Russian tort very inactive

[Mnash0915]

Hi everyone
I have a Russian named Harry. We have had him for about a year and I think he is about 2 years old. He lives in a Tortoise House with coconut husks and the proper lighting. When he first came home with us he didn't eat for a couple weeks, then when he became comfortable with us he started eating twice a day!! I gave him a huge variety of greens and he seemed to love everything. Then about 3 months ago he decided he would only eat dandelions so I fed them to him with some other greens mixed in to try to give him some variety. Then about a month ago he started hiding and he does not come out unless I go in and wake him up and prompt him to eat. I have not changed anything in his enclosure and I still feed him at the same time and I have tried a bunch of different greens to entice him but nothing works. He doesn't come out and wander around his cage and scratch around or sit in his water dish like he did before. He was always very active before. Now he sits in same corner and I go and pet him and rub his shell and point him toward the food and he eats and then goes immediately back to his original spot. Is this normal? I have never had a Russian before. Is this a phase he is going through? He looks good and healthy, he just feels cold when I go to wake him up.
Any suggestions that anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I am just worried about him and I want to make sure he is ok
Thank you!
Michelle

 

[Laurie]

Can you describe your enclosure in a little more detail? You say the lighting is right. What kind of bulbs are you using? What are the temperatures in the enclosure? Can you post any pictures?

 

[RonHays]

Sounds like the temps need to be raised in the enclosure.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Michelle:

In my opinion, The Tortoise House isn't big enough (if its the one I'm thinking of). They're good for babies, but your steppe tortoise isn't a baby, and he needs to be outside where he can wander around looking for good things to eat.

I think he's bored and depressed.

 

[Mnash0915]

His enclosure is pretty large. It is about 4' long and 2' wide and my husband built it with an end enclosed for hiding. We modeled it after one I saw online. I can't post pics because for some reason my iPad will not let me . I have 2 light bulbs for him, the heat lamp is a 100w sun glo bulb and the UVB bulb is a 26w repti glo bulb. Both of these are the same bulbs I have been using since I got him. His cage is about 92 degrees and 72 on the hiding side. He has gained some weight since he came to live with us but has not grown much in diameter.
I wish I had a place to take him outside and let him roam but we don't live in a warm enough area. I take him out when it gets warm enough and let him play in the clover but that is all he gets to do. I would feel terrible if he was unhappy in his house. He seems to have started this behavior since we got a new puppy but I didn't think that would have much effect on him. Maybe I was wrong!

 

[Utah Lynn]

It seems that mine are only really active when they are free of the enclosures and allowed, under close supervision, to roam in the outside yard. Never take your eyes off of them; they are very fast and disappear in the blink of an eye.
When in the enclosures, mine do the same thing as yours, eat and sleep.

 

[Jacqui]

Have you moved his enclosure? Changed house temps or air circulation within the house? Changed house lighting or having a near window covered that use to be open? Have you lately done a testing to be sure the temps within his home have not changed without you noticing?

 

[tinkerbell1189]

My Russian tort was very much exactly the same as you just described. What I didn't realise was that the uv in the bulb (in his case a tube) only lasts for so long. I got him a new MVB tube with UVB and heat, and he has been back to his normal destructive self ever since!! I felt so bad that it was something so simple effecting him. Maybe your UVB output isn't high enough? Just a thought.. Could be completely wrong but your situation sounds similar to mine

 

[Mnash0915]

I have not moved his enclosure or changed anything. Not even my pattern of how I feed him. I think I will try changing his UV bulb. I have had the same bulb for about a year. I changed the heat bulb about 2 months ago but I have not changed the uv bulb yet so I appreciate the suggestion because I don't have any other idea.
I appreciate all the input from everyone. Thank you all for the help!!!

 

[GBtortoises]

His enclosure is 92 degrees where? Under the basking area or in general?

 

[Mnash0915]

His enclosure is about97 degrees on the warm side and about 75 on the dark side
He seems to be hiding out on the dark side
I replaced the uv bulb today and took him outside since it was 100 degrees here and he moved all over and ate some clover. My uv bulb looked gray and terrible. I really think/hope that is the solution. I will post my findings if he goes back to his old self!

 

[Laurie]

His enclosure is about97 degrees on the warm side and about 75 on the dark side
He seems to be hiding out on the dark side
I replaced the uv bulb today and took him outside since it was 100 degrees here and he moved all over and ate some clover. My uv bulb looked gray and terrible. I really think/hope that is the solution. I will post my findings if he goes back to his old self!

I hope that's the answer for you! Keep us updated.

 

[Yvonne G]

His enclosure is pretty large. It is about 4' long and 2' wide and my husband built it with an end enclosed for hiding. We modeled it after one I saw online.

I'm sorry, Michelle!!! I didn't know you meant a home made "tortoise house." I thought you were referring to this one:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19792&ref=NA&subref=NA&cmpid=PPC-G-NA

 

[lMorphine]

My suggestion was going to be the UVB light. They should be replaced every 6 months. The issue was most likely that.

 

[Tyrtle]

This is good information. Ours seemed to mostly sleep too until recently when I had to replace both bulbs as they both mysteriously died on the same day. Now they seem more active. I didn't really make the connection to the bulbs but it may very well have been that.

Interestingly outside they seem more active now too. When I first started taking them outside, they mostly hid in one hide the entire time. Now they roam the enclosure a lot more.

I'm happy to see them both being more active. Also, the one that wasn't eating much is now eating too.

I will remember the bulbs thing now too!

 

[lynnedit]

I agree about changing the bulb. Position it is at least 12" above the surface of his shell if it is a 100w.
Since he is inside most of the time, make sure that you soak him in warm shallow water 2-3x per week.
Get him outside as often as possible, even if only over the warmer 2-3 months, for even an hour.

There are a lot of simple outside enclosures that people have set up. Some can be used in rentals and dismantled. That would allow him to be outside at least during the day w/o you having to watch him constantly. They absolutely thrive outside.

Let us know how he does!