New Russian Tort not eating

[Delilah1623]

Hello Everyone,

I got my russian tortoise a week and a half ago and he does not seem to be eating.

His habitat is 3 feet by 2 feet. Substrate is a mix of topsoil and fir bark, about 4 inches deep. Humidity is around 60%. Temp is around 70 with a basking spot of 95. Has a UVB reptisun 10.0 and UVA/heat bulb.

I took him to the vet right away and he has pin worms. Treated with Panacur. They did the first dose there and I am to repeat once a week for 2 weeks.

He weighed 486 grams and the vet estimated him to be about 13 years old.

I have offered him spring greens, dandelions, mulberry leaves, mustard greens and even broke down and gave him a little bit if strawberry since that's what he was eating at the pet store.

He isn't very acting energetic but he will move around a lot when I take him outside but I am in WI so nice days are hard to come by this time of year.

I did my research and thought I was doing everything right but he is clearly not happy. Any suggestions as to what my next step should be?

 

[G-stars]

Is your UVB light coiled? That can hurt your tortoises eyes. As far as the loss of appetite that could be caused by the meds possibly. If your not already I would soak him in warm water 30 mins at least once a day until he's feeling better.


— Gus

 

[Delilah1623]

Its not the coiled one as I knew those were bad for their eyes but it is the one that has 3 U shapes on it. Is that one also bad?

 

[Yvonne G]

You should mount the 'U' shaped compact fluorescent bulb horizontally and not vertically. Those bulbs concentrate the UV rays out the end of the bulb, so horizontally disperses them better.

It sometimes takes several weeks for a tortoise to get used to a new territory. During that time he will try to escape, digging in the corners, climbing the walls. Just be patient. And think of ways to make your little habitat bigger. I know he was living in a small space at the pet store, but that was for show, not for a permanent home. Now that he's home, he needs lots of space to wander.

 

[lismar79]

Its not the coiled one as I knew those were bad for their eyes but it is the one that has 3 U shapes on it. Is that one also bad?

I thought that I have seen on here that the U shape is also one that has potential issues associated with it as well. I would ditch it to be safe, if it were mine...... Most recommend Powersun, I do love mine.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQDJK/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

To stimulate appetite you can try foods that are red, yellow or orange. Radicchio, yellow squash, pumpkin, just to give you a few. Chop up in small pieces & mix with more desirable food options. over time you can decrease the stimulants. Mine often eat better after a warm soak.

 

[Dr Tortoise]

that is to small

 

[Delilah1623]

Thanks everyone. I am actually putting him in a bigger enclosure today, a 5' round pool. I am also going to get the Power sun bulb and see if that helps.

I do have some homegrown pumpkins and squash so I'll see if that tickles his fancy.

How long can he go without eating before I really start to worry? He is about 4.5" and 486 grams, the vet said he was actually a bit on the chubby side. I know the manager at the pet store I got him from so I know he was eating good for the 4 months he was there.

 

[lismar79]

Thanks everyone. I am actually putting him in a bigger enclosure today, a 5' round pool. I am also going to get the Power sun bulb and see if that helps.

I do have some homegrown pumpkins and squash so I'll see if that tickles his fancy.

How long can he go without eating before I really start to worry? He is about 4.5" and 486 grams, the vet said he was actually a bit on the chubby side. I know the manager at the pet store I got him from so I know he was eating good for the 4 months he was there.

They can go a long time with out eating. He is probably eating that pebble looking tort food most pet stores give them. It might be that he doesn't recognize what your giving him as "food"

 

[Delilah1623]

I tried the pellets too thinking if he'd eat I could mix them with the good stuff but he's not eating that either. He's definitely a stubborn little guy.

 

[mikey~t]

Time for a weeks worth of food baths.. Get a pile of food he can eat, dandelions etc, and blitz them in a food processor with a little water... You can add the result to his baths everyday. It should help jump start his appetite.

 

[Delilah1623]

Woohoo! Here is a picture of his dirty little face after digging into some grape leaves and spring mix with a little bit of strawberry chopped up in it. I feel much better now!

 

[Delilah1623]

His powersun bulb is coming on Tuesday. I was going to buy one at Petco but it was $25 more than buying it online! Will he be ok if I just leave the UVB bulb off until then? I do have a separate UVA and heat bulb that I can leave on for now.

 

[lismar79]

If you have another uv and heat bulb that provide good temps, you should be ok till tues.

 

[Delilah1623]

Thank you!

 

[Jabuticaba]

Woohoo! Here is a picture of his dirty little face after digging into some grape leaves and spring mix with a little bit of strawberry chopped up in it. I feel much better now!

Yay!


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[Delilah1623]

Ok so here are some pictures of his new set up. Substrate is a mix of topsoil and eco-earth. There is some sphagnum moss in the middle hide. Just soil in the flower pot. Upgraded the light to a 100 watt powersun MVB.

Anything I should change or add? Any feedback is appreciated. This is my first tortoise so I am still learning.

 

[Delilah1623]

Doing much better now!

 

[Earth Mama]

Just wondering...how did you get the panacur in him while he wasn't eating? I have trouble getting mine to eat it even when mixed with a strawberry or some such treat food. Glad he (and you) are feeling better.

 

[Delilah1623]

The vet and vet assistant forced the first dose in. One held him propped up and then when he stuck his head out they grabbed him behind his head so he couldn't retract. Then used a credit card to prop his mouth open and squirted it in.

The second I squirted on a piece of melon and he ate it.

Yesterday and today were the first time he has eaten more than a couple bites and he hasn't pooped in 3 weeks. I will probably be overly excited about turtle poop when it comes!

I had to resort to iceberg lettuce and pumpkin to finally entice him to eat but I mixed some good greens in there too and will hopefully get him weaned all the way over to the good stuff soon.

 

[Earth Mama]

@Delilah1623 Thanks for the info! Have you tried soaking him? He might poop while you soak him now that he has eaten something.