Indian Star Tortoise not eating for months now

[Mandavi]

Hello, I have an Indian Star Tortoise. I had it roughly 1.5 years back and ever since the onset of the winters last year, he has stopped eating and pooping completely. I take every measure. Basking lights, warm water bath. Nothing seemed to help. Just today, he pooped very little and that's that. The only concern is there is NO reptile vet near me and the general vets do not cater to Tortoises. He is refusing all his favourites as well. He changes positions sometimes while resting but mostly he is sleeping. Any chance he will get better during summers? Also there is no oozing or mucus anywhere. I checked it all. Pls help. I am terrified.

 

[TeamZissou]

What are you using for basking lamps? What are the temperatures of the enclosure?

What have you been feeding for the last 1.5 years?

Post a few photos of the enclosure and tortoise.

 

[Mandavi]

Hello , I am using a 75W UVA+UVB full spectrum lamp.
I have been feeding him Lettuce, Hibiscus and Cucumber for past 1.5 years and he used to eat them properly.
Please find the attached photos. Water plate I have just now removed else it is also there. Although he barely drinks EVER from that.

 

[Mandavi]

What are you using for basking lamps? What are the temperatures of the enclosure?

What have you been feeding for the last 1.5 years?

Post a few photos of the enclosure and tortoise.

Pls find my reply below. Please help. Thank you.

 

[TeamZissou]

My guess is that the temperatures need to be higher. Try bringing up the temperature of the cage to above 27 C and see if that improves things at all. Low temperatures are often the cause of not eating. 75 W lamp is probably not powerful enough to bring the temperature up in this type of cage.

There are several things that need to be changed with regard to your setup to get your tortoise to the optimal conditions. Have a read and feel free to ask further questions:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Mandavi]

My guess is that the temperatures need to be higher. Try bringing up the temperature of the cage to above 27 C and see if that improves things at all. Low temperatures are often the cause of not eating. 75 W lamp is probably not powerful enough to bring the temperature up in this type of cage.

There are several things that need to be changed with regard to your setup to get your tortoise to the optimal conditions. Have a read and feel free to ask further questions:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Is there a chance things may get better during summers? From the pics, does it look like he is sick? Although he sleeps most of the time. I am worried to death. Let me try finding a higher watt bulb. Thanks

 

[TeamZissou]

Yes it should get better in the summer since the overall ambient temperature in the enclosure will be higher. These tortoises need temperatures above 27 C year round though, and you likely can't afford to wait until summer for him to start eating again.

With this open style cage, the temperature will basically be whatever the room temperature is. You need to provide a basking area that is 35 C and the rest of the enclosure needs to be 27 C. Simply increasing the wattage of the bulb with an open cage may not get you there. It might be better if you could heat up a bathroom or smaller room to 27 C with a space heater or something and then have a higher wattage incandescent flood bulb to create the basking area. Make sure to use a thermometer to dial in these temperatures.

As to his overall health, it looks OK based on the pictures since there doesn't appear to be eye or nose issues.

Increasing to the proper temperature is the first step to try to get the tortoise to eat before starting to worry about or figure out other more complicated issues such as parasites.

 

[Mandavi]

Yes it should get better in the summer since the overall ambient temperature in the enclosure will be higher. These tortoises need temperatures above 27 C year round though, and you likely can't afford to wait until summer for him to start eating again.

With this open style cage, the temperature will basically be whatever the room temperature is. You need to provide a basking area that is 35 C and the rest of the enclosure needs to be 27 C. Simply increasing the wattage of the bulb with an open cage may not get you there. It might be better if you could heat up a bathroom or smaller room to 27 C with a space heater or something and then have a higher wattage incandescent flood bulb to create the basking area. Make sure to use a thermometer to dial in these temperatures.

As to his overall health, it looks OK based on the pictures since there doesn't appear to be eye or nose issues.

Increasing to the proper temperature is the first step to try to get the tortoise to eat before starting to worry about or figure out other more complicated issues such as parasites.

I had tried using room heater for several days though, still no luck. I do not want to change the location since he is used to this. Let me follow your suggestion and will get back. Thank you

 

[AlexanderIvarVermeerIV]

That's very worrying, I'm not that experienced in the realm of tortoises, but a 75w definitely does not seem warm enough for an open pen. Just as another person said, the temperature in your room will reflect the cage. Get a humidity gauge for the room and put it inside or on the cage. Find out what temperature and humidity your species need and adjust. From the diet, you've briefly given there's a lack of variety. Animals held in captivity can become bored of their food, which happened with my dogs, though they are very different, I've seen plenty of exotic animal videos where their pets suddenly stop eating and change their preference in what they eat. Try buying bagged food made for your tortoise online(amazon, etc...) and other types of fruits and vegetables. Also, you might have to take into consideration shipping your tortoise to a vet in another area if travel is an issue or find a website that deals with rehabilitating reptiles in the meantime. Is your tortoise showing any signs of trouble when it tries to use the bathroom? Also, I don't recommend the sand whatsoever. Tortoises have a tendency to drag food off of their feeding areas, which can cause your tortoise to eat sand and may cause impaction, which could be a reason why your tortoise isn't defecating along with eating. There are many other options such as hay(which they can also edible), orchid bark, coconut chips, mulch, and much more suitable substrates. I hope this helps.

 

[Mandavi]

That's very worrying, I'm not that experienced in the realm of tortoises, but a 75w definitely does not seem warm enough for an open pen. Just as another person said, the temperature in your room will reflect the cage. Get a humidity gauge for the room and put it inside or on the cage. Find out what temperature and humidity your species need and adjust. From the diet, you've briefly given there's a lack of variety. Animals held in captivity can become bored of their food, which happened with my dogs, though they are very different, I've seen plenty of exotic animal videos where their pets suddenly stop eating and change their preference in what they eat. Try buying bagged food made for your tortoise online(amazon, etc...) and other types of fruits and vegetables. Also, you might have to take into consideration shipping your tortoise to a vet in another area if travel is an issue or find a website that deals with rehabilitating reptiles in the meantime. Is your tortoise showing any signs of trouble when it tries to use the bathroom? Also, I don't recommend the sand whatsoever. Tortoises have a tendency to drag food off of their feeding areas, which can cause your tortoise to eat sand and may cause impaction, which could be a reason why your tortoise isn't defecating along with eating. There are many other options such as hay(which they can also edible), orchid bark, coconut chips, mulch, and much more suitable substrates. I hope this helps.

Well I saw him poop today. It seemed fine. Else it is not pooping much. He was fine up until the onset of winters. Can you share with me some examples of package food?

 

[Sterant]

You have a bit of work to do. Temperature and lighting is certainly an issue . Proper temperatures cannot be maintained in a cage, unless your entire room happens to be at the right temperature and humidity (I have no idea what your ambient temperatures are in Vasundhara). Even if your room is warm, the tortoise should have a basking spot that is warmer than ambient.

Using sand as a substrate is dangerous. Over time, your tortoise will accidentally eat the sand and that can lead to impaction of the gut. That might be the problem.

read the care sheet that @TeamZissou linked above and do exactly what it says. You will likely have to change out your entire enclosure.

 

[Mandavi]

You have a bit of work to do. Temperature and lighting is certainly an issue . Proper temperatures cannot be maintained in a cage, unless your entire room happens to be at the right temperature and humidity (I have no idea what your ambient temperatures are in Vasundhara). Even if your room is warm, the tortoise should have a basking spot that is warmer than ambient.

Using sand as a substrate is dangerous. Over time, your tortoise will accidentally eat the sand and that can lead to impaction of the gut. That might be the problem.

read the care sheet that @TeamZissou linked above and do exactly what it says. You will likely have to change out your entire enclosure.

If it is impaction, how do I treat it by self?

 

[AlexanderIvarVermeerIV]

Well I saw him poop today. It seemed fine. Else it is not pooping much. He was fine up until the onset of winters. Can you share with me some examples of package food?

no problem, the most recommended(my exotic vet also recommended this one) is the Mitzuki brand:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BOG8YU6/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

and some others:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0087PAAAA/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDZAPZE/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCX1LO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I personally got these but mostly feed fresh and will switch to the vet recommended on after she finishes her bottle off:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R11RPC1/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007TUIVY6/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[Sterant]

If it is impaction, how do I treat it by self?

You can't. The only way to know would be to get an xray - and then I think surgery is the only option. But if it is pooping somewhat normally, maybe its OK. Just fix the husbandry and see how it goes. - But get rid of the sand immediately.

 

[KarenSoCal]

The foods linked in post # 13, especially the very first one, are good additions to your star's diet. But what he really needs is grasses, weeds, and flowers. He should not have any fruit.

Read and follow the care sheet linked in post # 5. I think you will also find this article very helpful. I have a Burmese Star, and I found it very interesting. I also found that the writer's recommendations are nearly the same as our care sheet.

Star Tortoise Garden @ StarTortoises.net

Caring for Burmese star (Geochelone platynota) and Indian / Sri Lankan star (Geochelone elegans) tortoises. Plus info on angulate (Chersina angulata) and golden Greek (Testudo graeca ssp) tortoises.

startortoises.net

 

[Mandavi]

You can't. The only way to know would be to get an xray - and then I think surgery is the only option. But if it is pooping somewhat normally, maybe its OK. Just fix the husbandry and see how it goes. - But get rid of the sand immediately.

It pooped even today after bath when I put him down, however not eaten anything. I am wondering how is he pooping at all when not eating? In India, the ambience has somewhat started warming up.

 

[Mandavi]

The foods linked in post # 13, especially the very first one, are good additions to your star's diet. But what he really needs is grasses, weeds, and flowers. He should not have any fruit.

Read and follow the care sheet linked in post # 5. I think you will also find this article very helpful. I have a Burmese Star, and I found it very interesting. I also found that the writer's recommendations are nearly the same as our care sheet.

Star Tortoise Garden @ StarTortoises.net

Caring for Burmese star (Geochelone platynota) and Indian / Sri Lankan star (Geochelone elegans) tortoises. Plus info on angulate (Chersina angulata) and golden Greek (Testudo graeca ssp) tortoises.

startortoises.net

Unfortunately, in India, I am unable to find any good quality food for tortoise hence I am dependent on nature. I will try feeding grasses as per the care sheet

 

[Mandavi]

no problem, the most recommended(my exotic vet also recommended this one) is the Mitzuki brand:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BOG8YU6/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

and some others:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0087PAAAA/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDZAPZE/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCX1LO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I personally got these but mostly feed fresh and will switch to the vet recommended on after she finishes her bottle off:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R11RPC1/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007TUIVY6/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Thank you

 

[KarenSoCal]

Use this site for plants that you gather. It will tell you if they are safe for your tortoise to eat.

The Tortoise Table - Home

The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise owners

thetortoisetable.org.uk

 

[Mandavi]

Use this site for plants that you gather. It will tell you if they are safe for your tortoise to eat.

The Tortoise Table - Home

The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise owners

thetortoisetable.org.uk

Thank you very much, dear