redfoot not eating

[kcut]

I have a young redfoot , about 6 inches, that i bought 2 weeks ago. He will not eat. I had him in an open encloser when he was first brought home. I realized a few days in it was to cold outside of his basking location. I the purchased a new encloser which keeps the basking area at 93 and the coolest is 78. I soak regularly and have uvb bulb. What may be the issue?

 

[kcut]

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

What kind of light are those? If one is spiral-shape, turn it off and get a different type of UVB light. The tube-type fluorescent bulbs work good for RF tortoises. You want to provide a lot of shade with that much lighting. Plants, either fake or real, provide cover and relief from the lights. What is the temperature (measured at ground level). The most common cause of a tortoise not eating is because he's not warm enough. Do you have a screen on top of the viv? Screen material effectively filters out the UVB rays. I can't see your tortoise, so I don't know if that viv is big enough for it.

 

[kcut]

the temps i posted earlier are ground level. Its usually about 92-96 in basking area. Coolest is about 78 in the furthest corner.

 

[kcut]

The one light is the solar glo 100w. The other is 26w uvb 100

 

[phebe121]

Solar glow it only a 125 w or 160 w

 

[kcut]

Its a powersun.

 

[phebe121]

What are you feeding him/her

 

[kcut]

A mix of carrots , red lettuce, yellow squash, and zucchini.

 

[phebe121]

Romaine lettuce
Red and green leaf lettuce
Endive
Escarole
Chicory
Radicchio
Turnip greens
Mustard greens
Kale
Collards
Spring Mix (mixed salad greens)
cabbage (on occasion)
And i know they eat meat but someone with more experience can tell you about that so if he doesnt like the food you giving try something else and mix what you have in with it and sometimes its just a adjustment thing

Yellow squash
Zucchini
Winter squash
Pumpkin
Carrots (on occasion)
Green Beans (on occasion)

FRUIT
Papaya
Mangos
Apples (be sure there are no seeds)
Strawberries
Blackberries
Cactus fruit
Tomatoes

OTHER GOOD CHOICES
Some other favorites of my tortoises that are available:
Hibiscus (flowers and leaves)
Opuntia cactus pads
Hosta
Sedum
Mulberry leaves
Hen and Chicks
Ice Plants
Prickly pear flowers, fruit and pads (burn the spines off)
Dandelion
Plantain (not the banana type fruit....the weed plantago major)
Mallow (flowers and leaves)
Henbit
Rose (flowers and leaves....make sure no systemic pesticides were used)
Chrysanthemum flowers
Cornflowers Plagiobothrys ssp
Forsythia (flowers and leaves)
Dayflower Commelina diffusa (flowers and leaves)
Californian Poppy escholzia

 

[kcut]

I have tried multiple mixes other then what i listed and am trying now. The last thing they ate was a small peice of banana i mixed into the food. I tried to offer banana again a few days later but wouldn't eat it

 

[newCH]

Do you see him drinking ?

 

[kcut]

Yes. I soak him for twice a day to make sure he drinks

 

[kcut]

For about 15 minutes each soak

 

[newCH]

My Sheldon is a bit picky at times. At first I panicked, but if hes hungry enough he will eat. I try variety all the time. At first I tried giving him peaches with his food, he ate it. Then we tried mango. He loves
mango, eats it with gusto ! Followed a few days later with peach
and he wouldnt touch it.
Spring mix, he wont eat the red lettuce !
He likes Mazurri softened, but he doesnt always eat that either.
To me its like a 3 yr old human child, only I can't offer pizza !

 

[newCH]

Chopping the food up tiny helps get them to eat the nutritious food
with the food they seem to have preference to.

 

[kcut]

I chop it up small or use a cheese grater