Recently separated breeding pair seem off...

[Crzt4torts]

11 year co-habitation Russian pair separated almost 3 weeks ago, due to excessive mating. Didn't want the female to be stressed. She has laid 3 clutches of eggs since end of November, every 2-3 weeks.
No changes to their environment (lighting, heating, substrate) but since being separated both seem much less active, eating significantly less,sleeping much more. Housed indoors since October as it is too cold here for outside time.
I can see the female being off with all the nesting. Might the male be just less active due to no female to go after?
I have not attempted hibernation with them, maybe just winter coming on affecting them?
Trying not to project human emotions onto tortoises - but might they be missing each other?
Would anyone recommend re- uniting them? I've increased to daily soaks since they have been like this for 2 weeks now.
Any thoughts much appreciated!

 

[leigti]

Well, they might just be a little stressed from having new enclosures. Maybe they are less active because the female doesn't have to run away from the male and the mail doesn't have to chase her down. I think it's probably safe to say the female doesn't miss the male there have been several recent threads with instructions on how to hibernate if you want to do that this year. Or just keep the lights on 14 hours a day and the temperatures nice and warm during the day and keep them up for the winter

 

[Tom]

Seems most likely due to new enclosures, and the normal winter slow down stuff.

I would not put them back together.

 

[TortoiseRN]

I agree with Tom. Have you ever hibernated them before. I normally hibernate my breeding colony and yearlings but I am deployed this year and my wife opted to keep them out of the fridge this winter. She has noticed them acting a little off. This is quite normal. If you've never tried it you might want to looking into cooling them down for the winter or at least a month. Plus if your breeding and selling hatchlings, it will really fire up the males drive in the spring. Kind of hard to believe male Russians can have any more of a sex drive right! Lol Just my $0.02.

 

[Crzt4torts]

Seems most likely due to new enclosures, and the normal winter slow down stuff.

I would not put them back together.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[Crzt4torts]

I agree with Tom. Have you ever hibernated them before. I normally hibernate my breeding colony and yearlings but I am deployed this year and my wife opted to keep them out of the fridge this winter. She has noticed them acting a little off. This is quite normal. If you've never tried it you might want to looking into cooling them down for the winter or at least a month. Plus if your breeding and selling hatchlings, it will really fire up the males drive in the spring. Kind of hard to believe male Russians can have any more of a sex drive right! Lol Just my $0.02.

Believe it or not, after 11 years together, I was surprised to see eggs! I know, common sense, but I had read someplace early on that breeding was not easy, after so much time I was just thinking it would not happen.
I had no intentions of breeding/selling hatchlings. I was sadly not familiar with this Forum and did not realize that after a mating, my Russian might lay fertile eggs for years. I did do alot of reading but failed to come upon that. I had figured that, like a mammal, after a clutch I could keep them apart. I am crazy about all animals, so feel compelled to attempt incubation with all her eggs until she stops laying fertile ones. While I am hoping to get successful hatching of them, I am a little nervous about the number of babies we might end up with. I will face that hurdle if it comes. In the mean time setting up the 'nursery' quarters and brooder boxes. Preparing to segregate little ones if they do not get along...Will see how long my SPACE holds out!

 

[Crzt4torts]

Well, the vet visit today explains why Anastasia is not herself, she still has 2 ready to lay eggs in her. She received calcium/vitamin injection and oxytocin at vets, I have given her her next 2 injections of oxytocin here at home - now she is sitting on her nest box. Please keep your fingers crossed that she will lay!

 

[Oxalis]

Well, the vet visit today explains why Anastasia is not herself, she still has 2 ready to lay eggs in her. She received calcium/vitamin injection and oxytocin at vets, I have given her her next 2 injections of oxytocin here at home - now she is sitting on her nest box. Please keep your fingers crossed that she will lay!

Good luck! We always love to see baby photos on here! ;D

 

[Crzt4torts]

 

[Crzt4torts]

Well, the oxytocin worked - came home tonight to find 2 eggs. She did not dig or bury -don't know if that is common when induced.
I really hope she perks up! She is not herself at all.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I don't know of any case where an induced egg laying included normal nest hole digging, that is normal she will just push them out.

I am more familiar with round Russian eggs not the oblong ones. That is cool. Some people ascribe different redfoot populations to egg shape, round and oblong. Any takers here on subspecies for egg shape????

 

[Crzt4torts]

I don't know of any case where an induced egg laying included normal nest hole digging, that is normal she will just push them out.

I am more familiar with round Russian eggs not the oblong ones. That is cool. Some people ascribe different redfoot populations to egg shape, round and oblong. Any takers here on subspecies for egg shape????

Interesting! My female is oval,(7x5) male is round (5.5x5) Most of her eggs have been oblong. She did have 1 round one in her Jan 1 clutch of 2. So of the now 7 in incubator , just 1 round.

 

[Oxalis]

Wow, I didn't know you could give oxytocin to tortoises. That is a very interesting egg shape; would love to see how that turns out. I hope Anastasia recovers soon!

 

[Crzt4torts]

Seems most likely due to new enclosures, and the normal winter slow down stuff.

I would not put them back together.

Oh dear! Back to vet tomorrow, since passing the eggs Anastasia is not moving. She will spin herself around a bit bit no forward motion. She is not using left rear leg normally and seems to hold oddly when I pick her up.
Possible pelvic fracture? From passing the large egg she was retaining..
I'm very concerned. Any experience with this Tom?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I'm very concerned. Any experience with this Tom?

Include the@ @Tom

Hope you figure out what happened...Sorry.

 

[Oxalis]

I hope everything is OK with Anastasia!!

 

[Crzt4torts]

Well, vet suggesting possible nerve impingement after passing large egg. He suggests a watch and wait approach. May resolve.
Keeping her warm, daily soaks, placing her right in front of food several times a day.
She is not eating much, but a bit. Hoping for recovery, this is so sad to see her this way.

 

[leigti]

I think your vet could be on the right track. If there's no joint damage I think you can gently move the leg in a normal range of motion pattern. Try holding her up in deeper water and see if she'll try moving the leg on her own, some pool therapy