Best food to get Horsfield eating?

LisaGG

New Member
Joined
May 22, 2022
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Hi everyone

We have had our horsfield for about a year now and he seems to have gone into brumation mode. He is around 5 years old. We have been pulling him out every 2 days and giving him a long soak until he empties his bowel and bladder and then he has some food and goes back to sleep. The last couple of times we have got him up, he has hardly been bothered about eating and just wants to bury back under the soil after his bath. I'm worried he is going to be loosing too much weight. Has anyone got any advice on how we can get him eating better, do we need to tempt him with some tasty treats?

Thanks
Lisa
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi everyone

We have had our horsfield for about a year now and he seems to have gone into brumation mode. He is around 5 years old. We have been pulling him out every 2 days and giving him a long soak until he empties his bowel and bladder and then he has some food and goes back to sleep. The last couple of times we have got him up, he has hardly been bothered about eating and just wants to bury back under the soil after his bath. I'm worried he is going to be loosing too much weight. Has anyone got any advice on how we can get him eating better, do we need to tempt him with some tasty treats?

Thanks
Lisa
Please read this. Its not about treats. Its about lighting intensity, lighting duration, lighting type, and temperatures:
 

jsheffield

Well-Known Member
Moderator
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
3,114
Location (City and/or State)
Westmoreland, NH
What temp and light-cycle are you maintaining in their enclosure?

If it's colder and darker than during the warm/sunny times of the year, than brumating is a natural process, and shouldn't be interrupted without altering the temps and light being offered.

If the temps and light are typical for an active Horsfield, than I'd suggest more and longer soaks, warm, possibly with some carrot/sweet-potato/banana babyfood mixed in with the water to prime their system.

I mostly feed my horsfields greens, but sometimes supplement with a dressing made from tort-kibble softened in water and/or a small amount of cubed or shredded butternut squash.

I'm sure that other, more knowledgeable, keepers will chime in with advice... good luck!

(it happened exactly as I posted my offering... thanks Tom)

Jamie
 

LisaGG

New Member
Joined
May 22, 2022
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Please read this. Its not about treats. Its about lighting intensity, lighting duration, lighting type, and temperatures:
Thanks Tom. I already read that thread when he first started slowing down and have increased both lighting and heat as suggested. He still seems determined to brumate though. We have been managing to get him to eat after his daily soak until the last few days when he hasn't been interested in food at all so we are now getting a bit worried about him.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thanks Tom. I already read that thread when he first started slowing down and have increased both lighting and heat as suggested. He still seems determined to brumate though. We have been managing to get him to eat after his daily soak until the last few days when he hasn't been interested in food at all so we are now getting a bit worried about him.
At this point, and since he has been eating, it would not be advisable to try and let him brumate. There isn't enough time left in the season to empty the gut. The days are getting longer, and temps will eventually begin to rise, and he should come out of it. I would continue with daily warm soaks and warm temps.

What lighting and heating are you using? We might be able to suggest ways to help the situation.
 
Top