthekids

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Dec 22, 2012
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Thank you for your advice been very helpful, the living lettuce sounds great, will be getting some when I go shopping. Humbug just been eating quite a bit of his curly kale so am happy but do want to get him off that so will mix weeds with it not going to rush to get rid of the curly kale as thats what he's use to and just pleased he's eating more :)
 

LeopardTortLover

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Hi there, im also from the uk.
I have a leopard tortoise that I got at a year old and she behaved exactly the same as yours at first. Sometimes she would eat a lot and then other times barely anything. She also slept a lot at first. Maybe its to recover from the stress of being moved to a new home. She's a lit more active now she's settled so don't worry about yours.
Great advice from above about the timer. You can get three in a set quite cheap from argos. 3 for £15 I think it is.
A great tip about the living lettuce too. Mine loves it but Shouldn't have it too often.
A tip I used to get mine eating pellets was to cut her favorite food into tiny pieces and mix them up with moistened pellets. It creates a tasty food mix. At first she would just eat the bits with her fave food in but now she enjoys the pellets by themselves.
Hope this helps and hope he settles in okay for you. Remember to always have fresh water available.
 
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