Baby not eatting

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handsomeEdger

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So we have two Sulcata's, Edger was our first and he is 2 years old we have had him since he was hatchling, he eats and we have never had any problems with him. We got James in January, he was just a hatchling, now we have had him for 9 months, he has never been a very good eatter. We knew more with him since we had Edger for over 2 years now. James sometimes doesn't eat at all and if he does it's very little. He has only gained 2 grams in the last two months. He is still pooping, I saw him poop two days ago and my boyfriend saw him this morning. Also he is peeing normal and is very well hydrated as we soak him every night for about 20-30 mins depending on how long he will be good. Also he has always had a Reptile UV bulb since the day he came home, we keep them in a 6 foot X 6 Foot green house inside our living room, with humidity at 80%, they do have their own kiddy pools so they aren't housed together. Now that it is summer we bring them in to sleep in their green house and take them out in the morning to their 8X8 outside enclosure once it reachs 70, James has half and Edger has half and they can't get into each others sides. We have tried giving him everything, he does like carrots so we have been trying to entice him to eat by putting carrots out with stuff or even by themselves, we have tried spring mix, cactus, clovers, dandelions and their greens, along with other things, this is all stuff Edger loves. Does anyone have any ideas?
 

Weda737

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well I was going to suggest natural sunlight, that always get's my little one motivated, but it sounds like you're doing that already. I dunno, try some flowers maybe, bright colored foods seem to be more enticing. You could possibly use a little apple juice to sweeten the smell of food just to get him eating again, don't over do it though, you know how they can't handle sugar much. I'm sure someone else can help you more, but good luck just the same.
 

handsomeEdger

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We have tried the flowers and all sorts of bright colored fruit even to see if he will even try it and he won't. We are going to try a little apple juice mixed in and see if he will try it. Thanks for your idea!
 

dmmj

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Are they being kept together?
 

Jacqui

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It seems a lot of folks who have slow to thrive tortoises, have found that for some reason Mazuri seems to jump start them. Have you tried any?
 

Tom

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What kind of UV bulb are you using? The coil type compact florescents can damage their eyes.

How was he housed and cared for as a hatchling, BEFORE you got him? Rabbit pellets, no water bowl, no humid hide and a hot light bulb? This might offer some insight:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hatchling-Failure-Syndrome#axzz1XQpNglNW

Either way, it sounds like you are doing all that can be done... I'm hoping for the best for you.
 

HipsterTorts

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If they are being kept together then that might be the problem.
I have two torts and when I kept them together the smaller one wouldn't eat all that much. Turns out she's scared of my other tortoise because of the size difference. Now that they are separated the little one eats a lot.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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No, he says they are not housed together. And it sounds like he has tried everything. I am wondering if he uses a coil bulb, and what temps they are being kept at. He may be too cold...

I live in Corvallis Oregon so I am close enough to you to be able to help if you want me to. Shoot me a PM and maybe we can get together...
 

Tnewton

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I would check your temps, with the humidity at 80% your temps could be way down. I have also heard of some going off feed because of certain uv bulbs but if he has never been a very good eater maybe there is nothing wrong at all. All in all I think its the temps
 

handsomeEdger

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Well they have been going outside once it hit's 70, I measure them every month and I was looking at everything and noticed he's really not been gaining weight the last two months, and being REALLY bad about eatting. I started feeding him inside before putting him in his outside pen, I keep him in for an extra hour or two. Before we would put him out and also feed him most of his food outside and he wouldn't eat much. Now that I have been keeping him inside a little longer and feeding him before he goes out he has been doing much better. Edger goes out and eats all day he has never had a problem even when he was little. I just think for some reason James is a little freak out by the outside and doesn't seem to eat. He has been doing much better since I have made this change for him. We offer him mazuri once sometime twice a week mixed in with his greens and he won't even touch it. But Edger didn't want anything to do with it either till he was about 1 or so. Thanks everyone for your ideas. Oh and in the green house we have it set at a standard of about 82 and 70-75 at night, when they are outside it just dep on the day but never less then about 75 for James or we put a CHE out for him.
 

Dizisdalife

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Last January my 9 month old was not eating and was not very active. I would read on this forum about a baby eating a pile of greens approximately his own size and see mine eat a few bites. Eventually I took him to the Vet and, among other things, found he had a pin worm infestation. Once that was cleared up he begin to eat more. And, by the way, he has not stopped. He has gone from less than 100 grams to more than 900 grams since then.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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handsomeEdger said:
Well they have been going outside once it hit's 70, I measure them every month and I was looking at everything and noticed he's really not been gaining weight the last two months, and being REALLY bad about eatting. I started feeding him inside before putting him in his outside pen, I keep him in for an extra hour or two. Before we would put him out and also feed him most of his food outside and he wouldn't eat much. Now that I have been keeping him inside a little longer and feeding him before he goes out he has been doing much better. Edger goes out and eats all day he has never had a problem even when he was little. I just think for some reason James is a little freak out by the outside and doesn't seem to eat. He has been doing much better since I have made this change for him. We offer him mazuri once sometime twice a week mixed in with his greens and he won't even touch it. But Edger didn't want anything to do with it either till he was about 1 or so. Thanks everyone for your ideas. Oh and in the green house we have it set at a standard of about 82 and 70-75 at night, when they are outside it just dep on the day but never less then about 75 for James or we put a CHE out for him.

If it were mine I would up the day time temps to 86-90. The weather here is cooler and they need to be able to warm up. The ambient temp in Bob's shed is 90 degrees and I see him go in and get under his basking light frequently. Their inner temp needs to be more than 85 degrees in order for them to be able to metabolize their food. I think James is being kept too cold...
 
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