MoMo wont eat

[TheCobbler]

so it's really windy and a little chilly here in the valley. I've been keeping momo in his indoor enclosure for a few days. it's the same one I kept him in for half a year before I made his outdoor enclosure. but he hasn't been eating much lately. he eats only about 1 of the 6 mazuri pellets I give him. I usually have to give him more. I tried giving him lettuce today. he had about three mouth fulls and stopped eating. is he depressed? or sick. there's no run from his nose and no injury. he looks mopey if that makes sense.

 

[ascott]

If you have brought him in for only a few days now....he is likely having to adjust back to the environment....give him a little bit of time and keep an eye on him ....IMHO

 

[Laura]

is he warm enough?

 

[TheCobbler]

it gets to the high seventies with the light and heater.

 

[ascott]

the high seventies is way too low....his hot spot should be near 95-100ish...with a cool side near 78ish or so....you will really need to get the hot spot up....once you do this you will find that his appetite will likely increase if all else is aok

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I totally agree with Angela, he's too cold. My Bob is depressed and won't go outside at all. But he still eats everything I give him.
Momo needs to be warmer. The ambient temp should be 80 to 85 and his basking temp needs to be 95 to 100. He can't metabolize his food unless his insides are around 85. His cool side can be as low as 70.

 

[ascott]

maggie, sorry to hear bob is depressed poor boy....assure him the sun and warm will return....maybe hang some pics of a sunny desert for him in his house....lol

 

[Maggie Cummings]

maggie, sorry to hear bob is depressed poor boy....assure him the sun and warm will return....maybe hang some pics of a sunny desert for him in his house....lol

I'm sure if I disturbed him with hammering to hang a picture he'd take after me...lol

 

[TheCobbler]

ah this makes sense. thanks guys. im gunna try and get it to 90 then. and Bob's depression makes me sad...

 

[ascott]

I'm sure if I disturbed him with hammering to hang a picture he'd take after me...lol

Well, we certainly don't want him pissed and depressed....lol

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The weather here is in the low 40's most of the time. Today it didn't make it up to 40. It stayed at 35 most of the day and that's just really cold. It takes Bob a bit to adjust. He sits with his face out like in the picture I took for the calendar only he doesn't have his face out that far. He stays behind the flaps. He'll be depressed for a few days then he'll get better. He's used to the winter here. I know he doesn't like it, but he knows how it is and he'll get over his depression when we take him to sit on Santa's lap on the 17th...because he likes groups of people. So he'll get fine then, he'll become a big show off. That's how he'll get over his depression. He is a serious show off and he struts around letting kids ride him and people touch him all over. It's a crack up to see him in a crowd. He morphs into Mr. Friendly Tortoise lol

I'd let Momo go out so he can see how cold it is. When Bob can see how cold it is he makes the decision to stay inside. But if *I* try to make him stay inside he throws a fit and slings poop all over and rams the doors and becomes a horrible thing. So I open his doggie door every morning and let him make the decision to go out or not. You should let Momo see how cold it is and he'll change his mind and settle down.

 

[Livingstone]

He can't metabolize his food unless his insides are around 85. His cool side can be as low as 70.

Hey Maggie, how do you know this? Can sulcatas really not metabolize food with an internal temp below 85? Its the first time anybody had pinned a number to it and I was wondering if you had a reference, Id like to know more about it.

Thanks.

 

[ascott]

Livingston....I am not Maggie (surprise...lol ) but there is a huge amount of tortoise research that you can google....it is a very versed topic in reptile care.....Maggie knows her stuff and if you take a few moments to google it I am white confident you will find a library amount of temperature information......

IMHO that is...

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Frankly I don't know how I know that. I was taught that as I was being taught about turtles and tortoises. And my sister when she's asking a newbie who's having trouble with a tortoise always asks their temperature and talks about internal temps and metabolizing. So mayhaps we should ask her?

 

[TheCobbler]

So I soaked momo in hotter water than I usually do. Then I threw in a piece of lettuce in front of his face and made my 3 foot heater blast in his face. He ate the lettuce and ate more mazuri when I put him back in his enclosure. Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll do this from now on.

 

[Laura]

be careful how hot the water is..
and he will need constant warmer.. not just a few minutes. but it sounds like you figured it out.