Please Help!!

[laurieslovett]

Hi All,

I am a mom to a 9 year old boy who is babysitting a Russian tortoise for the Summer for his Teacher. We Babysat over Winter & Spring break so we are pretty familiar with the normal activities of a tortoise.
The problem we are having is that the "Poco" is laying under his log a lot and isn't eating much. His bulb burned out and my husband went to Petsmart and they told us to buy a different type of bulb and I wondered if it could be the problem. It is a Sun Glo basking spot lamp with UVA rays.I think his old bulb had UVA & UVB if I am not mistaken.
He looks fine but is just acting differently, any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Flametorch]

Well, it might help for you tell us what he eats at a normal basis; however, UVB are a necessity to a tortoise.

 

[Crazy1]

The Sun Glo bulb is by exo Terra it provides heat and UVA only. I would take the bulb back and get what type he had. Depending on where you have it it could be causing an increase in themperature and depending on the Wattage it could be causing him eye discomfort. I would replace the bulb with the identical bulb that was in the enclosure for Poco. Hopefully this will help solve the problem. Have you tried taking him outside and see how he does on your lawn?
If he is still unresponsive a call to the teacher or a trip to the vet might be in order. You are welcome to post pics of Poco and his enclosure if you would like it is easier to help find the problems that way.
Oh and welcome to the forum.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It sounds to me like he is too cold. Their metabolism needs to be 85 to 90 degrees to metabolize their food and if it's not that warm they won't eat. Here's a link to an excellent care sheet for Russians, I hope you will read it to help your little tortoise. Taking him outside would be good for him also. Can you create a small safe pen for him out on your lawn?

http://www.russiantortoise.org/
Welcome to the forum and I am very glad you care enough to try and help that tortoise...

 

[laurieslovett]

I apologize, I should have given more details. Thank you to all who replied.
I have been taking him outdoors and he moves all over when he is outside. If I take his log out of his enclosure, he also will move around, but if he has the log in his container, he stays under it almost always.
I have his pen right under a window that gets semi filterd light all day. I also gave him a soak in baby warm water yesterday, because I thought that he might be dehydrated and he really seemed to enjoy it.
Another thing that I found strange is that we were gone for one night over the weekend, and he had made all of these tunnels with his bedding which is forest subtrate. I turned his light off while we were gone. The temperature in our house is set at 78 degrees and he is in an upstairs bedroom so I know that the temp is at least a couple degrees warmer. The vents to the room are not near his enclosure.
I feed him different greens. Romaine, leaf lettuce, and mixed spring mix. Also his dry food which is Zoo med Natural Grassland tortoise food.
In the winter when I watched him, the teacher gave me "dragon dust" to put on his food, this time he did not. Should I go buy some??

 

[Flametorch]

well dragon dust seems to be a vitamin rich and protein rich supplement, so I would probably stray away from it, and do you give your tortoise a calcium supplement often? Calcium is very necessary to a tortoise, and should be given almost daily. Check your tortoise's shell too, is it spongy feeling, because if it is, then that means he's lacking calcium. If you feel you're not getting an answer fast enough, checking the other topics will help a lot too. Sometimes tortoises don't if they are too cold, or feel uncomfortable, you can check by letting him run outside

 

[tortoisenerd]

Welcome to the forum! Congrats on tort sitting. Aren't Russians awesome?

What type of enclosure is it (glass, wood, plastic)? Remember that sunlight through the window does not get any UVB through. He needs UVB, light, and heat. Look at the site Maggie linked to--it's great. Pure calcium powder (a human supplement is great, such as NOW, cheaper than the reptile stuff and easier to fine in a pure form), no D3, no vitamin supplements.

Food sounds ok, but I would focus more on weeds, grasses, broadleaf plants, etc. That dry food is one of the two I would ever recommend, but not as a huge part of the diet. The more weedy the greens the better (not as much romaine). Variety is key.

They love to burrow. I make the substrate extra deep for my Russian and he loves it. If you have the enclosure height (they shouldn't be able to climb on anything and reach the top), then go for it.

Please post pictures of the tort and enclosure if you can so we can give suggestions if necessary. When too cold, too warm, sick, dehydrated, etc, a tort will be inactive. Sometimes adding things to the enclosure sure as a fake or live plant, rocks, new hide areas like a box, can liven a tort up. If all he has is the same enclosure to walk around in and the one log, then some enrichment could help. A hide in both a warmer and cooler area is good.

Does he have a shallow water dish in the enclosure? This is necessary. In addition, if you do not see him get in the water on his own, then soak twice a week (or more if he has not had water nor been soaked). In captivity under hot lights they dry out more. What type of substrate specifically? Do you moisten it and mix it up?

If you don't know what type of bulb he had before, I suggest a Mercury Vapor bulb to provide heat, UVB, and light. Either the Mega Ray, T-Rex, or Powersun. They run about $50 but last 12 months instead of 6 months like a tube light. If he only had one bulb previously I hope it was this type, as otherwise UVB only comes in a tube light as far as I know (a light bulb is only for a "basking" light, not UVB). I have never seen them in a pet store, only online. Frankly the average pet store employee has no idea what they are talking about when it comes to tort care, and just try to sell their junk...many tort products are toxic, dangerous, or inappropriate.

What is the temperature gradient (high and low) in the enclosure? He should have from the 70s up to one warm spot of 95. How long do you keep the light/heat on during the day? You want a temperature drop slightly at night, but not below 60/65, which definitely shouldn't be a problem in summer. No spot over 95. Remember also that at the top of his shell it is warmer than at the substrate, where you measure a temperature. You can buy a digital probe thermometer but they are rather slow. I like a laser thermometer ($25) as they are quick and accurate. I know you probably want to minimize the costs as you are just pet sitting. Want to contact the teacher about the care? It sounds like maybe things weren't exactly ideal for him, but I've heard a lot worse. It's great you care so much.

Is your lawn pesticide/fertilizer free for him to graze on?

If he's never been taken to a vet it would be my suggestion to do so to rule out parasites (they do a fecal test; very very common in pet store tortoises), check for general health, etc.

Best wishes.

 

[laurieslovett]

Kate,

Thank you very much for your suggestions and information, I really appreciate you taking the time to try to help.
Tomorrow, I am going to purchase a new bulb, and some of the calcium supplement that you recommended. He never tries to feed on my lawn at all, so I will take him to the playground at the elementary school in our neighborhood, it has a lot of weedy stuff for him. Tonight after soaking him and letting him outside he seemed a bit more active and ate a good amount of greens. I never realized what is requred to take good care of a Tort! We really enjoy him and I want him to be happy and healthy, even though he isn't technically ours. My son is so attached to him and so am I. Hopefully he will perk up when I start following your suggestions and a Vet visit won't be necessary.

Thanks again for everything,

Laurie

 

[Crazy1]

Laurie, I would not take him to the playground. They use chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers on those lawns. This would not be good for the tort. If you do not use chemicals on your lawn I would just take him out there for exercise and UVB.

I don't remember you stating what type of pen you have him in. Is it Glass? Often if a pen is set in front of a window it can cause the pen to heat up faster. JFYI Sounds like giving him a soak helped him perk up. Often they eat better right after a soak.

I would take back the light bulbs your husband brought home they should take them back. and replace them with the type of bulb he had(that may just be your or your torts problem). If he is outside for an hour or so a day you can not get the uvb bulb as an hour outside should be enough. Try giving him a little canned pumpkin (not the one with spices) once a week. It helps with worming and torts seem to love it and it's good for them. You can also mist his greens which will help add moisture to his diet and help the calcium stick when you begin using it. Seems you have been sitting this tort a few times and the most that has changed was the lights. Am I correct in assuming this? Sounds like you are doing the tweaking that needs to be done to find out what will work best with your foster tort. Please keep us informed on his progress.

What a wonderful learning experience for your family especially your son and what great information he will be able to take back to class and share with his class and teacher, on the best care for the Russian tort.