Loss of appetite

[Bruhbliq]

Hello, Im new to keeping tortoises. but i know for a fact somethings wrong with my tortoise. can someone help?
This is my Russian tortoise Freddie. I'm worried he has problems because recently hes been fasting and only eating small amounts. I had a heating issue before that i fixed. does he have shell rot or something else? I've noticed also some cracks along the bottom of the shell. This is alarming and is why I'm on this site. please help.

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Hello there!
It doesn't seem like there are any health concerns with your guy. He looks pretty healthy to me.
I would give your Russian a 10-15 minute warm soak to get hydrated if you do not already do these.
I have a RT and my guy seems to be eating less as well, and I think the reason is due to the weather.
He sleeps more.... His favorite thing to do is EAT! But as long as you are monitoring the amounts and seeing regular activity everything should be fine. They can go a few days without food. As long as he is eating, I would not make it a concern.

 

[wellington]

What are your temps? Day, night, basking?
What is the humidity?
What kind of light are you using?
What are you feeding?
What are the temps in your area?
Answer the questions so we can help you better.
As for shell I see no concerns

 

[Yossarian]

Welcome to the forum,

Not a bad looking russian actually. Not shell rot, just a lot of new growth on top, what your seeing underneath is just wear and tear.

Nails are very long and beak looks overgrown also. Can we see some photos of your enclosure and heating and lighting?

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise | Tortoise Forum - this is the care sheet, its great, follow it and you will have a healthy tort.

Oh, and it really helps if you put in a (real) location with your profile, we can provide specific advice depending on your climate/country.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

This is my Russian tortoise Freddie. I'm worried he has problems because recently hes been fasting and only eating small amounts. I had a heating issue before that i fixed. does he have shell rot or something else? I've noticed also some cracks along the bottom of the shell. This is alarming and is why I'm on this site. please help.

Looks pretty normal to me.

 

[Yvonne G]

Besides the overgrown beak, I see nothing wrong with this tortoise visually. We can't know his actual husbandry, and THAT may be where the problem lies. He needs to think it's summertime. If he's not warm enough or if his lights aren't giving him enough UVB he may think it's time to brumate (hibernate), so he won't eat. That's normal. If you do'nt want him to brumate, he needs:

his GOOD UVB light on for 14 hours a day.
an overall temperature in the enclosure of about 70-75F degrees
a basking spot of around 100F degrees

The problem may be he doesn't like the food you are offering. What are you trying to get him to eat?

 

[Bruhbliq]

Welcome to the forum,

Not a bad looking russian actually. Not shell rot, just a lot of new growth on top, what your seeing underneath is just wear and tear.

Nails are very long and beak looks overgrown also. Can we see some photos of your enclosure and heating and lighting?

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise | Tortoise Forum - this is the care sheet, its great, follow it and you will have a healthy tort.

Oh, and it really helps if you put in a (real) location with your profile, we can provide specific advice depending on your climate/country.

What are your temps? Day, night, basking?
What is the humidity?
What kind of light are you using?
What are you feeding?
What are the temps in your area?
Answer the questions so we can help you better.
As for shell I see no concerns

Hello, His basking spot is really warm to the touch but not burning. the lights are always on. we have a UVB light. As for feeding, Romain and collard greens, pedals from flowers, also some commercial products. He has a calcium block from ZooMed in his enclosure. I will be taking pictures of his enclosure soon, I'm currently busy. To answer your question about room temp. its always fluctuating, cold to humid warm. I know that's not good but New York right now isn't the warmest place.

 

[Bruhbliq]

Besides the overgrown beak, I see nothing wrong with this tortoise visually. We can't know his actual husbandry, and THAT may be where the problem lies. He needs to think it's summertime. If he's not warm enough or if his lights aren't giving him enough UVB he may think it's time to brumate (hibernate), so he won't eat. That's normal. If you do'nt want him to brumate, he needs:

his GOOD UVB light on for 14 hours a day.
an overall temperature in the enclosure of about 70-75F degrees
a basking spot of around 100F degrees

The problem may be he doesn't like the food you are offering. What are you trying to get him to eat?

I Have been feeding him romaine and other collard greens, recently I have started to add more pedals from flowers into his meals whenever I try to feed him. I also give him some commercial foods that are meant for tortoises.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I see you have been given a care sheet. Read it. Your tortoise CANNOT digest his food unless his insides are 85 degrees consistently an ambient temp of 70 to 75 is bad, it will make him sick.

 

[Bruhbliq]

I see you have been given a care sheet. Read it. Your tortoise CANNOT digest his food unless his insides are 85 degrees consistently an ambient temp of 70 to 75 is bad, it will make him sick.

Hello, This is extremely valuable info thank you so much, I will try to up the temp.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hello, This is extremely valuable info thank you so much, I will try to up the temp.

You're welcome, but you can't "try" to up the temp you must. Can't you see that he is already starting to get sick, don't try, DO

 

[ZenHerper]

Hello, His basking spot is really warm to the touch but not burning. the lights are always on. ...

You need to know the exact temperature numbers all through the enclosure...reptile physiology is entirely dependent on environmental temperatures since their bodies do not generate any usable heat.

Tortoises need a natural night portion to their daily cycle. Lights on "always" is very harmful to their brain health and function.

 

[wellington]

Hello, His basking spot is really warm to the touch but not burning. the lights are always on. we have a UVB light. As for feeding, Romain and collard greens, pedals from flowers, also some commercial products. He has a calcium block from ZooMed in his enclosure. I will be taking pictures of his enclosure soon, I'm currently busy. To answer your question about room temp. its always fluctuating, cold to humid warm. I know that's not good but New York right now isn't the warmest place.

If you can't give numbers for the temps asked for then you are probably not doing it right!
Read the care sheet, adjust your temps and use a digital thermometer to read them along with a point and shoot temp gun. We need numbers!

 

[Bruhbliq]

If you can't give numbers for the temps asked for then you are probably not doing it right!
Read the care sheet, adjust your temps and use a digital thermometer to read them along with a point and shoot temp gun. We need numbers!

hello, so I took the temp of his basking spot and its a little over 100.

 

[harrythetortoise]

hello, so I took the temp of his basking spot and its a little over 100.

Can you post some pictures of the enclosure and the lamps you are using?

 

[wellington]

hello, so I took the temp of his basking spot and its a little over 100.

Okay, now give all the other info that has been asked for throughout this thread. We can't help without knowing what we are dealing with.
The diet was horrible before you tried changing it up some. The foods you were feeding is like candy to them. Now that you are feeding a little better he might just be protesting cuz he wants the candy and is not used to the new stuff.
You must keep trying to get him to eat the better foods and add even more variety.