Please help- my first tortoise- not ate since Sunday

Sarah Buksh

New Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Cheshire
Please can anyone help. I bought my horsefield tortoise who is roughly 4 years old has not eaten since being with me.

He is in a tray not glass enclosure.
Heat lamp goes up to 80 f
Cooler spots room temp about 70f
His bedroom is filled with hay and on a heat mat which he seems to love.
Bathed him twice and had a drink in it but not eating or drinking in enclosure?

I have offered carrots, spinach, rosemary, weeds, Dandelion leaves, pet shop food which I have read is bad so not wanting to continue with that, grass, peppers, kale, clover and other things I've found in the garden.

He is active and was moving around loads yesterday. Not sure about today because I have been in work and he is in his bed already. He did pop his head out to say hello.

Is it dangerous that he has not eaten for 4 days?
Please help me to get him to eat. I would never forgive myself if he becomes poorly because of it.

Thanks in advance
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20170925_194630847_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20170925_194630847_HDR.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 43
  • IMG_20170927_104047335_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20170927_104047335_HDR.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 43
  • 1506622037562-183730816.jpg
    1506622037562-183730816.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 40
  • 1506622061176247111451.jpg
    1506622061176247111451.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 40

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
A very warm welcome to the forum, @Sarah Buksh .

Please do not give your tort anything sweet.

Do not worry. Torts do not like change, therefore they take time to adapt to it. As a result, they may lose appetite. But they can do without food for quite some time.

Soak your tort in warm water every day. (He's pyramiding). And make sure there's enough humidity.

Please read the "Beginners Mistake Thread."
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California

Sarah Buksh

New Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Cheshire
A very warm welcome to the forum, @Sarah Buksh .

Please do not give your tort anything sweet.

Do not worry. Torts do not like change, therefore they take time to adapt to it. As a result, they may lose appetite. But they can do without food for quite some time.

Soak your tort in warm water every day. (He's pyramiding). And make sure there's enough humidity.

Please read the "Beginners Mistake Thread."
Thanks for getting back to me.
A very warm welcome to the forum, @Sarah Buksh .

Please do not give your tort anything sweet.

Do not worry. Torts do not like change, therefore they take time to adapt to it. As a result, they may lose appetite. But they can do without food for quite some time.

Soak your tort in warm water every day. (He's pyramiding). And make sure there's enough humidity.

Please read the "Beginners Mistake Thread."

Thanks for getting back to me.
Is the pyramiding bad? I got him like that? Will it go away?
Thank you
 

Sarah Buksh

New Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Cheshire
Hello and welcome Sarah.

The one thing that jumps out at me is that he's too cool. They need a basking area that is around 95-100F (36-37C), so they can warm their body up to operating temperatures. If they are too cool, they won't eat.

Read these for more care and diet info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Thank you Tom. I have moved the lamp closer and ordered a higher watt bulb. Fingers crossed
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Thanks for getting back to me.


Thanks for getting back to me.
Is the pyramiding bad? I got him like that? Will it go away?
Thank you
You're most welcome. :)

Oh no.....your tort's pyramiding is not all that bad. However ,sorry to inform you that it won't go away. BUT you can stop it from getting worse, GOD forbid. Just make sure that you give your tort daily soaks in warm water and make sure that there's enough humidity. ;) I for one spray Oli's enclosure with wter each and ever day. :)
 

Taylor T.

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
589
Location (City and/or State)
New England
Welcome to the forum!

Yes, soaking will often increase appetite, and it also keeps him hydrated. Glad he is eating.
 

itsonlyme

New Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Spain
Please can anyone help. I bought my horsefield tortoise who is roughly 4 years old has not eaten since being with me.

He is in a tray not glass enclosure.
Heat lamp goes up to 80 f
Cooler spots room temp about 70f
His bedroom is filled with hay and on a heat mat which he seems to love.
Bathed him twice and had a drink in it but not eating or drinking in enclosure?

I have offered carrots, spinach, rosemary, weeds, Dandelion leaves, pet shop food which I have read is bad so not wanting to continue with that, grass, peppers, kale, clover and other things I've found in the garden.

He is active and was moving around loads yesterday. Not sure about today because I have been in work and he is in his bed already. He did pop his head out to say hello.

Is it dangerous that he has not eaten for 4 days?
Please help me to get him to eat. I would never forgive myself if he becomes poorly because of it.

Thanks in advance
 

itsonlyme

New Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Spain
Hello Sarah,
I live in Spain and I have had the same problem..
But two of my tortoises are only one and two years old but they did not eat and were loosing weight.
I put them in a seed propegator and increased the temperatura during the day. Not at night as night temperaturas here are still very warm.
At the same time I fed them a tortoise mash. This can be made up of any tortoise Green food. I used defrosted garden peas as the base together with cress, sow thistle, soft pear including flowers and rocket lettuce. Mashed it up and added a large helping of ground cuttlefish. Woof they ate the lot. Possibly the temperature or the mash but I think a combination of both.
Before I get emails regardfing softfood and peas I will only give this twice a week and rely on the Jackson Ratio to keep me updated.
I got the idea from a book, shall we say a booklet, wriiten by Christine Adrian entitled A step by step by step book about Tortoises. Published by t.f.h.
Kind regards
Gordon
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,606
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
Hello Sarah,
I live in Spain and I have had the same problem..
But two of my tortoises are only one and two years old but they did not eat and were loosing weight.
I put them in a seed propegator and increased the temperatura during the day. Not at night as night temperaturas here are still very warm.
At the same time I fed them a tortoise mash. This can be made up of any tortoise Green food. I used defrosted garden peas as the base together with cress, sow thistle, soft pear including flowers and rocket lettuce. Mashed it up and added a large helping of ground cuttlefish. Woof they ate the lot. Possibly the temperature or the mash but I think a combination of both.
Before I get emails regardfing softfood and peas I will only give this twice a week and rely on the Jackson Ratio to keep me updated.
I got the idea from a book, shall we say a booklet, wriiten by Christine Adrian entitled A step by step by step book about Tortoises. Published by t.f.h.
Kind regards
Gordon
The Jackson ratio is only valid for Greeks and Hermann's. It is not applicable to Russians

The Testudo tortoises should not be fed high protein foods like peas. They are quite capable of putting on weight with leafy greens which are their staple diet as long as temperature parameters are correct.

Greeks, Russians and Hermann's cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods such as tomato, fruit, bell pepper and carrot should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally - if at all.
 

itsonlyme

New Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Spain
The Jackson ratio is only valid for Greeks and Hermann's. It is not applicable to Russians

The Testudo tortoises should not be fed high protein foods like peas. They are quite capable of putting on weight with leafy greens which are their staple diet as long as temperature parameters are correct.

Greeks, Russians and Hermann's cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods such as tomato, fruit, bell pepper and carrot should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally - if at all.
 

itsonlyme

New Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Spain
Thank you for your welcome reply and advice.
I suppose the way we gain information is from people we talk to. such as Vets that breed tortoises and our choice of reading.
They say in books that a Tortoise will not eat food that is not good for them. So when I walk my well kept well fed tortoises around my garden and they eat fallen ripe figs, is this bad for them.
Being at bit slow on the uptake, during this walk I take note of what they eat. So the tortoises tell me what they lile. For instance, I planted wild strawberries in the garden, they loved them. But after two weeks of browsing they ignore them and then they go back to sometime later.Walking your tortoise has many benefits. You are able to drink a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, smoke your pipe. exercise, and see whay your Tortoise
is eating.
Regards
Gordon NTK (Novice Tortoise Keeper)
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,606
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
Tortoises love sweet food... Unfortunately it doesn't mean it is good for them. They are not sensible enough to only eat what is good for them. Figs shouldn't be fed.

My tortoise, Joe, became part of our family on 1970 and loves to eat cherries that fall from our tree if he gets chance and will also eat windfall apples. I spend a lot of time picking them up to try to minimise how many he eats.

And as for wild strawberries... they're like a drug! We have those in our garden too, but not many fortunately

I don't doubt that in the wild tortoises will eat fruit if they find it... and it could harm them. In captivity we have a choice and we should do what we can to minimise the risks.
 

RosemaryDW

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2016
Messages
4,144
Location (City and/or State)
Newport Coast, CA
Is the pyramiding bad? I got him like that? Will it go away?

He doesnt look too bad to me; Russians come from very dry areas and tend to be a little bumpier than other tortoises. Keep up with the soaks.

I see your pet store has sold you some overpriced and possibly dangerous food and water bowls. We all bought at least one as new owners; don’t feel bad!

He can get at the food bowl but it’s not optimal. Put his food on a piece of slate or broken concrete so he can keep his beak worn down.

Because shells don’t bend, tortoises can’t bend down into that water bowl, like a lizard can. Worst case they flip and drown; best case they don’t drink as often as they could. Get a cheap terra cotta saucer that’s bigger than your tortoise and sink it into the substrate so that it’s level. Your tortoise can walk into it that way, like he would a puddle.

That said, Russians don’t drink very much so don’t fuss if you don’t see him using it that often. He might poop in it. :eek:
 

New Posts

Top