New tortoise not eating can't work out why please help

lucymay57

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BASINGSTOKE
Hi I have a new Herman tortoise, she is 10 months old and is from a breeder who kept all tortoises outside in a greenhouse so could it be that she isn't settled yet? I will attach pictures below, I am feeding her the exact food her previous owner did as she gave me a bag of it. Temperature is 29 degrees in basking and has a gradient down to 18 degree. Substrate is several inches of what was called tortoise bedding which looks and feels like soil but I am not sure what the exact components are. The in house stuff was called tortoise hemp bedding. I give her a bath every day for 15 mins the light is on from 7am to 9pm, apart from lack of eating she isn't doing anything else unusual. She walks around a bit likes climbing things and has a snooze under the light then at 6:30pm she will go into the hide and sleeps for the night. She doesn't recoil or hide when I feed her or bath so I don't think she is scared but she just isn't eating. Do you think it would help if I put her outside for a bit? Or would another change freak her out more? Any suggestions welcome!!
 

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Tom

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I see a few issues, but I think your main problem is the temperature.

Most pet shops, and breeders too, have the wrong idea about raising babies and will pass that wrong info on to the new buyer. Here is what I mean:
1. MVBs are not good for baby tortoises. They are expensive, delicate, finicky about the hood you use them in, wildly unpredictable UV levels from zero to way too high, and the main issue is that they cause pyramiding through carapace desiccation in young growing animals.
2. No moss. It does nothing and it is an impaction hazard because they eat it.
3. Get the dry aspen shaving substrate out of the hide area.
4. I don't know what the other substrate is, but it needs to be compacted and smoothed out for a baby. If it contains soil or sand, use something else.
5. For a new baby, I wouldn't let the temps drop below 20-21 at night. Adults can certainly tolerate lower night temps, but babies are better off when kept a little bit warmer.
6. Basking area is supposed to simulate warm sunshine. It needs to be getting up to 36-37C directly under the bulb. Its also best to have a flat stone of some sort directly under the bulb.
7. All of this is best accomplished in a large closed chamber, aka "viv". Vivariums are good for all the reasons "they" say they are bad. Trying to maintain the correct conditions in an open topped table is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof. All the heat and humidity just floats up and away from where you want it.

Give this a read for the correct care info:
 

Tom

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Just an update! My little tort is eating! He had a full plate of food woop! Thank you! I would be lost without this forum
What was it? Temperatures?

In any case, glad to be of service. :)
 
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shawngt2

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Hi yes temperature up and humidity needed to go down which was surprising!
Glad to hear. Hope you don't stop there and get the other things Tom mentioned ironed out!
 

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