RT Sleeping more

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Ok, don't forget to tell us how it goes!

Okay will do! Thank you Alex!

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Ok, don't forget to tell us how it goes!

Hi!! Just wanted to share that Sunny is doing a lot better this week and gained weight (on 8/29 he was 546g and on 9/4 he was 561g). He seems to have his appetite back!! He is getting two salads per day and eating almost all of it with a little left over (a mix of weeds from outside and the testudo mix). He has been spending full days outside all week!! I'm not sure if he grazes on the stuff outside since it's so tall now. Do you notice that torts only like stuff about their same height or is sunny just that lazy? Haha I'm glad my little guy is back to normal

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I'm glad is so active now! I don't know about high growing leaves, but probably Sunny just isn't in the mood for grazing on them (technically he is able to).

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

I'm glad is so active now! I don't know about high growing leaves, but probably Sunny just isn't in the mood for grazing on them (technically he is able to).

Me too! I cut out giving him the spring mix and he has been doing great. I wonder if that was just making him extra picky or something. I was thinking he might be full from his morning salad and then he gets hungry again in the evening when I bring him in. Either way he is eating! I'm glad about that

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Hi everyone! Sooo. Sunny's appetite has taken a dip this week. He has slowly been gaining weight every week but this week he just seems rather uninterested in food. Do their appetites normally slow with the season change? What should I expect as we get into the colder months? We don't want him to brumate and want to keep him awake.

In other news...
After his soak today. I saw his tail moving back and forth and I noticed something really big coming out of his cloaca. I thought it was a giant stone that he was trying to pass or something, so I lifted him off his basking rock to get a better look and a giant SLUG-like, alien-looking creature came out of his cloaca I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I almost started crying because I literally thought something was terribly wrong like he had a weird giant parasite!! This probably sounds really dumb but Sunny is my first tort and I had NO IDEA what was happening, so i went straight to Google (trying not to panic) and have come to the conclusion that I think he was flashing?? Oh my goodness, I haven't experienced this before, never seen him do this. What does this mean exactly? Help please.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hi everyone! Sooo. Sunny's appetite has taken a dip this week. He has slowly been gaining weight every week but this week he just seems rather uninterested in food. Do their appetites normally slow with the season change? What should I expect as we get into the colder months? We don't want him to brumate and want to keep him awake.

In other news...
After his soak today. I saw his tail moving back and forth and I noticed something really big coming out of his cloaca. I thought it was a giant stone that he was trying to pass or something, so I lifted him off his basking rock to get a better look and a giant SLUG-like, alien-looking creature came out of his cloaca I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I almost started crying because I literally thought something was terribly wrong like he had a weird giant parasite!! This probably sounds really dumb but Sunny is my first tort and I had NO IDEA what was happening, so i went straight to Google (trying not to panic) and have come to the conclusion that I think he was flashing?? Oh my goodness, I haven't experienced this before, never seen him do this. What does this mean exactly? Help please.

Hello!! Glad to see you’re back! Sounds like he’s been doing really well
I suspect it could be seasonal change, sometimes no matter how they’re set up, they’re in tune with it. Still, it’s still a bit too early for any kind of brumation prep. Obviously I know you want to avoid it which is fine, your best bet in doing that is making sure your ambient temperature is in the 75-80 range during the day, well lit, and I’d have lights on 14hrs instead of 12.
That said, do you happen to know if he’s brumated before coming to you? Sometimes it can be difficult to keep some tortoises up if they’re determined to do it. It might be worth giving this thread a read to cover all bases

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Again though, keep things nice and warm, bright, and keep offering feeds, hopefully he’ll stay active for you.

Lol the second part of your post had me in stitchesI’m so grateful we have a female he was indeed flashing you, nothing to worry about so long as it goes back in by itselfit’s normal male behaviour, they’ll sometimes pop it out during a soak or it’ll randomly say hello now n thenjust make sure it he retracts it!

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Hello!! Glad to see you’re back! Sounds like he’s been doing really well
I suspect it could be seasonal change, sometimes no matter how they’re set up, they’re in tune with it. Still, it’s still a bit too early for any kind of brumation prep. Obviously I know you want to avoid it which is fine, your best bet in doing that is making sure your ambient temperature is in the 75-80 range during the day, well lit, and I’d have lights on 14hrs instead of 12.
That said, do you happen to know if he’s brumated before coming to you? Sometimes it can be difficult to keep some tortoises up if they’re determined to do it. It might be worth giving this thread a read to cover all bases

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Again though, keep things nice and warm, bright, and keep offering feeds, hopefully he’ll stay active for you.

Lol the second part of your post had me in stitchesI’m so grateful we have a female he was indeed flashing you, nothing to worry about so long as it goes back in by itselfit’s normal male behaviour, they’ll sometimes pop it out during a soak or it’ll randomly say hello now n thenjust make sure it he retracts it!

Aw, thanks so much! I am always so grateful for this forum to help guide me when I get stuck

He spends most of his day in his outdoor enclosure and I bring him inside around 7 pm before it gets too dark and hard to find him. Good to know that it's still too early for brumation. I'll definitely read the post. Thanks for linking it! Unfortunately, I'm not sure if he did brumate in the past with his first human. I know the rescue we got him from avoids brumation but they did not have him for long, I think only 6 months or so.

Okay, phew. That was honestly so terrifying. I kept asking him, "Sunny, what is that??" As if he would answer me back. Oh my goodness. I was not warned about such things, good to know that I can potentially expect this in the future and I won't have a panic attack again lol I'm scarred for life though

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Aw, thanks so much! I am always so grateful for this forum to help guide me when I get stuck

He spends most of his day in his outdoor enclosure and I bring him inside around 7 pm before it gets too dark and hard to find him. Good to know that it's still too early for brumation. I'll definitely read the post. Thanks for linking it! Unfortunately, I'm not sure if he did brumate in the past with his first human. I know the rescue we got him from avoids brumation but they did not have him for long, I think only 6 months or so.

Okay, phew. That was honestly so terrifying. I kept asking him, "Sunny, what is that??" As if he would answer me back. Oh my goodness. I was not warned about such things, good to know that I can potentially expect this in the future and I won't have a panic attack again lol I'm scarred for life though

No problem at all! We’ll always be here

Fair enough, it is tricky knowing his past when he’s a rescue, I guess I asked because if he is a tortoise who has potentially done it each year, which he could be, then there’s the potential it’s just something he’s going to want to do regardless. Once weather starts dropping where you are, I’d get him nice and warm in a brightly lit indoor set up, hopefully that will keep him awake over winter for you.

Haha bless you!! Honestly I’d be scared too! They look like something out of alien!!

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

No problem at all! We’ll always be here

Fair enough, it is tricky knowing his past when he’s a rescue, I guess I asked because if he is a tortoise who has potentially done it each year, which he could be, then there’s the potential it’s just something he’s going to want to do regardless. Once weather starts dropping where you are, I’d get him nice and warm in a brightly lit indoor set up, hopefully that will keep him awake over winter for you.

Haha bless you!! Honestly I’d be scared too! They look like something out of alien!!

So grateful for that!

That's a great point to keep in mind that he may just try to do it regardless! It'll be good to know what to do in case we can't stop him. But I'll try all of your suggestions maybe I'll buy an extra light just in case.

They really do!! Goodness me. Glad I know now lol

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

So grateful for that!

That's a great point to keep in mind that he may just try to do it regardless! It'll be good to know what to do in case we can't stop him. But I'll try all of your suggestions maybe I'll buy an extra light just in case.

They really do!! Goodness me. Glad I know now lol

Yeah I’m hopeful in a set up you can artificially mimic the summer, ie warmth and longer days(14hrs) it’ll trick him, some just don’t like to be fooled

Haha you should see the amount of threads/ posts I’ve seen titled “HELP what is this giant purple mushroom coming out my tortoise?!” It’s makes me laugh every single time I’m always like “congratulations it’s a boy”

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Yeah I’m hopeful in a set up you can artificially mimic the summer, ie warmth and longer days(14hrs) it’ll trick him, some just don’t like to be fooled

Haha you should see the amount of threads/ posts I’ve seen titled “HELP what is this giant purple mushroom coming out my tortoise?!” It’s makes me laugh every single time I’m always like “congratulations it’s a boy”

Yes, definitely. I think we can achieve the artificial environment. Hopefully he doesn't get too sad not being able to go outside in the winter time though. We will have to provide extra enrichment for him

Seriously though!! There needs to be a warning label just too silly, we humans learning about our little buddies and their biology haha

Thanks for your help and reassurance today

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Yes, definitely. I think we can achieve the artificial environment. Hopefully he doesn't get too sad not being able to go outside in the winter time though. We will have to provide extra enrichment for him

Seriously though!! There needs to be a warning label just too silly, we humans learning about our little buddies and their biology haha

Thanks for your help and reassurance today

Yeah he’ll probably be a bit grumpy for a bit and possibly have a lower appetite because it’s something new he has to get used to over winter, but he should settle within a few weeks and perk back up

lol there definitely should be a warning! if I didn’t know what it was, my first panic would be “omg are you pooping out an organ?!”

You’re very welcome, hope you and Sunny have a lovely day

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Yeah he’ll probably be a bit grumpy for a bit and possibly have a lower appetite because it’s something new he has to get used to over winter, but he should settle within a few weeks and perk back up

lol there definitely should be a warning! if I didn’t know what it was, my first panic would be “omg are you pooping out an organ?!”

You’re very welcome, hope you and Sunny have a lovely day

That makes perfect sense. I'll keep you all updated on how things go with Sunny.

Right?? There were so many questions lol

I hope you and your little red foot have an awesome day too

 

[zolasmum]

That makes perfect sense. I'll keep you all updated on how things go with Sunny.

Right?? There were so many questions lol

I hope you and your little red foot have an awesome day too

Now that he has started flashing his -er -organ, you will probably find he also starts exercising it by rubbing against a large stone or something similar - tortoises can keep up doing this for quite a long time, and it's a bit worrying when you first see it, because it seems like they must be hurting themselves. Zola 's favourite love objects are a specific pair of fabric shoes (with my feet in, of course) - they don't have anything sharp or scratchy on them, so I don't mind, for a while, at least ! I did get him some fairly large bright red Crocs sandals, but had to take them away, as he went into an absolute frenzy.

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

Now that he has started flashing his -er -organ, you will probably find he also starts exercising it by rubbing against a large stone or something similar - tortoises can keep up doing this for quite a long time, and it's a bit worrying when you first see it, because it seems like they must be hurting themselves. Zola 's favourite love objects are a specific pair of fabric shoes (with my feet in, of course) - they don't have anything sharp or scratchy on them, so I don't mind, for a while, at least ! I did get him some fairly large bright red Crocs sandals, but had to take them away, as he went into an absolute frenzy.

Oh goodness. Say it ain't so!!
I wonder if that's what he was trying to do when I interrupted and lifted him up to see what was going on.

"Zola's favourite love objects" ahhh. It's actually quite sweet of you to have bought him his own pair of shoes but goodness me, he went into a frenzy!! Haha I appreciate the heads up and I suppose it all makes sense, since they don't get neutered and those instincts are still there. Does this mean that Sunny is rather young? And what is "young" for a Russian tortoise?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Oh goodness. Say it ain't so!!
I wonder if that's what he was trying to do when I interrupted and lifted him up to see what was going on.

"Zola's favourite love objects" ahhh. It's actually quite sweet of you to have bought him his own pair of shoes but goodness me, he went into a frenzy!! Haha I appreciate the heads up and I suppose it all makes sense, since they don't get neutered and those instincts are still there. Does this mean that Sunny is rather young? And what is "young" for a Russian tortoise?

The youngest he’d probably be 7-10(typical age sexual maturity kicks in)

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

The youngest he’d probably be 7-10(typical age sexual maturity kicks in)

Wow! That's really neat to learn actually because I had no idea how old he was. I thought of him as an old man, but I guess not

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Wow! That's really neat to learn actually because I had no idea how old he was. I thought of him as an old man, but I guess not

There is still that possibility, aging tortoises is hard.

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

There is still that possibility, aging tortoises is hard.

So true. It's always gonna be an unsolved mystery