My tortoise Fajita is driving me insane.

[fajita]

So this has been an ongoing problem. Fajita My 4-8 year old female russian tortoise refuses to eat anything except for a few nibble of Mazuri tortoise diet. I have tried all the favorite weeds from plantain to dandelions to collard greens. All those food items were fresh. She has a clean bill of health from the vet no worms or anything like that. The hot end of her enclosure is 82 degrees with the basking area at 100. The cool side of the enclosure never gets above 75 with her hide being at 70- 72. She is beyond restless she scratches and scratches at the side of her enclosure and it is driving me insane. She has been pacing around the edges looking for a way to escape. She only weighs 440 grams so i do not believe she is prego looking for a place to drop eggs. These symptoms have been going on for the past 3 weeks and im starting to believe i should have gotten a baby instead of a semi adult more than likely taken from the wild tortoise. If she was in fact taken from the wild i do not believe i would be able to meet the needs she has. Its just really beginning to take a toll on my sanity. If there is anything you can do to help me i would greatly appreciate it.

 

[dmmj]

she probably needs a bigger enclosure and a baby tortoise will be doing the same thing. Sight barriers might help if they can see from one end to the other end it's not good.

 

[macyfidlerr]

I built hills in my enclosure with the dirt to keep him from seeing the other side. Also put a plant in there. I also try to get him outside as much as possible, he is very content outside.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm pretty sure your problem in an indoor one. If you could set the tortoise up outside in a large, safe and secure outdoor habitat, with plants and sight barriers, she more than likely will settle down. Tortoises are wild animals and really don't do well indoors unless they're in pretty large areas.

 

[fajita]

I'm pretty sure your problem in an indoor one. If you could set the tortoise up outside in a large, safe and secure outdoor habitat, with plants and sight barriers, she more than likely will settle down. Tortoises are wild animals and really don't do well indoors unless they're in pretty large areas.

The largest problem with that is the midwest has been experiencing a massive heat wave and brutal thunderstorms. I would love to put her outside but im afraid of her getting out and never being found again due to me living near a forest and the other things i mentioned what i think i will probably end up doing is increasing her enclosure to a 6 by 4 instead of it being a 4 by 3. I have a temporary outside enclure that is just used for when i go outside with her. The other main problem is me not living on my own. I cant rightfully alter my parents back yard just because im between working for the military and moving back home to go to school. Would a 6 by 4 be enough for a mid sized tortoise for the time being. If i cant provide enough space for her i might have to resort to finding someone who does and investing in a smaller tort where the current enclosure would be more of a fit.

 

[fajita]

the other ever so frustrating thing is her refusal to eat anything with calcium dust on it or the tnt mixture.

 

[dmmj]

regarding calcium dust you're probably using too much the smell will definitely make them not want to eat it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

the other ever so frustrating thing is her refusal to eat anything with calcium dust on it or the tnt mixture.

I bought and now use REPASHY powdered additive. (When I have tortoises indoors)
It's brown in color and tortoises seem to not mind the taste.

 

[Tortoise_Wrangler]

Honestly man, I believe your problem with your Tort is an exercise issue. A 4x3 space is not enough, 6x4 for a single female is good. Tortoises are very in touch with their bodies and their own needs, Russians actually know to eat a certain poisonous plant if they have an overabundance of parasites so they may cleanse themselves. Russians might be small but in my personal opinion they need a lot of space. These animals thrive in open space, though a single female can live indoors comfortably with what you intend to build. My guess would be that your animal wants more exercise and due to the lack thereof, she doesn't need to eat as much. You should approach issues with your tortoises by trying to think from their perspective, I do this and I have solved many problems that drove me insane at one point or another. Russians are an awesome species but I'll tell you, they're actually more difficult than most people realize. What makes Russians easy in the eyes of most experienced breeders is their size, Sulcatas will throw your back out and Aldabras, well, 600 pounds... Russians need space, sight blockers, grass to graze on, things to climb and multiple hides to even begin to start acting normal. I have a 24x16 outdoor enclosure with all these needs met, they're thriving and I've been getting eggs too.

My advice would be to expand like you're talking about, but you should do what I did when I needed to give my animals more space. I bought cinder blocks for under a $1 each and built a 4x8 makeshift pen on my backyard lawn. I could move it when needed and my animals got to graze, grazing is extremely important for all species of Tortoises. She sounds like she needs exercise, you could sit with her for a little while she does what she needs to do, exercise and graze. This is something you could do with her for an hour or so on your days off. Russians sleep most the day during the summer anyway, an hour or so a day when you're free would do wonders for her and you.

My most important piece of advice for you, be patient. If there is one thing that applies to all torts and turts, patience. Without it, you'll just end up discouraged, everything you want to happen will happen with time.

You do not raise the Tortoise, the Tortoise raises you.

 

[Marmar#1935]

So this has been an ongoing problem. Fajita My 4-8 year old female russian tortoise refuses to eat anything except for a few nibble of Mazuri tortoise diet. I have tried all the favorite weeds from plantain to dandelions to collard greens. All those food items were fresh. She has a clean bill of health from the vet no worms or anything like that. The hot end of her enclosure is 82 degrees with the basking area at 100. The cool side of the enclosure never gets above 75 with her hide being at 70- 72. She is beyond restless she scratches and scratches at the side of her enclosure and it is driving me insane. She has been pacing around the edges looking for a way to escape. She only weighs 440 grams so i do not believe she is prego looking for a place to drop eggs. These symptoms have been going on for the past 3 weeks and im starting to believe i should have gotten a baby instead of a semi adult more than likely taken from the wild tortoise. If she was in fact taken from the wild i do not believe i would be able to meet the needs she has. Its just really beginning to take a toll on my sanity. If there is anything you can do to help me i would greatly appreciate it.

We had two block off the sides of the tank with paper bags because they were trying to get out. They still bang on the tank when they want attention but at least they're not driving themselves nuts and us anymore

 

[Wishbone]

How deep is the soil? She may be wanting to burrow and can't and is getting frustrated. This is the time of year the do it. Make sure your soil is deep enough for her to dig into and fully bury herself if she wants.

 

[Ink]

Have you tried soaking and then crumbling the mazuri smashed instead greens or rolled up in the greens? I have done that with mine. My opinion but it might help. Then slowly replace some mazuri with other greens etc on the inside. Also try kapidolo farms for other options.