Honestly worried

Mason.Larson02

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So a while ago I got a RT hes older and been passed through homes. that's when I had adopted him from a younger boy. I renamed him Kinderfr Esser. it means baby eater in german. my brother an I thought it would be a hilarious name sense hes not going to get very big at all. (don't judge me on the name please we call him esser normally which means eater in german and is a great sounding name to me) but after introducing you to my little guy I have had Esser for around 2-3 years now hes always loved dandylion leafs ( non spiky ones(I live in Oregon)) and he has an absolute fascination with radishes. Yes the whole radish. he used to eat 3 -4 a week depending on the size of them. ( btw they are the not spicy ones. I have shared in his delicacy) we don't use a heat lamp or light sense his cage is near a window that shines basking light on him all day and my room says pretty warm at night. But as of late ive become very concerned as he has stopped eating. like stopped eating entirely. Everymoreing I wake up to him thumping around his elcosure which is glass but he seems to not try to escape often at all (I stay up and watch him a lot to make sure hes ok and he interests me) I have tried soaking im which he loves and taking him into the sun in my lawn but he still continues to be very active and not eating. the scary part is ( I know im a bad owner for this but ive been scouring the web a lot looking for a solution) he has been like this for a couple weeks now at first I just thought it was a fast. like most other repiles do but hes still not eating and is still active. its worrying me quite a lot. I hope someone can help without jumping my butt for not knowing. please we love esser and we have kids come over and see him everyday who love to watch him roam bask and play in the yard or walk around the house. and in addition he hasn't been pooping all that much either... which is bothersome sense he used to poop on me all the time.. (its a relief but I cant help but to feel like some things wrong.) (p.s. him pooping on me or on desks when I was in school was like a part of our relationship he knew what he was doing as funny as it was hed glare at me after. It was part of his character. now hes a little more shy and not eating or pooping but remains active as ever)
 

ascott

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So a while ago I got a RT hes older and been passed through homes. that's when I had adopted him from a younger boy. I renamed him Kinderfr Esser. it means baby eater in german. my brother an I thought it would be a hilarious name sense hes not going to get very big at all. (don't judge me on the name please we call him esser normally which means eater in german and is a great sounding name to me) but after introducing you to my little guy I have had Esser for around 2-3 years now hes always loved dandylion leafs ( non spiky ones(I live in Oregon)) and he has an absolute fascination with radishes. Yes the whole radish. he used to eat 3 -4 a week depending on the size of them. ( btw they are the not spicy ones. I have shared in his delicacy) we don't use a heat lamp or light sense his cage is near a window that shines basking light on him all day and my room says pretty warm at night. But as of late ive become very concerned as he has stopped eating. like stopped eating entirely. Everymoreing I wake up to him thumping around his elcosure which is glass but he seems to not try to escape often at all (I stay up and watch him a lot to make sure hes ok and he interests me) I have tried soaking im which he loves and taking him into the sun in my lawn but he still continues to be very active and not eating. the scary part is ( I know im a bad owner for this but ive been scouring the web a lot looking for a solution) he has been like this for a couple weeks now at first I just thought it was a fast. like most other repiles do but hes still not eating and is still active. its worrying me quite a lot. I hope someone can help without jumping my butt for not knowing. please we love esser and we have kids come over and see him everyday who love to watch him roam bask and play in the yard or walk around the house. and in addition he hasn't been pooping all that much either... which is bothersome sense he used to poop on me all the time.. (its a relief but I cant help but to feel like some things wrong.) (p.s. him pooping on me or on desks when I was in school was like a part of our relationship he knew what he was doing as funny as it was hed glare at me after. It was part of his character. now hes a little more shy and not eating or pooping but remains active as ever)


A word of advice, a window seat is not desirably in most situations. The temps fluctuation too much and the enclosure can get too cold or equally if not more dangerous...too hot really quick...the constant activity can be a sign of distress and not a point of normalcy...I would move the enclosure, I would get a uv ray light (as another hazard of a window seat/spot is not reliable levels of uv rays) that provides both the uv rays and the heat in one (not the curly uv bulbs nor the short u shaped ones either) like a mercury vapor bulb....also, radishes while seeming fun is not a proper or desirable diet...more broad leaf dark greens and broad leaf plants...the dandelion plan is a great one to include as part of your over all diet for the tortoise....I would also make sure that the substrate is at least 5 to 6 inches deep and packed down really hard/firm by hand so that the tort has a firm footing for easy mobility...a good hide is a nice place for the tort to hide...this may also offer some relief to the tortoise...they naturally want to hide from time to time...also, water is important to have available for the tort to drink....
 

dmmj

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I also think your problem is temperature related. your house or room may seem warm to you but it may be cool or even cold to a tortoise, do you have accurate temperature readings of his enclosure?
 

Mason.Larson02

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Thank you very much! ive already moved him out of the sun right after you said that hes now on his own desk in a corner of my room and in the morning ill go buy some more wide leaf veggies anything you recommend? and his substraight is 4 inches thick and packed down also his half log is utop an area that's slightly raised so he can burrow even more in it and one end of his terrarium has a basking pool that's full of water. ( about 2 inches deep with a slope) and I will get looking into bulbs I used to have a mercury bulb but after a cat pulled the cord I was a little scared to try them again sense I know they are very delicate and can explode.
 

Mason.Larson02

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his enclosure stays at the same temp with my room witch ranges from 70- 90 sense I have a computer in here and me and my dog sleep in here so it stays very warm I tend to not use blankets very much due to the heat. (my dog is a pit lab so she is a bigger dog and gets very warm at night) and colds rarely reach 65 in here so. I don't think its to cold. but I will be getting a bulb for him and a fan to go with it for me haha
 

ascott

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Thank you very much! ive already moved him out of the sun right after you said that hes now on his own desk in a corner of my room and in the morning ill go buy some more wide leaf veggies anything you recommend? and his substraight is 4 inches thick and packed down also his half log is utop an area that's slightly raised so he can burrow even more in it and one end of his terrarium has a basking pool that's full of water. ( about 2 inches deep with a slope) and I will get looking into bulbs I used to have a mercury bulb but after a cat pulled the cord I was a little scared to try them again sense I know they are very delicate and can explode.


Is the water dish one of those gray reptile plastic ones....a bit of a slope leading up to the edge of the water and then a drop down into the water? If yes, I would suggest replacing with a terracotta planter bottom...they are more level with the height of the tortoise....there is a flipping hazard that comes with the gray reptile ones due to their high edges....now please don't think I am telling you what to do ....I am simply sharing with you what I would do :D

As for the Mercury vapor bulb...if the tortoise enclosure is along a wall ...you can use a book shelf brace, attach to the wall that runs along the enclosure....then drape the fixture cord over the brace, then take a zip tie and pull the two ends draped over the brace and zip together...slide to appropriate place on brace and adhere to the brace...this way it is not easily moved/knocked down...I do this for the enclosures I have in the house...has worked well. Again, just sharing with you what I have/would do....

The substrate sounds great, the hide sounds great by the way....also, dandelion greens and flowers are great.....do you offer foods from the store or do you grow most of the food?
 

Mason.Larson02

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Apr 3, 2016
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ok ill look into a terracotta base. his enclosure is long an about as wide as the one I have now I have rocks and extra sub straight next to it in the 6 inch gap with one side against the wall. its also imbedded down about an inch. im still newer so im up for ideas. and for the cord I have a sting loaded clamp that science departments use a lot that pinches the cord to a cross beam at the top of the tank. I also wrap the cord around the end of it. so when it did fall it swung down hit the side and the bulb popped out right next to him... ill try duct taping the cord to the clamp so it cant fall off I didn't even think of taping it thanks so much!
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Mason:

You didn't have to move the tortoise from the window seat. What Ascott was telling you is that the tortoise needs UVB either from the sun (not filtered through the glass window) or from a good UVB light. The window filters out the UVB rays and the tortoise doesn't get the benefit.

Also, if the tortoise doesn't have a light to sit under and be able to warm up his inner core temperature to AT LEAST 85F degrees, then he can't digest his food. If they can't digest their food, it sits in the stomach or digestive tract and rots. So they don't eat if they're not warm enough. Yes, your room is warm, but "warm" to you with your 98.6F degree body isn't warm enough to a tortoise who doesn't make his own heat like you do.

Please read the care sheets shown at the top of our Russian tortoise section and make the necessary adjustments to your care of the tortoise.
 

DutchieAmanda

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I love the name of your tort! Are you originally from Germany?

Could it be he ate something strange? You say he is walking through your room and the garden. The floor is not really a safe place for your tort (cold, objects he can eat, accidents can happen), and I've already seen too many horror stories on the forum not to point this out...
Maybe you can post some pics of your tort and his enclosure, might be easier to give some advice then.

Hope he starts eating (essen) soon!
 

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