Help with my Red Footed Tortoise

[Eleanor30]

A week ago my boyfriend offered me his 8 (I think) year old tortoise that he's had for around 4 years called Arbie. We took a one week trial. They didn't really look after it, they would feed it but he wouldn't eat much, then he would go adventure in their big house and get lost for about a month and then come back.
He had a runny nose that I had to wipe (although I noticed it's gone over the week) , he doesn't eat much at all (around half a piece of fruit, his favorite is peach) and he hasn't pooped since my boyfriend can remember.
I'm completely inexperienced, and we can't keep him because we have dogs (we have kept them rooms away from Arbie over the week) and we don't have the time to care for him. I don't have a heat lamp, so I've been putting him in the conservatory which gets really hot. I put him in the bath multiple times with luke warm water to make him poop, and he pulls his head up and squeeks and looks like hes squeaking, which I thought was him trying to. I've tried not to crowd him or handle him too much. I hope I'm doing all I can to help with what I've got :/.
I've read up on all the forums, and I'm worried he's ill. I don't know how to tell if hes underweight, but he did have a runny nose (probably from being exposed to all the dust in my boyfriends house) and he hasn't pooped for ages. Any advice?

(This is him, he's beautiful )

 

[Careym13]

Welcome. The care sheets are a good place to start. It sounds like he may have a respiratory infection, in which case he really needs to be taken to a vet to be put on antibiotics. You said you can't keep him, do you intend on sending him back to live with your boyfriend or finding someone who will care for him properly?

 

[Careym13]

And he is beautiful

 

[gingerbee]

Wow nice red color!! Do you have him set up in a enclosure? Too bad you can't keep him and set him up correctly. Maybe a forum member could take him. Where are you ??

 

[Eleanor30]

Thanks for the warm welcome I'm sending back to my boyfriend, he's learnt a very valuable lesson on how much he loves him, and I know he'll definitely take care of him now, I've convinced him to take him to the vets so hes ringing them tomorrow. I noticed that Arbie loves to be handled by him and he even crawled up his chest and fell asleep under his hoodie, and he ate better and was a lot more lively that day
I don't have a enclosure because I only planned to have him for a week and its turned into two, I'm hoping the heat of the conservatory can replace a heat lamp for a while, and he has a box he can always hide in if he wants too. I really wish I could keep him, he's so adorable, he even sleep talks a little

 

[Eleanor30]

Just an update- he's going back home today so they can take him to the vets. He won't eat now, and hasn't drank for ages- still no poop. I picked him up and I felt the bottom of his shell rumble, is that hunger? He doesn't eat what we put infront of him

 

[ZEROPILOT]

He is sick and unfortunately not cared for very well. I don't mean that he isn't loved. I mean that tortoises need special care.
Hopefully your vet can figure out what his primary issue is and if you read over the care sheet links here on the forum, you and he can get the little guy turned around and back on the road to health.
He needs to be kept at between 80 and 88 degrees and he needs high humidity.He needs sunlight.
Are you located outside of the U.S?
We have members from all over the world and maybe contacting someone in your general area would be helpful in giving you tips on correct housing and places to find food and care, etc.

 

[Eleanor30]

I'm in England, but the conservatory definitely gets super hot when all the windows are closed. and I always place him in the sunlight, that's the best I can do for now. Thank you for your help and I'll look into contacting someone. Just a quick question- I read that they should be on a diet of mostly greens but he wont eat them, the only thing I've really got him to eat is peaches, is that better than nothing at all?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm in England, but the conservatory definitely gets super hot when all the windows are closed. and I always place him in the sunlight, that's the best I can do for now. Thank you for your help and I'll look into contacting someone. Just a quick question- I read that they should be on a diet of mostly greens but he wont eat them, the only thing I've really got him to eat is peaches, is that better than nothing at all?

If they are offered something sweet like peaches, it's very common for them to want to eat more of just that food. If you only feed greens for a few days, he will eventually eat them. Peaches, or anything else with that much sugar should be a treat only and not a regular food. fruit is about 5-10% of my Redfoots diet.
You'll be in luck, too! There are many members from the U.K. and England.

 

[Eleanor30]

If they are offered something sweet like peaches, it's very common for them to want to eat more of just that food. If you only feed greens for a few days, he will eventually eat them. Peaches, or anything else with that much sugar should be a treat only and not a regular food. fruit is about 5-10% of my Redfoots diet.
You'll be in luck, too! There are many members from the U.K. and England.

Okay thank you very much

 

[Michael in MO]

I'm in England, but the conservatory definitely gets super hot when all the windows are closed. and I always place him in the sunlight, that's the best I can do for now. Thank you for your help and I'll look into contacting someone. Just a quick question- I read that they should be on a diet of mostly greens but he wont eat them, the only thing I've really got him to eat is peaches, is that better than nothing at all?

a suggestion: a pile of greens right in front of the tort then drop a few large earthworms on the greens where the tort can see them moving.. if he goes for the worms he may get into a sort of feeding frenzy and eat the greens as well... you have to retrain them if they get dependent or used to a single food source