need to get my russian tort to gain weight, help please

[Justicefish]

I've had Grant, my male Russian Tort, for eight years. He has a HUGE personality. He is up and moving all day long, especially as the weather gets warmer. He will roam his enclosure for hours and hours and loves to climb. He eats well every day (lettuce mix and weeds, sometimes with TNT and there is a cuttle bone but he won't touch it). The problem is that he feels VERY light, like his shell was empty inside. I'd love advice on how to get him to gain weight. He has a female companion Evelyn, she eats the same food but isn't nearly as active. Evelyn is very dense, weighing in at 875 grams, while Grant is at 478. Evelyn is several years younger, we've had her since a hatchling, five years.

 

[Yvonne G]

Do you soak Grant in warm water? He may just be dehydrated. But all that activity is one reason he's not gaining weight. The males do seem to be more active than the females.

If you can get him to eat Mazuri Tortoise Diet, that might put some weight on him. Some tortoises don't like the Mazuri, though.

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[dmmj]

Hmmmmmmm, gaining weight?
How about a couple of hot fudge sundaes every week, worked for me.
no probably not ideal diet for a tortoise.
You need to increase the amount of food, as active as you say he is, he probably needs more to maintain his weight. I would try mazuri as sugessted