Leopard tortoise not eating.

[Micky Finn]

Hi guys new to this. We purchased a Leopard tortoise around 6 weeks ago, the breeder said she was just over a year old and feeding well. She came from a vivarium.
Her new home which we gave her is a tortoise table. Basking area is around 100 degrees cooler end 70's. Her substrate is wood chipping with rocks, she has a cave and false ivy where she likes to hid a water bowl and cuttle fish.
The problem lies she simply won't eat. As the weeks have gone by less and less. We bathe her daily sometimes after this she may take a few bites from a dandelion leaf. Sometimes kale. Although l don't think this is substantial. Please could you help as our family are very concerned about the little treasure.

 

[Killerrookie]

What are her night temps? I recommend getting that temps that are in the 70s to the 80s. What are you feeding your leopard tortoise?

 

[Micky Finn]

Hi, around mid 70's. We have just be giving she dandelion leaf, kale and a bed of dandelion and marigold hay. Never seen she eat this.

 

[Killerrookie]

Are you able to get some Mazuri or change up his variety to more like thristles,clovers,spinless cactus, different kinds of grass, other hays??

 

[Micky Finn]

Mazuri pellets yes. Seen some on Amazon. I will have to do some research on the others. Will buy seeds and grow clover. Will the pellets be ok?

 

[Killerrookie]

Just mix some Mazuri with some of the weeds and hay your given your leopard to trick him into eating it. Then slowly decrease the amount of Mazuri till he starts eating the weeds and hay on its own. Then you can give him Mazuri as a treat! I see yu have those kind of humidity gauge and temp gauge. I recommend getting a digital one because they are way more accurate and don't break as easy.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
What is the humidity like?
And what type of bulb are you using?
Coiled bulbs are a big no no and should be replaced immediately if that is what you are using.
The wood chip substrate may be too dry.
Photos of the enclosure, and tortoise may help those in the know to identify the problem, if you can manage it.

 

[Jodie]

If he is not warm enough, he will not eat. Temps should never be much below 80F. He needs a basking area 100F or more. There are really great care guides in the leopard section.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/
is a good one to begin,

 

[Micky Finn]

Its is a coil for uva and a 60 watt heat lamp with a extra 100 watt night light which hangs further away. There are pictures further up thread. Humidity iis boarder line dry. I spray the table daily with water.. Her shell looks very dull. I will take pic now and post "Eleanor" is she name. Thankyou ppl for the warm welcome and advice.

 

[Killerrookie]

Coil bulb and the humidity might be the problem? I would change the cool bulb because they are known to damage tortoises eyes and I would get something to cover the enclosure like the tops of a greenhouse. I recommend a Mercury Vapor bulb! They are the best thing to use for your tortoise!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

The humidity needs to be increased considerably.
get rid of the coil bulb straight away, some of them can blind or kill young torts and those that don't produce too little uv light.
A different substrate, as per the care sheets, and a covered enclosure as Austin recommended above will help.
Sorry, i missed your photos!
Silly me.
Also sink the bowl into the substate to make it easier to get in and out of.

 

[Micky Finn]

Purchased sun power comes Friday. Switched off coil bulb. Sprayed table. Tomorrow morning we will change 2/3 of substrate to soil. Is compost ok. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Jodie]

Coco fiber or Orchid bark are the best choices. Compost will mold. People do use it though as long as you know what's in it.

 

[Jodie]

Make sure you get your temps up before raising the humidity. Cold and wet equal sick tortoise. I am not sure what you mean by night light, but the best choice for night heat is a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat.

 

[Micky Finn]

Sorry it's a ceramic night lamp.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

You've been given great advice, but here it is again in a nutshell:

No coil-shaped bulb (these are harmful to baby tortoise's eyes)
Temperature should never be below 80F even at night.
Cool/humid = sick tortoise
Warm/humid = happy tortoise
Try to find out what foods the previous keeper was feeding and go with that. Some tortoises don't recognize new food items as "food."
Moist substrate patted down for ease of walking on.

 

[Micky Finn]

Checked temperature for night time is 87 degrees at basking end of table. Humidity is 50 percent.