is my tortoise okay?

[namenotshared43]

Hi all. I have a 3 or so year old Hermanns tortoise. I work as well as being a student and want to ensure I’m being a good owner and am in no way making my tort feel uncomfortable. She sometimes goes around 2-3 days without feeding and recently during these winter months hardly leaves her heat pad. She’s an inside tortoise but the room can get quite cold - is this inactivity due to winter? And is she okay going these lengths without fresh food?
Thanks all.

 

[Ink]

Can you post pictures of your tortoise and enclosure? Welcome to the forum

 

[namenotshared43]

Can you post pictures of your tortoise and enclosure? Welcome to the forum

 

[TammyJ]

@wellington @Tom @Alex and the Redfoot

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Not sure about yours, but during the winter months, mine wax & wane. Will wake up/come around for food, then Hide for a day or two. Right now my Redfoot is the most active. Russian eats occasionally & Boxies Hide and have no interest in food right now.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

What species is your tortoise? Some species brumate in the nature which is why they will slow up in the winter even indoors.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I wouldn’t use aspen as substrate, you want damp substrate and this stuff will mould trying to do that.

At her age she should ideally be looking towards an adult sized set up, what size is yours? I know a lot of folks struggle for indoor space, there’s a few creative ways to tackle this though.

Hopefully you’ll find this housing thread useful, it covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, stores often sell the wrong stuff so I’d double check here), sizing(you can get away with smaller indoors if you can build a larger outdoor space when weather permits), levels(double check these too, temperatures can definitely interfere with appetite) appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out!

Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes lots of inspiration for an adult set up both indoors and out! The indoor bit has some good ideas to tackle indoor space whilst still providing the needed roaming room! Check comments too, I’m always adding to it. I know the recommended adult size is intimidating to some, especially if you’ve been lead into thinking he’ll be fine in a smaller set up(very common) but tortoises long term health really does rely on lots of roaming room. If you’re unable to go that big, perhaps you can add onto your current one

Enclosure inspiration

Howdy folks! Hope everyone is well! As you all know, I’m a big fan of making threads that cater more towards visual learners like myself, I’ve really been wanting to create a thread full of adult enclosure inspiration for a while now, I’ve managed to find some great references over time! I do...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is probably most important to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope they help! Always feel free to ask any further questions! Welcome to the forum

 

[namenotshared43]

Not sure about yours, but during the winter months, mine wax & wane. Will wake up/come around for food, then Hide for a day or two. Right now my Redfoot is the most active. Russian eats occasionally & Boxies Hide and have no interest in food right now.

alright, mine is a hermanns. She ate maybe 75% of her meal last night, which was a plate of lettuce with some calcium powder on top, but hasnt touched her meal of lettuce and cucumber with again calcium powder I gave her around half 7 this morning.

 

[namenotshared43]

What species is your tortoise? Some species brumate in the nature which is why they will slow up in the winter even indoors.

mine is a hermanns.

 

[TammyJ]

I think your tortoise is too cold, and that her diet sounds wrong. Lettuce and calcium powder? How often? What else is she given?
Please answer the questions about the conditions in which she is kept.

 

[namenotshared43]

I wouldn’t use aspen as substrate, you want damp substrate and this stuff will mould trying to do that.

At her age she should ideally be looking towards an adult sized set up, what size is yours? I know a lot of folks struggle for indoor space, there’s a few creative ways to tackle this though.

Hopefully you’ll find this housing thread useful, it covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, stores often sell the wrong stuff so I’d double check here), sizing(you can get away with smaller indoors if you can build a larger outdoor space when weather permits), levels(double check these too, temperatures can definitely interfere with appetite) appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out!

Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes lots of inspiration for an adult set up both indoors and out! The indoor bit has some good ideas to tackle indoor space whilst still providing the needed roaming room! Check comments too, I’m always adding to it. I know the recommended adult size is intimidating to some, especially if you’ve been lead into thinking he’ll be fine in a smaller set up(very common) but tortoises long term health really does rely on lots of roaming room. If you’re unable to go that big, perhaps you can add onto your current one

Enclosure inspiration

Howdy folks! Hope everyone is well! As you all know, I’m a big fan of making threads that cater more towards visual learners like myself, I’ve really been wanting to create a thread full of adult enclosure inspiration for a while now, I’ve managed to find some great references over time! I do...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is probably most important to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope they help! Always feel free to ask any further questions! Welcome to the forum

Right now she is in the tortoise table she arrived in around a year old - I’m well aware it’s time for an upgrade just working on it hoping to move her outside in the summer. She likes sawdust as a substrate as she burrows into it to keep warm - I’ve always used sawdust with any inside tortoise I’ve had in the past and I’ve never had any issues - although if your suggesting I change it then I will most definitely take a look.
Havent read this reply fully as I’m off to bed - up early for work tomorrow.
Thanks

 

[namenotshared43]

I think your tortoise is too cold, and that her diet sounds wrong. Lettuce and calcium powder? How often? What else is she given?
Please answer the questions about the conditions in which she is kept.

She is given a variety of fruit and veg as well as tortoise food, all safe for tortoises. The calcium powder is to help with calcium deficiency which is common in all reptiles and something that is highly recommended. She has her heat pad and heat lamp on all day as well as the blind open for natural sunlight, a water bowl and a house. In the summer, she goes outside for an hour or so a day to slowly inter grate her. As far as I’m aware, her diet is not wrong and to update you she has eaten the meal given to her this morning.
Judging off of other answers on the thread, she is just being less active in the winter which is perfectly natural. She receives all the right amount of nutrients and almost always finishes her plate.
For context, until a few months ago she was a VERY fussy eater - would only eat lettuce and ignore all other fruit and veg, and when given tortoise food she would pick out the red ones and ignore the green ones, was a nightmare to get calcium and important nutrients into her diet but she is less fussy now and will eat a large variety of food now.
During the night, I turn off her heat pad and lamp as I’ve heard it’s better for them during the night. The room she is in has radiators on at night so it’s not cold still.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Right now she is in the tortoise table she arrived in around a year old - I’m well aware it’s time for an upgrade just working on it hoping to move her outside in the summer. She likes sawdust as a substrate as she burrows into it to keep warm - I’ve always used sawdust with any inside tortoise I’ve had in the past and I’ve never had any issues - although if your suggesting I change it then I will most definitely take a look.
Havent read this reply fully as I’m off to bed - up early for work tomorrow.
Thanks

They tend to burrow down into substrate as a way to thermoregulate and cool themselves down, she’ll still be able to bury herself in damp coco coir

She is given a variety of fruit and veg as well as tortoise food, all safe for tortoises. The calcium powder is to help with calcium deficiency which is common in all reptiles and something that is highly recommended. She has her heat pad and heat lamp on all day as well as the blind open for natural sunlight, a water bowl and a house. In the summer, she goes outside for an hour or so a day to slowly inter grate her. As far as I’m aware, her diet is not wrong and to update you she has eaten the meal given to her this morning.
Judging off of other answers on the thread, she is just being less active in the winter which is perfectly natural. She receives all the right amount of nutrients and almost always finishes her plate.
For context, until a few months ago she was a VERY fussy eater - would only eat lettuce and ignore all other fruit and veg, and when given tortoise food she would pick out the red ones and ignore the green ones, was a nightmare to get calcium and important nutrients into her diet but she is less fussy now and will eat a large variety of food now.
During the night, I turn off her heat pad and lamp as I’ve heard it’s better for them during the night. The room she is in has radiators on at night so it’s not cold still.

I wouldn’t feed fruits, she’s not a fruit eating species, it can mess with their gut flora and make them very picky eaters

 

[MenagerieGrl]

They tend to burrow down into substrate as a way to thermoregulate and cool themselves down, she’ll still be able to bury herself in damp coco coir

I wouldn’t feed fruits, she’s not a fruit eating species, it can mess with their gut flora and make them very picky eaters

Thank you, I was just going to mention that . . .

 

[COmtnLady]

Welcome to The Forum!

Here has the best, most up-to-date info, plus there are a lot of decades of successful tortoise keeping represented by the various members here. Everyone will do their best to help you help your tortoise to have a happy healthy life.
.
For your own peace of mind don't listen to the "advice" given by other sources, like: pet shops, social media sites, reptile fairs, YouTube videos, and even most veterinarians. They're still using old info that doesn't work as well as what you'll find here.

Study the info in the links offered. All those head-exploding details will show you how to help your tortoise to thrive.


____________________________________



There are some concerns that could be corrected that would help your tortoise.

For example - You are correct that there frequently are calcium problems in captive reptiles. But too much calcium is as bad as too little. Tortoises only need a pinch of a calcium with D3, two, or three at the most, times per week.

Another example: your species of tortoise can't process fruits very well. Eating fruit screws up their gut biome, thus it is to be avoided.


Is there any chance the "sawdust" has cedar in it? Cedar will kill a tortoise and shouldn't be used around them. The best substrate is damp coco coir with a layer of fine-grade fir/Orchid bark. LittleRedFootBigRedHeart is also from the UK and knows the brand names and outlets in your country. I believe there are some specifics in the links that show packaging.

Please read the links proffered above a couple times - they'll help. Then ask/discuss anything that might need more explanation

Welcome aboard!.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

mine is a hermanns.

Here are the steps to keep a temperate species like Hermanns active during the winter according to @Tom :

"1. Add bright LED lighting in the 5000-6500K color range. Lots of it. Make it look like daytime outside looks.
2. Set light timers to be on for 13-14 hours.
3. Bump all ambient temperatures up a bit.
4. Keep night temps warmer. Shoot for no lower than the 70s over night.
5. Pull the tortoise out of hiding and soak it often. Don't let it stay hidden in a cool hide box all day.
6. I usually run HO UV tubes for 2-3 hours mid day. To keep a tortoise up, I might bump them up to 6-8 hours a day."

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope these help!

 

[namenotshared43]

Quick update,

I have ordered some coco noir and have found an LED lightbulb.

I’m also reducing the amount of calcium powder in her diet and staying away from fruits - do you have any food you recommend?

I also have this wooden viv, I’m wondering if you think this would be better suited for her? It would be warmer for sure - but it’s just whether or not she would be happier in here. Obviously it needs a clean out.

I appreciate the support but I’m struggling to read the long messages, #ADHD

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Quick update,

I have ordered some coco noir and have found an LED lightbulb.

I’m also reducing the amount of calcium powder in her diet and staying away from fruits - do you have any food you recommend?

I also have this wooden viv, I’m wondering if you think this would be better suited for her? It would be warmer for sure - but it’s just whether or not she would be happier in here. Obviously it needs a clean out.

I appreciate the support but I’m struggling to read the long messages, #ADHD

It doesn't take a lot to "keep them Happy" Correct food, water, soaks, a Hide, enough warmth and uva/uvb...with some orchid bark thrown in to have something to dig in walk around.. and ta da!

 

[Tom]

Quick update,

I have ordered some coco noir and have found an LED lightbulb.

I’m also reducing the amount of calcium powder in her diet and staying away from fruits - do you have any food you recommend?

I also have this wooden viv, I’m wondering if you think this would be better suited for her? It would be warmer for sure - but it’s just whether or not she would be happier in here. Obviously it needs a clean out.

I appreciate the support but I’m struggling to read the long messages, #ADHD

The vivarium will be better as long as it is large enough. How many grams is your tortoise? What are the dimensions of the viv?

You can feed a variety of grocery store greens. Mix in the proper supplements to add fiber, calcium and nutrition. What are the proper supplements? Its all in those long messages.

 

[namenotshared43]

The measurement of the viv is 4ft by 2ft, same with her current tortoise table. As for how many grams she is, I’m not too sure - we haven’t weighed her in a while