Please Please Read This

[jpeck425]

that's the thing...his food in the pet store yesterday looked untouched.

I don't know the last time he's eaten...I did see him drink at the store,
and he puts his whole head in the dish...even eyes under water.
Is that how all tortoises drink?

He's been using his water dish...I put a very large one in, though its only
about an inch and a half deep. I really want to take some pictures of him, but
am afraid to do so (I don't want to stress him)

I will do that with the baby soap...I have some at my moms. Do I just put
alittle on the toothbrush, scrub him, and rinse?

(Also...He REALLY likes having the sides of his shell scratched. He will
stretch up the legs on the opposite side being scratched and
"lean" into my fingers) I think he would enjoy being cleaned.

I put some banana in with him, and I will try worms tomorrow. I wish I had
money for vet bills...he needs his beak trimmed badly. I am hoping to be
able to drive him to heathers on sunday, instead of next week.

Does any one have any extra info for me on Hingebacks? Are they a rarer
tort? I've never seen one before this...

(also, he really seemed to perk up when I misted him.)

Sorry about posting so sporattically...I have just been cruising around the
forums, and I spotted the Hingeback think in J's signature and couldn't help
myself. THANK YOU to whoever got all my posts together on this thread, I
do appreciate it!

Hey there,

Well it sounds like you've got everything going in the right direction. Hingebacks can take awhile to acclimate under the best of circumstances, so this little guy might require a bit of time. Once he turns the corner, it can be amazing how different their personalities become. You've done a really good thing and should be proud of yourself. I'm impressed at your dedication to research and inquirey.

I agree with Yvonne that offering foods the tortoise is used to, in combination with the correct foods, might provide stronger results. Tortoises can be like humans and sometimes get hung-up on the wrong foods. Persistence usually prevails. I haven't had a hingeback yet who has been able to refuse the movements of a live nightcrawler dropped in front of them, although sometimes they wait until they can't see you.

As far as the greasy shell, it could be a result of sitting in dirty water or they might have tried to "polish" the tortoise to make it more appealing to consumers. Usually if an animal has sat in a store for a year, they try almost anything to move it at that point. Hopefully they will refrain from replace this tortoise, after having such difficulty with it. Yvonne's suggestion on cleaning it sounds like the way to go.

Good luck and thanks for making the world a better place, with your efforts. Thanks to Dan for organizing all of these threads, I just realized I had responded in the photo section before

Be well all
Jeff

 

[Jacqui]

If anybody needs to rehome a Hingeback, I would be willing to take them. There is always room in our home for more Hinges.

Such good advice and comments have already been given. A long with the worms which the majority do love other things on the favorite list for most are mushrooms and ripe bananas. The bananas in themselves aren't a top choice, but to get them eating it works well...plus a great way to sneak in other good things like supplements. Most fruits (hibiscus flowers and dandelions too) are also enjoyed easily by them. Then gradually move into the greens.

Another thing, if you ever deal with a really shy Hinge, is to place the food dish right next to their hide until they gain confidence. Also they tend to not like the lights and prefer the more normal lighting you would have in your room rather then something like a UV or basking light.

 

[Meg90]

Ok there are some pictures of him....in the one with the waterbottle in the background, you can really see how bad his beak is...

I also posted a pic of his enclosure. I use the lid of the tub to prop up too,
over the waterdish...He uses that alot. I keep the aspen moist too by
misting, and I have a humidifier running.

He still hasn't eaten for me...refused worms and bananas. Any other
suggestions?

Also, can anyone tell if he is male or female by the tail shot? And in one
photo I put a red circle around one of the white patches on his shell,
to see if any one thinks its shell rot..(sorry for the crap quality...my
camera is going to hell in a hand basket)

Any input is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks Danny :shy:

 

[egyptiandan]

It's a female

Your better off with Cyprus bark mulch for a substrate for her. That will keep the humidity much better and it won't be quite so "bright".
She actually doesn't look to bad, her eyes look good, I didn't see any shell rot (hard to tell from pictures though). She has also done some growing since being in captivity, so she has to be eating something. Her beak doesn't look to bad to me. They normally have a bit more beak than most tortoises.
Did they say whether they were feeding her any pelleted food?

Danny

 

[Meg90]

I saw pelleted food in there...I still can't get her to eat for me though..
She has refused everything.

I would put her on mulch if I were keeping her, but she should be going
to the Serpent Sanctuary within the week and Aspen is what I keep
my greek on.

Thanks for sexing her for me...I think I will still keep Emerson as her name
though....

Do you think she's just not eating because she's still acclimating?

 

[jpeck425]

I saw pelleted food in there...I still can't get her to eat for me though..
She has refused everything.

I would put her on mulch if I were keeping her, but she should be going
to the Serpent Sanctuary within the week and Aspen is what I keep
my greek on.

Thanks for sexing her for me...I think I will still keep Emerson as her name
though....

Do you think she's just not eating because she's still acclimating?

Give it a little time. Hingebacks can be slow to come around and it sounded like you just picked her up a couple of days ago. It can take time to adjust to a new enclosure. Offer a little each day, but don't get too discouraged. The store neglected her for a long time. She'll get there.

 

[Meg90]

She is such a STINKER! all day she refuses to eat anything for me,
and then tonight when I went in to use the bathroom, she
had her neck stretched out and was trying to nibble the plastic
leaves!

So of course, seeing as she wanted greens, I quick got
together some spring mix and banana pieces and put it in the spot
she was trying to eat her foliage...

AND yet, nothing! Not even touched! I'm gonna leave a dish in there
now at all times...I was pulling it out before, because she was walking
it through out the whole cage. But I put it in a peanut butter lid
instead of on a plate like I was, so I hope it will stay more contained.

Little bugger! It gives me hope tho....at least I know that she can open
her mouth for more than just breathing.

Danny--are you sure she's a she? I posted the same pics on WIreptiles
and someone said she looked like a boy...what tipped you off to the sex?

 

[egyptiandan]

You can't mistake a male They have huge tails. Not Home's hingebacks, but a close relative and tails are just the same in the 2 species. http://www.chelonia.org/sexing/sexing_Kinixys_erosa.htm

Danny

 

[Meg90]

Oh wow...I guess there is no mistaking it!

Maybe I will change her name then....find something prettier for
her...she's such a shy girl!

 

[Yvonne G]

...she's such a shy girl!

Since she IS so shy, you need to place the food in her habitat then step quickly out of her sight. Some shy animals just WILL NOT eat if they can see you watching them.

Yvonne

 

[Meg90]

She's had a plate in there since last night...

I always keep out of her sight! Even if she's walking around, or in
her water dish, she'll freeze if she sees me! I started creeping into the bath
room on my hands and knees, and trying to keep my head down lol.

She's such a stinker. I"m going to keep the blue cover propped up
today and just leave her. I checked her water and food, and with
all the humidity, the lettuce was pretty fresh.

I think I'm going to call her Charlotte. I'll let everyone know when she
finally does eat!

 

[pebbles mom]

Hello! I have not heard of Serpent Santuary before. This is a wonderful thing! They will be getting some snail mail from me with a Christmas gift for lil Charlotte.

 

[Jacqui]

Mango is another top loved fruit. Also my Homes tended to prefer early morning and late evening meals at first.