hibernating or sick?

[floridakat85]

I'm concerned about my Russian, Karloff. The amount he eats daily has dropped to about half of his normal amount in the past week or so, although his activity level hasn't seemed to change much. His diet consists entirely of spring mix salad. His eating seemed to change around the same time the temperature dropped, and even though he still gets his 12 hours of sunlight a day with the broad spectrum bulb, I'm wondering if his eating less has to do with his body temperature being cooler on a regular basis, since he isn't metabolizing as quickly as during summer weather, or if I should be concerned about a parasite since his activity levels haven't changed with his decrease in appetite. Also, is it possible that maybe he's growing bored with his diet of spring mix and I should be adding more variety than that? If so, recommendations of diet additions?

 

[egyptiandan]

Do you know what the temperatures are in the enclosure Katie? Yes cooler base and night time temperatures can put them off eating.

Danny

 

[Yvonne G]

Some tortoises just seem to know that its winter time. Even though you haven't made any changes to the way you have his lights and heat, they just seem to know.

If he's still eating a little bit, then he's not thinking about hibernating. A tortoise that senses its time to hibernate, will stop eating altogether so that he can clean out his system. They don't eat AT ALL during hibernation.

Do more investigating about his habitat. Re-check the temperatures all over the floor. Make sure its warm enough. If everything seem correct, then I don't know what to tell you. Don't know if he's ill or not.

 

[floridakat85]

Do you know what the temperatures are in the enclosure Katie? Yes cooler base and night time temperatures can put them off eating.

Danny

I'm waiting for the thermometer to arrive in the mail, then will test out the temps in different areas in the enclosure and post them, probably tomorrow. Thanks

 

[floridakat85]

Do you know what the temperatures are in the enclosure Katie? Yes cooler base and night time temperatures can put them off eating.

Danny

His basking area is only showing a temperature of 89 degrees, so I picked up a higher wattage bulb to warm him up a little bit. Also, I noticed that the bulb says its a full spectrum blue daylight bulb (UVA) but may be used in conjunction with a UVB bulb for calcium absorption. Does this mean that the bulb I'm currently using for him now is not enabling him to absorb calcium?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yup, that's what it means.