No activity and not eating

[Sh3wulf]

Benny has decided to dig into one spot in his enclosure and not move. He won't come out for anything - even strawberries. He just wants to sleep all the time and not eat.

I put him in warm baths, he fights to get out, and walks right back to his burrow to sleep.

Should I be concerned, correction: I am concerned. Should I be doing anything differently?

 

[Jodie]

What are your 4 temps? Warm side, cool side, basking and night?

 

[wellington]

Yes you should be concerned. They do tend to slow down and eat less in the colder months, even though we give them the right artificial heat, but no activity and no eating is something more then a slow down.
Post a pic of your enclousre and your temps, humidity and the amount of time you have your lights on. How often are you soaking and what is the diet?

 

[diamondbp]

I would be concerned too considering how well he has done thus far. Perhaps he needs to pass some "poop" and needs an extra long warm soak?

Has anything at all changed in his diet or temps?

 

[Sh3wulf]

His enclosure is listed in http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Who's-enclosure-is-this?.90281/
I took one side of the lid off to open up and make access easier. Thinking I will put it back on in the morning. He may be feeling too exposed.
He obviously can't get outside to eat in the sun, but his temps are all still good. Humidity is an issue in our house in the winter but I'm misting, keeping water available and soaking as I said.
Going to bring out the pumpkin and carrot purée tomorrow and see if I can't coax him into something.

 

[diamondbp]

Fingers crossed for you

 

[Greg T]

Check your temps, lower temps cause them to go hide more often. You can even try raising the temps some to coax him out. Give him a nice long warm soak, keeping the water warm and see if you can get him to poop. Wintertime will cause them to slow down and hide much more than usual, even my large ones do that.

 

[Sh3wulf]

morning purée
a hot bath
and his lid back on.
Crossing fingers that he comes around. Will update

 

[Greg T]

wow, that is quite the mix of foods there. I've never tried blueberries with mine before, but I bet they would like it.

 

[gingerbee]

Beautiful tort!!!

 

[Sh3wulf]

So we had some success. He ate, then proceeded to stomp around his entire enclosure a few times and knock over his dragon, again. I'm feeling a bit happier and hope that he will continue to make outings from his burrow

 

[Sh3wulf]

The mix of food is all the stuff that he likes to eat and all the stuff he needs to eat. Sometimes he can be super stubborn and would rather starve than eat his hay. Mixing it with a bit of fruit seems to help when he's being bull headed

 

[Sh3wulf]

I'm still not having much luck with Benny. He's just not bothering to wake up to eat. I tempted him out for a bit again with a really hot soak and then he walked around a bit. Nibbled on some food, proceeded back to his burrow and hasn't moved since eleven am yesterday. Ugh, what am I doing wrong. He's been doing so good and getting so big! I don't want him to fail now. Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[diamondbp]

awesome news. I'd hate for anything bad to happen to the most beautiful male leopard tortoise ever

 

[diamondbp]

wait sorry I just read the last two comments. My apologies. Are you in a state that clover is growing this time of year? My leopards seem to destroy all the clover when I give them their clover treats. Perhaps trying some new wild grown plants to entice him.

How long have you been soaking him when you soak him?

 

[Sh3wulf]

Nope, I am in Canada and we are frozen right now, so no fresh growth to be had.
He's soaking for twenty minutes at a time, by the end his struggling is too heartbreaking to listen to, and I take him out. He still hates baths.

 

[diamondbp]

Even with the warm water he still hates them? I most have some really unusual leopards because most on mine sprawl out and see to enjoy a good warm soak lol

I'm routing for him!

 

[leigti]

When you see a really hot soak, how hot are you talking? Maybe it's too hot. and it is okay for them to struggle a little bit at the end, it gets them some exercise and can make them poop. If the water cools down to quickly or get dirty have another pan ready for him to go right into again with Luke warm not hot water. I would get him up at the same time every day, soak him, then give him his food. Maybe if he hides in the exact same spot every day put his food bowl is far away from that spot as you can at least to get a little bit of exercise walking back into hide. Watch the temperatures and make sure he stays warm enough. Good luck with your little guy, he is a gorgeous little tortoise.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I've never had a tort struggle in a bath...not a leopards, Russian or CDT. I always temp my water with a laser gun. 95F to start and they sit content until it drops into the 70s.. (If they aren't out before then)

Keep in mind your guy is bigger now. Maybe the cold season is having more of an affect on him. ??
Levi has slowed down, too. Even though he's outside, he's in his heated tort house with temps from a low of 79F at night to 83- 86F during the day. But still, he doesn't stay out for long and doesn't come out everyday.

I'm really just wondering if it's the seasonal thing.

Remind me, what are your long term housing plans for him as he grows?

 

[Sh3wulf]

Thanks Gomberg, it's reassuring to hear that others are slowed down. Benny has always hated his baths, right from being a hatchling.


It makes me very happy to post this picture. He had his soak and then proceeded to dive into his breakfast this morning.

Long term - we are renovating a large storage room we have in our basement and turning it into a sanctuary. I think the measurements are 16'x20', it's been a while since I did all the preliminary planning