Help! Unable to look down??

Reni Rex

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Jun 17, 2014
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Our 6 year old tortoise doesn't seem to be able to look down to pick up food. At her last home (see intro post for details) she was given her food on a paper plate in her tank, where the plate was put at an angle on a pile of wood chips so it would be at eye level or higher for her. (She was kept in a smallish tank for years before living with us, now in a fenced in yard.) She is unable to eat food flat on the ground in front of her. She tries a few times and gives up. I'm new to tortoises, but I don't think this is normal? I don't know how she can drink water if she can't turn her head down to her water bowl. Previous owner said she gets her water through romaine lettuce, but the care sheets say otherwise. It looks like the part of her shell directly under her head protrudes upward a bit, so maybe that has something to do with it?
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yillt

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Maybe she has something wrong with her eyesight. She does need water. Give her a deep tub of water so she barely has to look down to get it. Wait until some more experienced owners come but I think it is probably that. :)
 

Reni Rex

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She tilts her head and looks at the food and she watches moving things, so I think it's more of a neck problem maybe. I will be getting her a tub today! :}
 

Yvonne G

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Because she was never made to get her head down past the gular, she has not learned how to do this. I don't know what to tell you, but you have to figure out a way to teach her how to move her head over to the side so she can get past the gular. It does look like the gular is a bit thickened, but really, most tortoises know how to get past it and reach the ground or pool.

If you know of a good tortoise vet, you might take the tortoise in to get the vet's opinion. The gular might need to be filed down some.
 

ascott

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How heavy is that tort? I would pick the tort up with both hands (your hands...:D) with the head towards your body...start out so the tort is parallel to the earth/ground and then slowly rotate the tort away from you so that the bottom of the shell becomes parallel with your stomach (the head is looking at the sky/roof now....and keep secure hold on the tort ...and see how far that head will stretch out...I bet that torts neck is long enough to reach the food on a flat surface....now, my hunch is that the tort has not developed that neck reach muscle thus far....I would do this exercise with the tort at least 3 or 4 times per day and would plan to do so for at least 3 months....I bet that tort will eventually stretch that muscle out to where it should be...Now, please do not do the exercise in a fast manner...slowly back and then return to starting position and then back and I would do this for a minute or two so that tort can extend his neck several times per day...then when you are done, I would offer a yummy treat...
 

Reni Rex

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She is 25lbs. She stretched her neck a little today when I picked her up. I also hand fed her this morning and slowly lowered the food so she would have to stretch a bit to get it. She often air bites as well.
 

WillTort2

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Due to eye placement most tortoises can not see the same view with both eyes, giving them less depth perception than humans. I believe this will sometimes cause them to bite air, missing their food. My Russians will usually just bite again until they find the food.

In order to stretch the neck; try putting in a fence between the food and the tort. Much like you can see a horse stretch its neck to reach that clump of green grass on the other side of the fence, I think you can encourage your tortoise to lengthen its neck by stretching the muscles and tendons .

Good luck.
 

ascott

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If a muscle has not learned to be used, it shrinks. If you begin to make the muscle stretch/work, it will eventually do near what it is supposed to do....there is a similar human condition called Torticollis, it is relative due to the muscle issue.....work/train the muscle.
 
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