New Hatchling not eating & sleepling a lot

[Cheryl Parson]

Received a Russian Tortoise Hatchling 2 weeks ago from Tortoise Town. He didn't eat when we first got him for about 4 days.(He did have bright eyes upon arrival) Then he started to eat for only 2 days, now nothing again. We soak him once a day, and added an additional soak to try to get him active. He doesn't move in his soak. He doesn't pass waste in his soak either. He does move around a bit in his enclosure because I will find him in different spots when I check on him (But not too much). I offer him Spring Mix, Endive, and Kale multiple times of day. I move it to different spots to see if he is picky where he eats. In his enclosure his basking spot varies from 95 degrees to 100 degrees. In his humid hide it is usually 78-79 degrees with anywhere from 50%-60% humidity. (Having trouble getting it to 80 degrees) The rest of the enclosure ranges from 68-72 degrees. I check his temps with the thermal gun. I mist his substrate and moss 4-6x a day, as well as his shell. He doesn't open his eyes much anymore either. I am very worried for this little guy. I don't know what else to try. I do have calcium powder but haven't added it to his food recently because I am just trying to get him to eat.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

Here's a link to our care sheet for young Russian tortoises:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

That's a pretty nice enclosure for a tortoise of that size, but it could use a bit up "furnishing." Try adding some plants or maybe a big rock - different things placed around inside so it breaks up the sight. This makes the baby feel safer.

Also, the main reason tortoises don't eat is because they aren't warm enough. He has to be able to get his inner core temperature up to at least 80F degrees or else he can't digest his food - too cold, stops eating. Try placing something over that open section to the left of the light, something solid that will help keep the warm air from the light inside the enclosure, and the cooler air from your house out of the enclosure. Have you measured the temperature all over inside the enclosure? Measure at tortoise level.

 

[Yvonne G]

OOPS! I looked at your pictures again and I see that you have a temperature read out there. 76F really isn't warm enough for babies. Try to get it up to 80 or so.

 

[Cheryl Parson]

I had just got done misting the moss which is nearby the thermostat gage, that's why it read 76F.. I used the thermal gun and get it close to the substrate & it measures 82F in his hide and ranges all over the rest of the enclosure. The further from the heat lamp it is 72 right now and closer to the basking rock you go the temp rises as well, to 95F-100F over the rock. I will get some more things for his enclosure. I will also put something over the enclosure to close it up a bit. Thanks for the advice!

 

[daniellenc]

Also do a search on tortoise town here. Apparently they sell quite a few poorly started babies. Bump up the temps, get some Mazuri, and keep leaving food. Continue the soaks but then leave the little guy alone. May be stress as well being in a new home.

 

[Cheryl Parson]

So I bumped up the temps, added a CHE, and covered the open areas. Put in a few "plants/trees/rocks". Started offering Mazuri. He still is not eating. We only handle him for his soaks. I just introduced a baby carrot soak yesterday and this morning in his warm water soak he passed some stool. His eyes look a little swollen and he rubs them only while in his water soak. What else can I be doing? We've had him for 2 weeks now and I'm getting worried.

 

[Yvonne G]

When a tortoise stops eating the first thing that is affected is the vitamin A. This causes the eyes to swell and stick shut. The carrot baby food soaks will help with this. What are you offering for him to eat? Can you find out what he was eating before he came to you? Sometimes they don't recognize food if it's different from what they're used to.

 

[Cheryl Parson]

I've offered Kale, Endive, and Spring Mix. When he did eat those 2 days, he ate the spring mix. I will try contacting Tortoise Town to see what they fed him. Thanks for the advice!