Hi all, I need some advice I have just bought a 3 year old Hermann tortoise from a young family. I have been told that she has never hibernated and after having her for a week I notice she does not walk much. She drags her legs, she sleeps most of the day and does not eat unless I put the food in front of her. I suspect she is dehydrated as her shell is dragging on the ground. I put her in water twice a day to ensure she is drinking. Is there any advice you can give me on how to improve her health?
New Pet April
- Thread starter csvp85
- Start date
Good UVB lighting along with calcium rich greens will strengthen those bones/legs. Good lighting as the added effect of perking the tortoise up and getting interested in eating.
Hi and welcome to the forum! There are many very knowledgeable folks here that will give you great advice and help so your tortoise will start to improve health wise. Some more pictures would be good including one of the tortoise in profile so we can get an idea of his problems and condition. Thanks!
Hello and welcome! Congrats on the new baby.
Dragging the back legs is usually either metabolic bone disease, or constipation. The correct foods, calcium with D3, and a good Arcadia T5HO UVB bulb will help the former. Proper diet, and soaks will help the latter.
Here is the correct care info. Look for the temperate species care sheet near the bottom:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
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I have uploaded some more pictures of April and the bulb, calcium and dry good I bought. April has not eaten the dry food, she has only had kale, romaine lettuce and cucumber so far.
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Unfortunately, these new photos and the symptoms you have mentioned are indicative of a tortoise with metabolic bone disease (MBD), one of the possible problems noted by Tom in post #4. The case does not appear to be severe, but it is affecting the tortoise. You will need to be quite vigilant to overcome the problem. Follow the information for new owners in Tom's post #4 to get started correcting the situation for your new tortoise.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Folks correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the blue light isn’t recommended as they can still see it at night and annoys them? I’d personally go for a CHE to use as night heat(ceramic heat emitter)
Hi, Please read the care sheet and check set up and make changes. Tortoise hate change so it can take time to settle in. I would introduce shallow warm water soaks in a high sided container this will help with hydration and exercise. Provide the fresh food daily as they are grazers on a terracotta dish it can walk onto, sit and eat. Provide fresh water AM and replenish PM and remove unused food PM. No light is required at night let it be dark. I would add in a cuttlefish similar to what a parrot has and leave in the enc 24 x7 5his helps calcium intake. As they say time heals, hopefully you can improve this tortoise life, health and welfare. Please ask questions as required.
