I've had my Greek tort for close to 13 years now, its turning 16 in a month. I live in Canada, so the weather gets really cold at times, but at the moment it isn't super cold out yet (ranging from 15-20 degrees C). Turtle (my tort's name), has a fairly large enclosure with ReptiBark bedding. The enclosure is fixed with a basking lamp and a UVB lamp.
As for food, I give Turtle Spring Mix (advice from local reptile shop) from the grocery store as it's nearly impossible to find edible Succulents/Cacti or edible wild flowers where I live (Quebec). I found succulents at the farmers market, but the farmers couldn't guarantee that they weren't grown with pesticides. As for variety, I add carrot shavings, cucumber, lettuce, and occasionally apples, bananas and oranges.
Lately, Turtle just walks all over the Spring Mix and doesn't consider it food anymore unless I trick him into taking a bite. Turtle is very active, surprisingly. He's always running around and I let him out of his enclosure to explore my apartment when he gets too rowdy in his enclosure (roommate has a rabbit and Turtle and the rabbit are best friends). He barely drinks water as well, he only ever walks all over the water dish and I rarely see his take a drink. I change his water dish every day and I let him soak in water in the tub once or twice a week. He also does this thing where he tries really hard to eat my toes or my fingers which he thinks is food. That's the only time when I can tell how hungry he is and I try to feed him without much luck.
I'm worried he's under weight even though he's active. I'm also worried as to the way he walks around. He occasionally holds himself up with his front legs without trouble but mostly drags his shell around without holding himself up. I've been looking for a reptile specialist near where I live and there aren't any at all. I spoke to local vets and they said that if I needed a checkup I'd have to go to the local exotic animal vet hospital (which don't particularly specialise in reptiles at all and mostly birds).
All in all, my Tort has been through a lot over the years, I received him as a child and had to learn a lot over the years and my because of my ignorance, he had to suffer. He's doing much better now, but this has been a reoccurring problem over the years, and he always bounced back, but this is the worst I've seen so far, he takes one nibble at his food and ignores it until it goes bad.
I need advice
I'm worried for Turtle and want him to have an easy hibernation period this year.
As for food, I give Turtle Spring Mix (advice from local reptile shop) from the grocery store as it's nearly impossible to find edible Succulents/Cacti or edible wild flowers where I live (Quebec). I found succulents at the farmers market, but the farmers couldn't guarantee that they weren't grown with pesticides. As for variety, I add carrot shavings, cucumber, lettuce, and occasionally apples, bananas and oranges.
Lately, Turtle just walks all over the Spring Mix and doesn't consider it food anymore unless I trick him into taking a bite. Turtle is very active, surprisingly. He's always running around and I let him out of his enclosure to explore my apartment when he gets too rowdy in his enclosure (roommate has a rabbit and Turtle and the rabbit are best friends). He barely drinks water as well, he only ever walks all over the water dish and I rarely see his take a drink. I change his water dish every day and I let him soak in water in the tub once or twice a week. He also does this thing where he tries really hard to eat my toes or my fingers which he thinks is food. That's the only time when I can tell how hungry he is and I try to feed him without much luck.
I'm worried he's under weight even though he's active. I'm also worried as to the way he walks around. He occasionally holds himself up with his front legs without trouble but mostly drags his shell around without holding himself up. I've been looking for a reptile specialist near where I live and there aren't any at all. I spoke to local vets and they said that if I needed a checkup I'd have to go to the local exotic animal vet hospital (which don't particularly specialise in reptiles at all and mostly birds).
All in all, my Tort has been through a lot over the years, I received him as a child and had to learn a lot over the years and my because of my ignorance, he had to suffer. He's doing much better now, but this has been a reoccurring problem over the years, and he always bounced back, but this is the worst I've seen so far, he takes one nibble at his food and ignores it until it goes bad.
I need advice
I'm worried for Turtle and want him to have an easy hibernation period this year.
