Appetite concerns for Marble

[Dawn2]

My marginated (8 mos) will not eat unless he's outside. I live in NC so it's quite hot and humid but I try to make his indoor enclosure the same temp. as it is outdoors in the sun which is usually around 88-95 in the basking area. If it is a day of inclement weather and he is kept inside for the day he will not eat. He will bask under the MV lamp for hours but just lies there sprawled out and sleeps. He will go to his hide to cool off and pass right by the food sometimes stopping to smell it but doesn't eat. It's worrysome because it gets quite cold here in the late fall and will have to keep my tortoises indoors for at least 4-5 mos. over the fall/winter. I have tried changing the MV bulb in case there was something wrong with it but it did not help. Outdoors, he eats non-stop like a little piggy...LOL In fact he completely clears his dishes. Any suggestions on how I can make his more active, alert and hungry indoors? Took a temp this afternoon of the area of the outdoor pen he was basking in and it was 104 F. Do you think he wants the indoor spot that hot as well?

Thanks a lot!

Dawn

 

[JoesMum]

You need to bump the temp up slightly under the MVB by lowering it a little. It should be 95-100 under that.

You must have plenty of bright light and UVB on for a good 12 hours indoors as well as the correct temperatures to make your tort thinks it's a nice warm summer's day even though he's inside.

Be reassured that a hungry tort will eat. However, they can hold out for a couple of weeks before deciding they are hungry! It's more stressful for you than the tort. just make sure you soak him when he's not eating so he doesn't get dehydrated.

He is currently familiar with his outdoor enclosure. The indoor one is strange and he will take time to get used to it and behave normally. Tortoises can be VERY slow to adapt to a new environment.

You could try putting his food in his hide to see if he'll eat it there.

 

[Tom]

If he sleeps directly under the indoor lamp for hours, then it is not warm enough. I agree with Joe's Mum. Lower your fixture a bit and see if that makes a difference. You could also try adding some more light to see if that helps. It is very bright outside and even using an MVB, it's still pretty dim inside in comparison. Maybe you could open all the curtains in that room to let more light in too. In the end, a picky tortoise will eat, so when fall comes, make sure it's warm bright and leave the lights on for 14 hours, so his body doesn't tell him it's time to hibernate.

...unless you want to hibernate him.

 

[Dawn2]

I put your advice to practice and lowered the MVB before bringing Marble in from outdoors this evening. The spot was about 98 degrees and he headed there right off when I put him in the enclosure. He did bask/nap for a few hours under it but on his way to his hide to go to bed for the night he had a snack...So, thank you! Hopefully this will continue to be the routine!