Redfoot won't eat

Status
Not open for further replies.

Nociti

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
15
My redfoot has been eating very little and I don't know what to do about it. He is about 5 months old, 2.8 in, 2.5 oz (lost some weight since last month).

He will nibble a little bit once every 2-3 days. He will not eat every day. Is that normal? I started giving him a mixed plate in case he is picky (greens, fruit, mazuri pellet all in one plate for him to choose). Most often he will just walk all over the food and go back to his hide. Every few days he'll nibble on the food for a bit.

Should I be concerned?
 

kathyth

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
3,156
Location (City and/or State)
Beaumont, CA.
To helo us, why don't you do the following.
Send us clear pictures of the Redfoots enclusure, including lighting, substrate and the top, if thereis one.
Also please send us a good picture of the tortoise.
What are the temps in the enclosure?
Do you know the humidity?

These answers will help the very exerienced people on this forum.
 

Nociti

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
15
kathyth said:
To helo us, why don't you do the following.
Send us clear pictures of the Redfoots enclusure, including lighting, substrate and the top, if thereis one.
Also please send us a good picture of the tortoise.
What are the temps in the enclosure?
Do you know the humidity?

These answers will help the very exerienced people on this forum.

Here is a thread I made a while ago with all of the information you requested, along with pictures. The only thing that has changed from that post is the diet. I now give him a bigger variety of greens and fruits, along with mazuri pellets: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-63970.html

EDIT: The temperature is now ~80 instead of 90 like in that post.
 

RedfootsRule

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
938
Location (City and/or State)
Miami, Florida
Are you soaking him daily? Sometimes they just go "off food" for a little while...No explanation for it. It never lasts more then 2-3 days for hatchlings though, so if it goes on much longer, then there is cause for worry. Its possible he has parasites of some sort, so if this goes on, a trip to the vet would be best.
 

Nociti

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
15
I do soak him daily. This has been going on for a couple of weeks I think.
 

RedfootsRule

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
938
Location (City and/or State)
Miami, Florida
Nociti said:
I do soak him daily. This has been going on for a couple of weeks I think.

Its hard to say whats going on. If its been going on for that long, there is a possibility he has a parasite of some sorts. The best thing to do would be to take him to a herp vet for a fecal exam and go from there.
 

Michael in MO

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
198
Something I've noticed over the years is that if a tort hasn't had a good B.M. in a while they may not have an appetite... the best way I've found to get a good B.M. from a tort is to move them to an unfamiliar environment after they are warm, awake and mobile, OR give them new substrate (Murphy's law) out with the old in with the new :tort:
 

mainey34

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
3,770
Location (City and/or State)
Peoria, Arizona
OK, so you have changed the temp. Where is your humidity? Is he pooping? Did you change his diet from previous thread?
 

RedfootsRule

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
938
Location (City and/or State)
Miami, Florida
Nociti, have you given him any treats recently? Any foods you don't normally feed? If you gave him some kind of treat, he might be holding out for it again. Besides that, there really is nothing you can do. Lowering the temp should've increased his appetite, I'm surprised he was even active at 90, so the temperature isn't a concern.
 

mainey34

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
3,770
Location (City and/or State)
Peoria, Arizona
RedfootsRule said:
Nociti, have you given him any treats recently? Any foods you don't normally feed? If you gave him some kind of treat, he might be holding out for it again. Besides that, there really is nothing you can do. Lowering the temp should've increased his appetite, I'm surprised he was even active at 90, so the temperature isn't a concern.
I wasn't suggesting the temp was a concern, it was merely a statement.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top