New Russian Tortoise not eating...please help?

[xDeadZombieGurlx]

I just got a new male russian tortoise about a week ago. His name is Sheldon. I have him in a 40 gallon terrarium with what I believe is a female russian tortoise. I have a basking light and a UVB light for them. Their substrate is repti bark. My female (Shelly) eats all the time and she seems to be healthy. Sheldon doesn't want to eat though...I give him a daily bath to hydrate him and he urated all the time. But when I put him by his food bowl, he doesn't eat. It has been a week now. What is wrong with him?

 

[tortgrl]

What are you feeding them? I give mine spring mix, collard greens, shredded carrots, dandelion, rose petals...and he gobbles it all up and wants more. Now my CDT, he likes his food torn into small pieces for him...or he won't eat it. A little spoiled.


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[wellington]

Please get them in to separate enclosures. The 40 gallon is not big enough for one adult Russian let alone two. Also, two Russians should not be together unless in a very, very big enclosure, to big for inside. The male, when he gets used to being in his new home will pester the female to illness or death.

 

[Gtphale]

Not sure if this is the case or not. Maybe someone wiser can comment on it. Could it be possible that he was wild caught and in the middle of hibernation and they scooped him up out of it? So he's wanting to sleep?

 

[Wartortle]

From my experience with my Russians, it could take up to two weeks for your male to get used to his new surroundings. A simple 10-20 minute trip in the car is extremely stressful and so is being in a new environment. Imagine if someone picked you out of your home and dropped you into a new one. The adjustment would be a little traumatic. Be sure to provide him with a permanent supply of water and bathe him every day or every other day until he starts eating. Then, you can ease up on the baths and only do it every few days to once each week. Also, I'd separate the two as well. Another tortoise can only add to the stress and I'd deworm each of them just in case. If possible, build a larger enclosure of at least 4'x8'. If not, a tortoise table of 2'x5' would be suitable as well depending on space requirements. The bigger, the better. happy torting.

 

[xDeadZombieGurlx]

I am feeding them broccoli, green beans, collards, and shredded carrots.

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I will get a new enclosure to put the male in soon or I was thinking about dividing the tank so they don't attack each other. What is weird though is that the female is butting the male...is that normal?

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I live in Pennsylvania and it has been cold lately but when it warms up, I am going to try and build a big enclosure outside for them with plenty hiding spots because I'd like if they could be together

 

[laramill]

You may want to nix the broccoli, green beans, and carrots and feed more dark leafy greens (weeds, if you have them...)

Do a search of the forum on what to feed a Russian-- but to get you started-- the answer will be mostly leaves, not veg. If you are depending on store bought due to the weather where you live, you may want to stick to things like spring mix (the salad mix they sell in a box or bag at the grocery store-- try to get it with little to no spinach), the collards you are already feeding, raddichio, endive, escarole, mustard and radish greens-- and you can add some kale now and then-- There's a long list that has been posted a few times with specifics.

Things like carrots are okay now and then (or not at all is fine, too...)-- and now and then I'll give my Russian a smidge of broccoli, but it's not particularly great for them (messes with calcium, that's the problem with kale, too)-- so I don't do it often, it's a treat.

There is a website called www.thetortoisetable.org.uk that can help you with the safety of the weeds available in your area. In general, though-- you want plant leaves, not fruit or veg. (Flowers can be okay as part of a good diet (sort of like a side dish), if you know they aren't sprayed, etc. I know these are impossible to get in winter for some people, though.)

Last-- I live in snowy winters, too, so I try to feed my tort either Mazuri or ZooMed tortoise food during the winter in addition to a variety of leaves. I can't say he really eats it, but I know other people have good luck with these, so I dutifully soak them every morning and offer it to him. (Oh-- and last-- to keep the cost and waste down on these salads you're preparing for your torts-- You can cycle the kinds you buy-- Focus on like two a shopping trip, and the next trip, try 2 different ones... or use spring mix as your base, and add one new thing until it runs out, and then switch to a different new thing...You get it.)

It could just be that the new tort isn't used to a veg based diet... Or he can just be getting settled. (But I have to agree with the other posters... From everything I've read, they do better as solitary creatures... and they will need more space indoors than what they've got right now.)

 

[lynnedit]

Yes, please change the diet. You have good advice to do this. Look at this list.
http://russiantortoise.net/russiantortoisediet.htm

Look at Tom's thread at the beginning of the Russian tortoise section on care of Russian tortoises. Learn as much as you can.

A 40 gal aquarium is much too small. They can't get away from each other, and they are territorial. The female was there first and the male may be too scared to eat.
Get a 50 gal Rubbermaid container and use this. Better yet, get two, one for each tortoise. Yes, they will need their own lights.

 

[ascott]

because I'd like if they could be together

This is a human emotion if forced will likely result in one ailing/injured/dead tortoise.....I strongly agree with separation....also, if you house a male and a female together you will end up with lots of little ones---are you really wanting this to happen?

 

[Saleama]

I am feeding them broccoli, green beans, collards, and shredded carrots.

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I will get a new enclosure to put the male in soon or I was thinking about dividing the tank so they don't attack each other. What is weird though is that the female is butting the male...is that normal?

---

I live in Pennsylvania and it has been cold lately but when it warms up, I am going to try and build a big enclosure outside for them with plenty hiding spots because I'd like if they could be together

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Can you post pics of their tails to see if you do indeed have a matched set or two of the same? Try feeding him seperatly until you can get him his own home.