Leopard Tortoise dealing with anxiety

[EL Dominguez]

Hello, I am new to the forum, but not to Leopards. I have a 5 year old baby girl who is my absolute world.

My husband and I recently moved into a new house, and our tortoise isnt taking it too well. She isnt eating or drinking. I am soaking her daily and she still wont drink. I know she is absorbing water through her chloaca, but she used to drink so much more water. She doesnt want to go into her hide box and she is pacing so much in her pin during the day while I am at work, that when I come home, she has a bloody nose from rubbing up against it so much. When I can be with her, she seems fine and will "chill out". But also when I am home, she has to be in the same room as me and just stays next to me. At our old house, she would go to her favorite hiding spots, or ask to go outside (by banging her shell against the door until I let her out. She is very opinionated). It's been a week, and I feel awful leaving her for work becuase I know she is going to be stressed out. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do for her while I am gone during the day so she doesnt stress out so much and starts to eat and drink again?

 

[Neal]

Moving can be very stressful on tortoises, it could take anywhere from a couple of days, weeks, or even months for them to become adjusted.

Tortoises are sometimes very active in new environments. They need time to explore and become familiar with the new surroundings, which could be why you see her pacing so much. The bloody nose is a bit concerning. Do you have any objects you could place along you enclosure walls so that she can't rub her face on the flat walls? I would recommend placing a few plants along the walls of your enclosure. That way, she would have to walk around them as she is pacing, and they won't hurt her if she rubs up against them. There could be a space issue. How much room do you provide her in the enclosure?

As far as not eating and drinking...be sure she always has access to food and water in her enclosure. I have seen a lot of tortoises in new environments that won't eat if they are placed at a feeding station. What has worked for me and what I would recommend is placing food in different areas of the enclosure. That way, when she's pacing around she might take nibbles here and there if she wants.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

[ascott]

Welcome....I totally agree with Nay, put some type of corner buffers so her nose is not taking the brunt of the pacing....Does she have a variety of places in her outdoor yard covered in plants so she can hide? Where did you move from (what was the weather like there) perhaps she is adjusting and could benefit from a misting system for humidity and water?

Also, continue to soak every day, and may I suggest you make them long soaks (at least an hour) in warm water....since she is not drinking you will want to make sure she absorbs as much as possible...

 

[JoesMum]

Have you double checked your temperatures? The four important ones are under the basking lamp, warm end, cool end and overnight minimum.

The other thing is, how long is she and how big is her enclosure? Leopards are not small tortoises and at 5 years old she may have decided that she wants more space... outside if at all possible.

 

[Laura]

Don't keep moving her around.. let her adjust to one new thing first.. make sure she has plenty of hides and tasty treats.. not too hot but warm...

 

[EL Dominguez]

Update - about 5 days after posting this thread, Kobe has calmed down and adjusted much better. As recommended, my husband and I lined her pin with plants and blankets so she wouldn't hurt herself. Thank you to those who made the suggestions.

I don't feel comfortable having her in an outside pin since we are close to a canyon known for coyotes. She does get a couple hours of outside time daily (more so on the weekends when we are home with her all day). I'm just too paranoid to have her outside when I am not there to watch her.

Her shell length is about 9 inches long, and we recently increased her pin to be 30 sq ft.

Temps - under her heat/UVA UVB lamp, it gets to be about 100 degrees. Her warm side stays around the high 80s low 90s. Her cool side ranges from 78-80 degrees. At night, 75, but she has a ceramic bulb that emits no light, only heat that she sometimes likes to go to sleep under that stays around mid 90s.

She has stared eating and drinking water again and is starting to enjoy exploring instead of following me from room to room. She has learned where the doors are and has already been asking to go outside/inside when she pleases.

Thanks again for all the advice and support.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi El Dominguez:



A tortoise of that size should be outside all the time. Coyotes are night /early morning hunters, so if you bring her inside at night and don't put her out until about 8am, it should be ok. There is a pack of coyotes that runs by my house every morning on their way to den. They have never come on my property, thank goodness, because all of my 100+ or so turtles and tortoises live outside.

 

[TortieLuver]

Glad to hear she is adjusting now

 

[Zamric]

Coyotes really shouldn't be a problem for a tortoise as big as yours.

 

[ascott]

Happy to year she is settling in....