Red foot stopped eating

[Honeyman]

I have posted in the past about my red foot tortoise Magnus. He is now 9 months old and weighs exactly 200g. Unfortunately his appetite has become almost none existent the past 2 weeks. He does take a few small bites every couple of days but never more then that. I dont understand what is wrong with him. The parameters are spot on with 80-90% humidity, ambient temperatures in the low to mid 80's and a basking sight of 90°f. His diet consists of things like dandelion, several species of plantain, hibiscus,cactus pads and fruit when available, papaya, mango, fungi, muzzuri, mulberrific delite,and the occasional earth worm or egg( this is done roughly once a month) plus many more things I can't think of at the moment. I do soak him every day to make sure he stays hydrated and I never handle unless necessary for care. He was in a 8'x4'x3' closed chamber enclosure by himself up until 3 days ago when I moved him to a smaller 200qt tub closed chamber with the same parameters. I did this in hopes a smaller enclosure would make him feel more secure and i can also watch him more closely. I understand that tortoises hate change and it is risky considering hes already not eating well,but after consulting several keepers they agreed I should try a smaller enclosure since baby's can tend to get "lost" in large spaces. He is kept with t.5 ho uvb and shows no other signs of illness. I am getting an appointment with the vet to do some fecals but until then does anybody here have any advice? What can I do to help his appetite? What could be causing the decrease in his appetite? I also forgot to mention he does get calcium twice a week and a multivitamin once a month but he seems to dislike food even more when it has calcium

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I have posted in the past about my red foot tortoise Magnus. He is now 9 months old and weighs exactly 200g. Unfortunately his appetite has become almost none existent the past 2 weeks. He does take a few small bites every couple of days but never more then that. I dont understand what is wrong with him. The parameters are spot on with 80-90% humidity, ambient temperatures in the low to mid 80's and a basking sight of 90°f. His diet consists of things like dandelion, several species of plantain, hibiscus,cactus pads and fruit when available, papaya, mango, fungi, muzzuri, mulberrific delite,and the occasional earth worm or egg( this is done roughly once a month) plus many more things I can't think of at the moment. I do soak him every day to make sure he stays hydrated and I never handle unless necessary for care. He was in a 8'x4'x3' closed chamber enclosure by himself up until 3 days ago when I moved him to a smaller 200qt tub closed chamber with the same parameters. I did this in hopes a smaller enclosure would make him feel more secure and i can also watch him more closely. I understand that tortoises hate change and it is risky considering hes already not eating well,but after consulting several keepers they agreed I should try a smaller enclosure since baby's can tend to get "lost" in large spaces. He is kept with t.5 ho uvb and shows no other signs of illness. I am getting an appointment with the vet to do some fecals but until then does anybody here have any advice? What can I do to help his appetite? What could be causing the decrease in his appetite? I also forgot to mention he does get calcium twice a week and a multivitamin once a month but he seems to dislike food even more when it has calcium

Nothing that you mentioned sounds off.
Redfoot usually eat like little wolves. So. Something is certainly wrong.
Unfortunately so few vets understand tortoises. But so few will admit it. (And they cause great harm, pain and unnecessary deaths)
Get an X ray and a fecal test. Do not allow any injections and please speak to us before you go forward with any other procedures so that we can determine if it makes logical sense.
Basically what your vet has to say will show us weather he/she is a QUACK or not.
In the meantime keep him hydrated and if possible get a photo of the latest poop.

 

[Honeyman]

Thats the problem I've been having is trying to find an exotic vet in utah let alone one that deals with tortoises but I think I have one lined out. These tortoises mean the world to me so I appreciate any help or advice I can get from all of you here on the forum. I also reached out to the folks over at Garden State Tortoise for their opinion, hopefully I will hear from them soon. I will also try and get a photo of his poop as well. Thank you as always @ZEROPILOT

 

[Maggie3fan]

Thats the problem I've been having is trying to find an exotic vet in utah let alone one that deals with tortoises but I think I have one lined out. These tortoises mean the world to me so I appreciate any help or advice I can get from all of you here on the forum. I also reached out to the folks over at Garden State Tortoise for their opinion, hopefully I will hear from them soon. I will also try and get a photo of his poop as well. Thank you as always @ZEROPILOT

I wouldn't be in so much of a hurry just yet. To me it looks like you changed his environment, and he is upset by it...when I have a tortoise who stops eating it makes me crazy. So I offer the best most tasty whatever and try to tempt him into eating. Sweet potatoes. cooked squash, Spring mix or for my RF, mushrooms. I'd be for raising the temp, put him in something he can't get out of and start soaking in carrots tomorrow
Anyhow...before you do go, go to our Vet list there's a few exotic Vets listed.

 

[Honeyman]

I wanted to give a little update on Magnus. Today he roamed around his enclosure more then I've seen in a long time and he ate a good amount of his cuttle bone and he had a little papaya as well. The carrot soaks did seem to perk him up a bit, I've done that twice so far since I've heard three is the limit I may do it one more time to get some more vitamins in him. He has ate a little mulberrific delite and muzzuri as well this week so I'm hopeful he's okay and that hes just a little stressed not sick.

 

[Honeyman]

Hello everyone, I have a red foot hatchling that makes a squeaking noise when it drinks or eats food that is particularly wet. I've had her for a few weeks now and the tortoise has made the noise since day one. However it eats, drinks and explores all the time and has gained weight consistently since I've got it. There is no other things that make me concerned, like runny nose or excessive yawning. Has anyone experienced anything like this?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Is it kind of like a “squawking” sound? My sulcata used to do it after eating too, and I think I made one or two posts like this one asking about it years ago. Really used to freak me out. Perfectly normal, it seems.

 

[TammyJ]

Glad he seems to be feeling better! Where did you hear "three is the limit" for carrot soaks?

 

[Honeyman]

It was thread I found on here a long time ago. If I can do it more then that I definitely will though. Is it safe to do it more then that?

 

[Honeyman]

It sounds almost as if someone is walking in wet shoes, so I guess a kind of squawking noise. Is this similar to your sulcuta? If so did it go away on its own and would you feel comfortable putting that tortoises in a group of healthy tortoises?

 

[Honeyman]

Is there anyway to post a video of the noise on here?

 

[Maggie3fan]

The nares and mouth are connected, it used to freak me out when my CDT would eat something wet and bubbles would come out his nose...lol. I think the squeak is connected to that process...

 

[Maggie3fan]

I wanted to give a little update on Magnus. Today he roamed around his enclosure more then I've seen in a long time and he ate a good amount of his cuttle bone and he had a little papaya as well. The carrot soaks did seem to perk him up a bit, I've done that twice so far since I've heard three is the limit I may do it one more time to get some more vitamins in him. He has ate a little mulberrific delite and muzzuri as well this week so I'm hopeful he's okay and that hes just a little stressed not sick.

Just a small correction from the person who's sister brought carrot soaks to TFO 40 or so years ago, I had a CDT who was very sick so, of course, I soaked in carrots...for almost a year, I soaked him and I'd say "ok make this tort better". There is nothing to stop you from soaking your tortoise in carrots as an additional little healthy thing to do. This is the first time I've heard this...where do you hear that? And that tortoise is still alive

 

[Honeyman]

That makes me feel much better! I kinda figured it had to be something to do with it considering she never does it on random

 

[Honeyman]

So the three time limit actually wasn't on this forum. I looked through some saved pages and it was on a page called theturtleladyca.com. I understand it isn't a cure for any illness but I'm doing it in hopes the tortoise gets some nutrients. It seems to be working .

 

[TechnoCheese]

It sounds almost as if someone is walking in wet shoes, so I guess a kind of squawking noise. Is this similar to your sulcuta? If so did it go away on its own and would you feel comfortable putting that tortoises in a group of healthy tortoises?

Yep, that’s the sound, and I think exactly how I described it too!

 

[Tom]

He was in a 8'x4'x3' closed chamber enclosure by himself up until 3 days ago when I moved him to a smaller 200qt tub closed chamber with the same parameters. I did this in hopes a smaller enclosure would make him feel more secure and i can also watch him more closely. I understand that tortoises hate change and it is risky considering hes already not eating well,but after consulting several keepers they agreed I should try a smaller enclosure since baby's can tend to get "lost" in large spaces.

This concept is absurd. What happens when they hatch out in the wild? DO they get "lost" in the world? I've started hundreds of babies in 4x8 foot enclosures. They don't get lost and they don't have any problem finding the food, water and shelters. I say this to point out that the large enclosure was not your problem.

I see a few things:
1. Most RFs don't need or want a basking bulb. Have you tried turning it off?
2. The HO tube might be too bright for a forest species. What type of HO tube is it and how long do you run it? Strong UV for 12 hours a day is unnatural and that might be putting him off.
3. What substrate is he on?
4. How many tortoises are in the enclosure?
5. Are you running a humidifier blowing into the enclosure?

 

[Honeyman]

This concept is absurd. What happens when they hatch out in the wild? DO they get "lost" in the world? I've started hundreds of babies in 4x8 foot enclosures. They don't get lost and they don't have any problem finding the food, water and shelters. I say this to point out that the large enclosure was not your problem.

I see a few things:
1. Most RFs don't need or want a basking bulb. Have you tried turning it off?
2. The HO tube might be too bright for a forest species. What type of HO tube is it and how long do you run it? Strong UV for 12 hours a day is unnatural and that might be putting him off.
3. What substrate is he on?
4. How many tortoises are in the enclosure?
5. Are you running a humidifier blowing into the enclosure

Well first off to say this concept is absurd is to discredit several keepers who I have much respect for and trust more then you tom. Second, to say red foots don't need a basking area is absurd and besides that the temps are spot on so its not like hes cooking. They are not a forest species. They are a savanna species. His uvb is a 5.0 and that is what is recommended for his species. I do not use a humidifier in his new set up. I simply spray it. In is old set up I did and it was on a timer to go off in the morning and evening. It was cleaned every time the bottle ran out as well. He is on. A mix of coconut chips, reptisoil, coco coir, sphagnum moss, and organic top soil. He is fed on a large terracotta dish. And it is ran for 12 hours and that will not change. Because that is natural, the sun is out for twelve hours. He is not stuck under it all day there is plenty of places to go away from the bulb. the uvb is completely within the uv index that is safe for red foots. So spare me your high horse bullshit I didn't just jump into caring for these animals I have done my damn research. So stop questioning my husbandry when I have tortoises that are completely fine and happy besides this imparticular one.

 

[Honeyman]

Not too mention every single tortoise I have ever owned has utilized a basking sight, when they can just go over to a spot under the uvb or a che and accomplish the same thing. I will not deprive my animals of things that they clearly will use and enjoy because you do things different and it works for you. The folks over at Garden State Tortoise raise there red foot tortoise hatchlings in the exact same set up I have Magnus in right now and clearly they are extremely successful. I use flood lights for basking just like the people on this forum have told me to do I do not use spot bulbs that drain the life out of tortoises. Now that will be the end of this discussion. Thanks all who ACTUALLY gave advice to help.

 

[TammyJ]

I did not give you any advice, because I am not qualified by sufficient experience to do so. However, one of the very experienced and caring people on this forum, Tom, tried to help you by giving his valuable opinion and asking questions. You responded by being rude, aggressive and insulting. That is a pity. I wish your tortoise the best of luck as you go from one place to another trying to find some ideas that match your own.