baby Russian Tortoise not active?

[EE torts]

also it is raining here a lot so could that be making him more tired?

 

[JoesMum]

also it is raining here a lot so could that be making him more tired?

Rain affects temperatures and makes it darker even indoors. You need a temperature gun type thermometer to double check the temperatures in the enclosure accurately at tortoise level.

Russians in the wild spend a huge proportion of time underground in tunnels. Those kept in captivity can be much the same. A baby feels very vulnerable and in a new enclosure this is made worse. Babies naturally sleep more than adults anyway?

Get the temperatures right and lighting bright and get your tort into a routine so it learns to trust you and the world around it.

I suggest:

1. Put the lights on a timer so they come on and go off at the same time each day. They need to be on for 12 -14 hours.

2. Before your tort has warmed up properly, soak him for at least 20 minutes using warm water in a large flat-bottomed bowl that he cannot see over or through and can walk around in; a washing up bowl is ideal. Don't worry if he pees and poos in the water, that's normal. Change the water if it gets too cold.

3. While your tort soaks, tidy the enclosure and place food. It is important to leave food out in the morning as your tort browses through the day. Feeding at the end of the day is not successful or good for your tort.

4. Replace your tort in its enclosure and walk away. Leave your tort entirely alone to be brave and explore. Gradually over time your tort will learn that you are to be trusted and there's nothing unsafe in the enclosure. Some are quicker than others to catch on.

Resist the temptation to take your tort out of the enclosure for a cuddle or to roam your house. This will further unsettle your tort in these early days and takes your tort away from the heat and humidity that he needs to be healthy. A tortoise is always least stressed with all 4 feet in the ground and with a proper sized enclosure to roam.

 

[EE torts]

Rain affects temperatures and makes it darker even indoors. You need a temperature gun type thermometer to double check the temperatures in the enclosure accurately at tortoise level.

Russians in the wild spend a huge proportion of time underground in tunnels. Those kept in captivity can be much the same. A baby feels very vulnerable and in a new enclosure this is made worse. Babies naturally sleep more than adults anyway?

Get the temperatures right and lighting bright and get your tort into a routine so it learns to trust you and the world around it.

I suggest:

1. Put the lights on a timer so they come on and go off at the same time each day. They need to be on for 12 -14 hours.

2. Before your tort has warmed up properly, soak him for at least 20 minutes using warm water in a large flat-bottomed bowl that he cannot see over or through and can walk around in; a washing up bowl is ideal. Don't worry if he pees and poos in the water, that's normal. Change the water if it gets too cold.

3. While your tort soaks, tidy the enclosure and place food. It is important to leave food out in the morning as your tort browses through the day. Feeding at the end of the day is not successful or good for your tort.

4. Replace your tort in its enclosure and walk away. Leave your tort entirely alone to be brave and explore. Gradually over time your tort will learn that you are to be trusted and there's nothing unsafe in the enclosure. Some are quicker than others to catch on.

Resist the temptation to take your tort out of the enclosure for a cuddle or to roam your house. This will further unsettle your tort in these early days and takes your tort away from the heat and humidity that he needs to be healthy. A tortoise is always least stressed with all 4 feet in the ground and with a proper sized enclosure to roam.

okay! i was already doing that but my tortoise i guess is just not very active?

 

[JoesMum]

okay! i was already doing that but my tortoise i guess is just not very active?

You have only had him a few weeks and he is still a baby. That alone is enough to keep him very quiet.

As the days darken, your house will darken too so you may need additional lighting (that doesn’t emit heat and mess up your temperatures! eg LED) to convince your tort it is summer and not time to settle down because it will get very cold soon. You know it won’t get cold in the enclosure, but torts seem to know the change of seasons and decrease activity anyway.

 

[EE torts]

You have only had him a few weeks and he is still a baby. That alone is enough to keep him very quiet.

As the days darken, your house will darken too so you may need additional lighting (that doesn’t emit heat and mess up your temperatures! eg LED) to convince your tort it is summer and not time to settle down because it will get very cold soon. You know it won’t get cold in the enclosure, but torts seem to know the change of seasons and decrease activity anyway.

okay! i will do that

 

[EE torts]

hey! so i did everything and he still is not active. what should i do?

 

[EE torts]

You have only had him a few weeks and he is still a baby. That alone is enough to keep him very quiet.

As the days darken, your house will darken too so you may need additional lighting (that doesn’t emit heat and mess up your temperatures! eg LED) to convince your tort it is summer and not time to settle down because it will get very cold soon. You know it won’t get cold in the enclosure, but torts seem to know the change of seasons and decrease activity anyway.

i have done everything. he literally stays burrowed all day i have to wake him up and soak him then but him in his food dish so he will eat and he burrows he has not gained any wait what should i do? I've had him for 2 months now

 

[Minority2]

i have done everything. he literally stays burrowed all day i have to wake him up and soak him then but him in his food dish so he will eat and he burrows he has not gained any wait what should i do? I've had him for 2 months now

Hatchling tortoises spend the majority of their time sleeping. Not gaining weight could come from a number of reasons. What are the current temperature zones you have running now? Your basking spot temperature was a bit high the last time around. Has that been fixed?

Picture(s) of your enclosure and tortoise may give us more detail to work on.

Here is a very detailed care sheet on Russian tortoises. Follow these guidelines and change whatever is needed:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[EE torts]

Hatchling tortoises spend the majority of their time sleeping. Not gaining weight could come from a number of reasons. What are the current temperature zones you have running now? Your basking spot temperature was a bit high the last time around. Has that been fixed?

Picture(s) of your enclosure and tortoise may give us more detail to work on.

Here is a very detailed care sheet on Russian tortoises. Follow these guidelines and change whatever is needed:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Hello! yes the temp has been fixed now basking spot 95-100f. cool side 75f mid 80-88f basking 95-100f night 71f. i would send pics but i do not want to disturb sleep because of turning on the lights i will send pics soon though.

 

[Minority2]

Hello! yes the temp has been fixed now basking spot 95-100f. cool side 75f mid 80-88f basking 95-100f night 71f. i would send pics but i do not want to disturb sleep because of turning on the lights i will send pics soon though.

1. What are you currently feeding in terms of diet? Have you considered supplementing their diet with Mazuri 5m21 tortoise pellet food?

2. Has the appetite of your tortoise improve from before?

3. What UV(B) type bulb are you now using and how many hours is it on? Is the mesh still blocking the UV(B) bulb?

4. Where was this tortoise purchased from?

5. Other than inactivity, does your tortoise display any other questionable symptoms?

 

[EE torts]

1. What are you currently feeding in terms of diet? Have you considered supplementing their diet with Mazuri 5m21 tortoise pellet food?

2. Has the appetite of your tortoise improve from before?

3. What UV(B) type bulb are you now using and how many hours is it on? Is the mesh still blocking the UV(B) bulb?

4. Where was this tortoise purchased from?

5. Other than inactivity, does your tortoise display any other questionable symptoms?

1. i feed this switching of and mixing different foods endive, radicchio, dandelion flowers and leaves, clovers, cactus pads, collard greens, arugula he has a spider plant as well i also sometimes supplement with zoomed grassland tortoise food and 2X a week calcium.
2. no appetite is the same not bad though he likes food.
3.i am using a 4ft one to cover the whole enclosure 13hr a day. mesh is still on i think it might be okay though. is it?
4. from a local breeder at a reptile expo i still stay in touch with him he is very nice and all his tortoises our CB witch is very important to me he sent me some pics of his enclosure and they our very nice same type of setup as me he said. he also is a family run business witch i think is cool idk why
5. no he is normal looking i check his face for any runny nose eyes and mouth ya know al that stuff. thanks!

 

[Minority2]

1. i feed this switching of and mixing different foods endive, radicchio, dandelion flowers and leaves, clovers, cactus pads, collard greens, arugula he has a spider plant as well i also sometimes supplement with zoomed grassland tortoise food and 2X a week calcium.
2. no appetite is the same not bad though he likes food.
3.i am using a 4ft one to cover the whole enclosure 13hr a day. mesh is still on i think it might be okay though. is it?
4. from a local breeder at a reptile expo i still stay in touch with him he is very nice and all his tortoises our CB witch is very important to me he sent me some pics of his enclosure and they our very nice same type of setup as me he said. he also is a family run business witch i think is cool idk why
5. no he is normal looking i check his face for any runny nose eyes and mouth ya know al that stuff. thanks!

3. I've explained this in a previous post. UV(B) rays will be completely blocked by physical objects that get in it's way such as metal and glass. Depending on the style of your mesh grid, you can lose as much as 25-50% total usable UV(B) if you leave the mesh as is.

4. Have you asked how the tortoise was raised prior to it being sold? Temperature and humidity levels during incubation? Typical humidity level and amount of soakings? Diet and lighting fixture schedules?

Some breeders still use very outdated care practices such as keeping tortoises in dry conditions. Tortoises that start similar to this are more likely to develop severe to fatal health complications as a result to these outdated care practices. These tortoise will require a lot of attention and even then they may still die because their internal systems never fully develop as a result of the previous level of care they received prior to reaching new owners.

If I was in your situation I would ask the breeder to know more about their operation. Maybe compare their care with a Russian tortoise care sheet from this forum just as a precaution. I'm not suggesting an interrogation. Though knowing more may help in narrowing down the list of reasons as to why your tortoise is not gaining any weight despite regularly eating.

I've had young tortoises that would routinely lose weight within the first few months to a year only to gain insane growth spurts in a very short amount of time.

 

[EE torts]

3. I've explained this in a previous post. UV(B) rays will be completely blocked by physical objects that get in it's way such as metal and glass. Depending on the style of your mesh grid, you can lose as much as 25-50% total usable UV(B) if you leave the mesh as is.

4. Have you asked how the tortoise was raised prior to it being sold? Temperature and humidity levels during incubation? Typical humidity level and amount of soakings? Diet and lighting fixture schedules?

Some breeders still use very outdated care practices such as keeping tortoises in dry conditions. Tortoises that start similar to this are more likely to develop severe to fatal health complications as a result to these outdated care practices. These tortoise will require a lot of attention and even then they may still die because their internal systems never fully develop as a result of the previous level of care they received prior to reaching new owners.

If I was in your situation I would ask the breeder to know more about their operation. Maybe compare their care with a Russian tortoise care sheet from this forum just as a precaution. I'm not suggesting an interrogation. Though knowing more may help in narrowing down the list of reasons as to why your tortoise is not gaining any weight despite regularly eating.

I've had young tortoises that would routinely lose weight within the first few months to a year only to gain insane growth spurts in a very short amount of time.[/QUOTE i will cut out an opening for the uvb light and ask all the questions. thanks

 

[EE torts]

3. I've explained this in a previous post. UV(B) rays will be completely blocked by physical objects that get in it's way such as metal and glass. Depending on the style of your mesh grid, you can lose as much as 25-50% total usable UV(B) if you leave the mesh as is.

4. Have you asked how the tortoise was raised prior to it being sold? Temperature and humidity levels during incubation? Typical humidity level and amount of soakings? Diet and lighting fixture schedules?

Some breeders still use very outdated care practices such as keeping tortoises in dry conditions. Tortoises that start similar to this are more likely to develop severe to fatal health complications as a result to these outdated care practices. These tortoise will require a lot of attention and even then they may still die because their internal systems never fully develop as a result of the previous level of care they received prior to reaching new owners.

If I was in your situation I would ask the breeder to know more about their operation. Maybe compare their care with a Russian tortoise care sheet from this forum just as a precaution. I'm not suggesting an interrogation. Though knowing more may help in narrowing down the list of reasons as to why your tortoise is not gaining any weight despite regularly eating.

I've had young tortoises that would routinely lose weight within the first few months to a year only to gain insane growth spurts in a very short amount of time.

we our building a new lid what will hold humidity (like a closed chamber) i asked the breeder 1. how the tortoise was raised prior to it being sold? he said nothing and seemed to ignore this comment. 2.Temperature and humidity levels during incubation? he only answered the temp part of the question witch was 86 and seemed to ignore the humidity part. 3.Diet? he said he really likes beer greens and kale. i feel like in every question he is ignoring the humidity part?

 

[Minority2]

we our building a new lid what will hold humidity (like a closed chamber) i asked the breeder 1. how the tortoise was raised prior to it being sold? he said nothing and seemed to ignore this comment. 2.Temperature and humidity levels during incubation? he only answered the temp part of the question witch was 86 and seemed to ignore the humidity part. 3.Diet? he said he really likes beer greens and kale. i feel like in every question he is ignoring the humidity part?

Starting tortoises in high humidity environments is still a concept many breeders are either not aware of or are skeptical about.

Many people are used to doing something a certain way. They do this for many years and assume that their number of years of doing the same thing without experimentation equates to knowledge. It is not. A person that doesn't continually try to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and level of care of their methods will often get left behind.

An old school breeding practitioner may continue to sell their dry specimens for the time being. However, in time, more and more people will be more aware of the visual differences between a well started tortoise over a dry started tortoise. In time, however long it could be, old school practitioners as well the tortoise trade industry will be affected by this.

How is your tortoise right now?

 

[EE torts]

Starting tortoises in high humidity environments is still a concept many breeders are either not aware of or are skeptical about.

Many people are used to doing something a certain way. They do this for many years and assume that their number of years of doing the same thing without experimentation equates to knowledge. It is not. A person that doesn't continually try to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and level of care of their methods will often get left behind.

An old school breeding practitioner may continue to sell their dry specimens for the time being. However, in time, more and more people will be more aware of the visual differences between a well started tortoise over a dry started tortoise. In time, however long it could be, old school practitioners as well the tortoise trade industry will be affected by this.

How is your tortoise right now?

pebbles is great right now eats goes to the bath room sleeps most of the day. is it fatal if it is dry started? he has grown about one gram

 

[Minority2]

pebbles is great right now eats goes to the bath room sleeps most of the day. is it fatal if it is dry started? he has grown about one gram

No. A dry started tortoise will not always die prematurely. They will however, have a higher chance of being under developed in comparison to a well started, well hydrated tortoise. This could mean that infections, improper housing conditions, and bacterial infections may present itself as a more severe problem to under developed tortoises than a well started one.

 

[EE torts]

No. A dry started tortoise will not always die prematurely. They will however, have a higher chance of being under developed in comparison to a well started, well hydrated tortoise. This could mean that infections, improper housing conditions, and bacterial infections may present itself as a more severe problem to under developed tortoises than a well started one.

okay well i guess theres nothing i can do except for try my best to keep him as healthy as possible