concerned about my tortoise help! (sleeps all day)

[annie17]

hi all,

had my ibera greek tortoise for about a month and his last owners said they thought he was about 25 the vet said, however pumpkin just stays in bed and sleeps allll day, i’m not sure whether he’s used to hibernating this time of year, but he’s not eating much and just wants to sleep all the time - i don’t know whether this is normal? or something may be wrong?

 

[annie17]

hi all,

had my ibera greek tortoise for about a month and his last owners said they thought he was about 25 the vet said, however pumpkin just stays in bed and sleeps allll day, i’m not sure whether he’s used to hibernating this time of year, but he’s not eating much and just wants to sleep all the time - i don’t know whether this is normal? or something may be wrong? also he’s very picky with food, feeling very stuck here and just want him to be happy and healthy

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome to your big old Greek. Chances are he’s nearer 50 than 25. There were a lot if these torts, including my Joe, imported to the UK in the 1960s and 70s before CITES took effect.

You will never know his age, but if you know UK tort history the guess will be closer

Your tort has undoubtedly been kept outside most of his life and the days are now shorter and colder and he wants to hibernate.

A UK garden isn’t warm enough now and, indoors, you are going to need a very big enclosure with plenty of light, including a UVB lamp, and heat to keep him active and healthy.

Joe had the run of our entire dining room one winter when he had been sick and couldn’t hibernate; he hated it.

The alternative is hibernation assuming he is a healthy weight for his size. For this you need to work out The Jackson Ratio... see: http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/169.asp

You may also find this helpful that I wrote about keeping a Greek in the UK
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

 

[JoesMum]

The problem your tortoise has right now is that he isn’t warm enough.

Where does he live?
Does he have a basking lamp? Does he have UVB?
How much floor area does he have?
Photos of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you

 

[annie17]

The problem your tortoise has right now is that he isn’t warm enough.

Where does he live?
Does he have a basking lamp? Does he have UVB?
How much floor area does he have?
Photos of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you

thank you so much for getting back to me!! this is currently his enclosure, it’s 5ft 6, and he hasn’t got a proper heat lamp, however i’m looking to buy a new bulb for him, if you could recommend a good one that would be perfect? also i use rabbit pellets and hay but i know this isn’t good for them really, but i just need massive help in what i can use instead, i don’t think he’s been looked after well at all before so i just want to give him the best life possible atm! what does joe like eating? pumpkin loves carrots, grapes, romain lettuce & green beans the most atm! here’s where he lives !

 

[Gillian M]

A warm welcome to the forum.

 

[JoesMum]

The enclosure could do with being bigger, but I have seen worse. 4'x8' is what you should be aiming for.

The rabbit pellets need to go. Your tortoise needs 3 inches of damp earthy substrate like coco coir (you can buy it from Amazon like this)

You will need to line your table with heavy duty plastic, pond liner or shower curtain to cope with the damp substrate

You need a good digital thermometer like this

Your tortoise needs a 5.0 fluorescent tube UVB lamp which increase light levels over the table as well as provide UVB. You can mount the tube fitting on a long piece of wood and prop it on boxes placed at either end of the enclosure.

Your basking lamp needs to be a reflector bulb type. 100W is fine. You don't need the type that provides UVB as well if you get a tube UVB. It needs to be 95F under the basking lamp

Getting the ambient temperature up is a challenge in a big table. You have it next to a radiator which helps. I had to have an electric radiator in the room too. It depends on your house.

I can't see the water dish. A large terracotta plant saucer makes a great water bowl. Sink it into the substrate. Site it in the middle of the enclosure so your tort doesn't stomp through it constantly and fill it with substrate.

A piece of flat slate or tile (wrong side up) makes a good food plate as the rough surface helps keep your tort's beak in shape.

Diet should be a variety of weedy and leafy greens. Lettuce contains little fibre and few nutrients and is best kept to a minimum.

Your tort cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods like carrot, fruit, peppers and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.

At this time of year it can be difficult to source weeds and few of us manage without supplementing with a quality pelleted food softened with water. I use Komodo.

Write a list of the plants that grow around you and those that you can buy and look them up online on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

These care sheets will help you
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/

 

[annie17]

The enclosure could do with being bigger, but I have seen worse. 4'x8' is what you should be aiming for.

The rabbit pellets need to go. Your tortoise needs 3 inches of damp earthy substrate like coco coir (you can buy it from Amazon like this)

You will need to line your table with heavy duty plastic, pond liner or shower curtain to cope with the damp substrate

You need a good digital thermometer like this

Your tortoise needs a 5.0 fluorescent tube UVB lamp which increase light levels over the table as well as provide UVB. You can mount the tube fitting on a long piece of wood and prop it on boxes placed at either end of the enclosure.

Your basking lamp needs to be a reflector bulb type. 100W is fine. You don't need the type that provides UVB as well if you get a tube UVB. It needs to be 95F under the basking lamp

Getting the ambient temperature up is a challenge in a big table. You have it next to a radiator which helps. I had to have an electric radiator in the room too. It depends on your house.

I can't see the water dish. A large terracotta plant saucer makes a great water bowl. Sink it into the substrate. Site it in the middle of the enclosure so your tort doesn't stomp through it constantly and fill it with substrate.

A piece of flat slate or tile (wrong side up) makes a good food plate as the rough surface helps keep your tort's beak in shape.

Diet should be a variety of weedy and leafy greens. Lettuce contains little fibre and few nutrients and is best kept to a minimum.

Your tort cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods like carrot, fruit, peppers and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.

At this time of year it can be difficult to source weeds and few of us manage without supplementing with a quality pelleted food softened with water. I use Komodo.

Write a list of the plants that grow around you and those that you can buy and look them up online on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

These care sheets will help you
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/

thank you! i have changed his rabbit pellets to coco coir and cypress mulch, he now has a proper heat bulb of 100w, going to have to get him a uvb light when have added on some more wood for him, yeah shall sort the water situation out, do have a bowl for him but he never uses it plus it isn’t ideal atm, but always bathing him and he drinks water and have got him some dry food which is pro rep tortoise food with calcium and vitamin D ! however he doesn’t really like it & loves romain lettuce

 

[JoesMum]

Sometimes you have to show tough love to tortoises. They can be very stubborn and behave like a child that only wants to eat chips and chocolate. You’re the parent; what you say goes!

Your tort should be eating weedy and leafy greens and getting soaks of at least 20 minutes in warm water.

It will benefit from a tiny sprinkle of calcium powder on food three times a week - no more as you can overdo it.

It can’t digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods like fruit, tomato, carrot and bell pepper should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.

Cucumber and lettuce contain little fibre and and few nutrients so should also be fed sparingly.

Write a list of things that grow around you and those that you can buy and look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed. If you can’t identify a plant, post a photo in our Plant ID section and someone will help.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/