My Horsfield is not eating, and is sleepy,please help.

[TRex]

Hi,

Thank you for welcoming us to the group. We inherited our tortoise from a friend as they had two horsfields who were fighting. He has always been fed on pellets and greens, so we have continued with what he knows. Up until a week or so ago he was eating well, loves kale and eats his pellets. Now he has become very sleepy, wants to get out of the way of his lamps and hide in his house or under his log roll. I am bathing him in warm water, and he was pooing up until yesterday when he is not even pooing. I am waking him up to put under his lamps, but he gets out of the light when he can. Is this normal behaviour, or do we need to take him to a vet? Any help most welcome thank you. He is five btw.

 

[Jabuticaba]

Hello and welcome!

What sort of light do you have in his enclosure? And where do you live? Maybe you could post pictures of the enclosure, so it's easier for us to determine what the issue is.


May, Aussies, & Hermannis
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[ascott]

Is this the tort out of the pair that was bullied or the bullying tort? What is the enclosure like that you have the tort in? What is the day and night temp?

 

[TRex]

Hello and welcome!

What sort of light do you have in his enclosure? And where do you live? Maybe you could post pictures of the enclosure, so it's easier for us to determine what the issue is.


May, Aussies, & Hermannis
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[TRex]

Thanks for your reply and welcome.

He has a uv lamp and a large wide lamp that came with his tortoise table. We live in the south of the UK. He has been fine up until the weather got cooler. It has got warmer again now, and I wonder if he is confused. I gave him a herb salad, some kale and a raspberry this morning. He has moved around the food, and possibly ate a little, but not much at all.

 

[TRex]

Is this the tort out of the pair that was bullied or the bullying tort? What is the enclosure like that you have the tort in? What is the day and night temp?

 

[TRex]

He was the bullied as far as I know. He is in a large tortoise table - I will put a pic as soon as I can. Thank you.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi and welcome to the forum! One thing I've noticed in my tort is that it LOVES the sun. Therefore I take it out for a so-called "walk" in the sun whenever I can, as I live in a flat. I'm sure that it enjoys te sun and warm weather. I've a feeling the cold/cool weather is annoying your tort.Take care and good luck.

 

[TRex]

Thanks Gillian,
he has an outside run, with places to hide and rocks and sticks to climb over, it is a lovely environment. When it was warm outside it was fine, but when the weather cooled down he started to get sleepy, and not eat. I have read that this may be because he is gearing up for hibernation, which we are not planning to do. But I dont know how long he can go without eating anything, and this is a concern. He will go out today as the weather has warmed up again, but currently is under his lamps until it is warm enough.

 

[ascott]

When it was warm outside it was fine, but when the weather cooled down he started to get sleepy, and not eat. I have read that this may be because he is gearing up for hibernation, which we are not planning to do.

LOL...you may not be, but sounds as though he has his own ideas.....you may need to follow suit.....research research research.....

 

[mikey~t]

Hey T-rex. Our little horsefield is doing the same.. Outside on a nice day, full of adventure.. Indoors, not so much, and a big fan of bed.

Last year, when we didnt hibernate him (didnt know enough about it), he went off his food.. Tortoises can go a while without eating, though will obviously lose some weight. when I asked on this forum, I was advised that we should give him food baths.. As he takes water up through his "tail" he would also take liquidised food this way too. We did this, and he did start eating again.. We have also given him food baths this summer when he appears not to be interested in food. (Not just one or two food baths.. A weeks worth worked for us). Hope it helps.

 

[smarch]

He was the bullied as far as I know. He is in a large tortoise table - I will put a pic as soon as I can. Thank you.

I'm no tortoise psychologist nor have I ever had 2. so this is just a hunch, maybe someone experienced may butt in or against me on behalf.
First off how new is he to your new home? Some torts get stressed in new surroundings because they're not in "their" territory and have to adjust, sometimes its right away and sometimes ive seen it delayed a little.
The big thing to me, if he was the bullied one, is that maybe since he was picked on he's expecting the other tort to be somewhere now that he's kind of relaxed a bit.
Just assumptions into a tortoises mind though, we may never know.

Baby food baths will be good in the mean time. Find out if he'd been hibernated with his previous owner, if so you may have to go along with it, or be prepared to fight him a good chunk of the time, either I see as ok, because when I got my little man I said from the beginning "he's not hibernating, he gets no choice in the matter he just wont" the 2 winters I've had him and starting again right now, he slows down eats a little less, and sleeps more, I keep the heat steady keep making sure he eats at least some, and soak him more frequently if I see him using his water less than usual. After a few weeks for us he changes his mind. (but that's mine, they're all different)

 

[Lucypup]

Hi my new tort seems to be doing the same I would like to try him with food bat
hs sounds interesting how do i do this sorry trex my little man trashes his table to come out as well then hides behind sofa it's worrying isn't it

 

[Ernie Johnson]

November through March is their hibernation period in the wild and if yours is wild caught then its acting perfectly normal - unless you've noticed any other issues.

Mine stop eating in October and start their hibernation phase every year (18 and counting) like clockwork, so very good chance you're seeing its normal wild behavior.

Provide it a place where it can bury itself (3-4 inch deep substrate) in a dark place in its pen and if it does bury itself, turn off the lights and let the pen cool down to 60 degrees if possible (45 is best, but hard to do in a home) and let nature take its course.

It'll pop back up and begin being active in 3-8 weeks or so.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

No, do not hybernate him. If he has been eating, it could kill him. 60 degrees is way to warm for them to hybernate in.

 

[Lucypup]

November through March is their hibernation period in the wild and if yours is wild caught then its acting perfectly normal - unless you've noticed any other issues.

Mine stop eating in October and start their hibernation phase every year (18 and counting) like clockwork, so very good chance you're seeing its normal wild behavior.

Provide it a place where it can bury itself (3-4 inch deep substrate) in a dark place in its pen and if it does bury itself, turn off the lights and let the pen cool down to 60 degrees if possible (45 is best, but hard to do in a home) and let nature take its course.

It'll pop back up and begin being active in 3-8 weeks or so.

Thank you I don't know much about him I have rescued him he needed a home after a dog attack so I took him he is so friendly I think he is10 years old

 

[Lucypup]

No, do not hybernate him. If he has been eating, it could kill him. 60 degrees is way to warm for them to hybernate in.

 

[Lucypup]

Thanks for the reply I am a bit confused he is 10 I think i rescued him a dog got hold of him so I have him now he is such a little love he likes cuddles and human interaction so I want to do him right he deserves to be happy

 

[Ernie Johnson]

Lucypup.

Go watch these and you and your RT will have a long, happy life together.

There are six in the series and if you don't mind the ads they're free.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRKVRTE/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[Lucypup]

Lucypup.

Go watch these and you and your RT will have a long, happy life together.

There are six in the series and if you don't mind the ads they're free.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRKVRTE/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Thank you I will spend tomorrow watching them I want to do my best for the little fella