so I just got a Greek tortoise from petco on Friday and wasn’t able to get him Into a vet until yesterday, and he has a respiratory infection sadly. I’m giving him shots and he seems to be getting better. But he doesn’t want to eat and hasn’t since I got him which is starting me. The vet just said I have to keep giving him food, but Iv soaked him in warm water with baby carrot food and given him array of multiple foods. He just sits alil after the soak and will go and dig up a hold under a log I have for him and stay there all day. I don’t know what to do, and I’m spending so much time worrying and trying to get him to eat I’m scared I’m stressing him out. I’m getting more foods I see they like but can’t find anything. Will I need to force feed him? Because I can’t take hurting his little face. Please help
Help new tortoise won’t eat
- Thread starter Abila10
- Start date
Hi. Try to relax and stop worrying so that you can listen and act on the good advice you will shortly be getting from our experts here!
I can tell you that you will be asked to provide more information on his enclosure and the temperatures and humidity levels. We will need precise information, not "maybe" and "try to...". Correct temps and humidity are No. 1 for the beginning of his journey with you! Hang on. Help is coming! Pictures would be good too.
And welcome to the site!
I can tell you that you will be asked to provide more information on his enclosure and the temperatures and humidity levels. We will need precise information, not "maybe" and "try to...". Correct temps and humidity are No. 1 for the beginning of his journey with you! Hang on. Help is coming! Pictures would be good too.
And welcome to the site!
So when I had first got him I sadly got a 40gallon glass tank. I know I need to switch to wood soon. So under his heat light the temp is 98, but I had put a log under it, and he just burrows a little house under that and stays there all day, and that’s what scares me. Iv kept the humidity at 65 but it’s around 60 where his lamp is so I spray it more to try and keep it at 65 as well. The enclosure is at 80 until you get to the right where is water and house is but he never goes there
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"New tortoise won't eat" is true more often than not. It's normal as he slowly becomes accustomed to his new home with you. And as you get advice here and follow it, things will improve and he will start eating, moving around more and looking more like he is NOT going to die any moment. But right now, the less he is handled, the better, unless it is necessary to make urgent improvements as you learn.
He was also sick when I got him and he’s on medicine which I know can cause him to not eat as well, but is there anything I can do to help?
Thomas tortoise
Well-Known Member
I've known someone who had a tortoise not eat for 1 year. Then it started eating and it was fine.
Thomas tortoise
Well-Known Member
What kind of med?
Thomas tortoise
Well-Known Member
I dont know how to treat respiratory infection. Or any infection. But i do know someone who might. @Tom @ZEROPILOT @wellington
That is Baytril. It literally burns them at the injection site. It is highly caustic and extremely painful. Your tortoise is not going to eat while you are doing that. It also wreaks havoc on the beneficial bacteria in their GI tract. I'd stop and tell the vet you want a medicine that doesn't burn the tortoise when injected. Fortaz works. If symptoms have stopped, I would stop the injections.
Did the vet do anything to discover and correct the CAUSE of the sickness? Most vets do not. They simply engage in a futile effort to treat the symptoms. Torts don't get sick for no reason. Not like people. There is something wrong with the environment. What you've described for your temps and environment sound great. I'm certain the problem was started at the wholesaler's place or the pet store. Those places never house and heat torts correctly.
Your tortoise can go weeks with no food. Most reptiles can. Being ectotherms, they do not have the caloric demands that mammals and birds have. Daily soaks will keep him hydrated until he feels well enough to eat. Force feeding is almost never the answer.
Another issue is the moss on that log. They eat moss and it can cause impaction. I'd remove the moss.
Finally, this enclosure is way too small. They need something 4x8 feet, but wait to make changes until he starts feeling better.
Can we see a pic of the tortoise? What symptoms is he experiencing due to the RI?
Ok thank you for letting me know about the medicine I’ll try and go in today or make an appointment as soon as I can, and that’s what I figured sadly. I got him from petco and the vet said they had the other tortoise he was with came in with the same problem. And he doesn’t want to eat and just burrows under that long and sleeps all day, and he was having a good amount of snot and I saw bubbles whenever he came out so I took him to the vet earliest i could. The vet just saw the bubbles and said it was a respiratory infection, and they gave him one shot so far and all the snot has stopped completely. I’ll get rid off the moss now I had no idea about that. And yeah I wanted something bigger but that was all I was able to get at the moment and I feel bad
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Herb is beautiful. The warm temps and some stability should help him get over the RI. I hope he recovers and you have many happy years together.
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I have no first hand knowledge with RIs.
