engelhlywd
New Member
Hello All-
I’ll try to keep this brief. My Russian Tortoise, Tolstoy, has stopped eating.
About Tolstoy: I’ve had him since 2012- purchased from a pet store. Relocated temporarily in 2020 from Nashville to NY. Took him to the vet last week, got his beak trimmed. Vet suspected vit A deficiency, sent us home with instructions to increase temps and gave me an anise flavored supplement to give him if he doesn’t eat.
Specs: His set up is a 50 gallon Rubbermaid tub. Substrate is combination of Fir bark on one side, cool side is Reptisoil w/Coconut Coil. I changed out lighting yesterday - bought all new lights/fixtures. Hanging Zoomed Double Deep Dome -17” above - 1 Solarpro 125w UVB/UVA, Zoomed Power Sun UVA/UVB 160w plus 150 w basking light in wire clamp cage lamp on side. Temp is 95-100 degrees, tapers off to about 80 on “cool side.” At night with lights off - 65-68.
i mist his substrate consistently and he receives warm water soak every other day.
Note: I had a custom built Tortoise table 6ftx3ft but usually don’t move him into it until the weather warms up considerably.
Diet: lactino kale, mustard and turnip greens, dandelion greens, occasional bell pepper, squash, spring mix, baby kale mix, radicchio, Belgian endive, escarole. Recently introduced apples into his diet , trying to wean him bc i just found out not the best.
He absolutely refused to take the supplement. He hadn’t eaten in a week before I took him to the vet this past Thursday. His last meal was watercress and bites of apple with the peel.
He doesn’t hibernate. I feel like I’ve gone through this a million times before - usually, oddly around Spring, but each time it feels new and is worrisome. This is the longest he’s gone without eating. I did manage to get him to take a few bites of apple this Friday (4/30). I tried wrapping it in dandelion leaf w/ the supplement but he was having NONE of it.
He seems fairly alert. If I bring him out, he’ll sit under the light, head out (or sometimes, rarely in shell). He eventually moves to the cooler end and burrows himself. I have literally tried everything. The vet suggested warn water soak with pedialyte. He pooped a minuscule amount on Friday before his “meal.”
I’m at my wits end. Love my vet but not really much help other than to say he needs to eat. The vet is 1.5 hours away.....
I guess I’m wondering if there’s any tips or tricks. I can’t get Tolstoy’s mouth to pry open to force feed him the supplement. Wondering how long he can reasonably go without food safely if he’s bromating (in Soring?!). It was a harsh winter and the house we moved into does not have central air/heat. The vet said his vitals were good- no wheezing, nasal discharge etc. Because of Covid, I wasn’t allowed to accompany Tolstoy so I really don’t know what “tests” they ran.....
I love Tolstoy with all my heart. Help, please!
thanks in advance. Signed, worried tort
I’ll try to keep this brief. My Russian Tortoise, Tolstoy, has stopped eating.
About Tolstoy: I’ve had him since 2012- purchased from a pet store. Relocated temporarily in 2020 from Nashville to NY. Took him to the vet last week, got his beak trimmed. Vet suspected vit A deficiency, sent us home with instructions to increase temps and gave me an anise flavored supplement to give him if he doesn’t eat.
Specs: His set up is a 50 gallon Rubbermaid tub. Substrate is combination of Fir bark on one side, cool side is Reptisoil w/Coconut Coil. I changed out lighting yesterday - bought all new lights/fixtures. Hanging Zoomed Double Deep Dome -17” above - 1 Solarpro 125w UVB/UVA, Zoomed Power Sun UVA/UVB 160w plus 150 w basking light in wire clamp cage lamp on side. Temp is 95-100 degrees, tapers off to about 80 on “cool side.” At night with lights off - 65-68.
i mist his substrate consistently and he receives warm water soak every other day.
Note: I had a custom built Tortoise table 6ftx3ft but usually don’t move him into it until the weather warms up considerably.
Diet: lactino kale, mustard and turnip greens, dandelion greens, occasional bell pepper, squash, spring mix, baby kale mix, radicchio, Belgian endive, escarole. Recently introduced apples into his diet , trying to wean him bc i just found out not the best.
He absolutely refused to take the supplement. He hadn’t eaten in a week before I took him to the vet this past Thursday. His last meal was watercress and bites of apple with the peel.
He doesn’t hibernate. I feel like I’ve gone through this a million times before - usually, oddly around Spring, but each time it feels new and is worrisome. This is the longest he’s gone without eating. I did manage to get him to take a few bites of apple this Friday (4/30). I tried wrapping it in dandelion leaf w/ the supplement but he was having NONE of it.
He seems fairly alert. If I bring him out, he’ll sit under the light, head out (or sometimes, rarely in shell). He eventually moves to the cooler end and burrows himself. I have literally tried everything. The vet suggested warn water soak with pedialyte. He pooped a minuscule amount on Friday before his “meal.”
I’m at my wits end. Love my vet but not really much help other than to say he needs to eat. The vet is 1.5 hours away.....
I guess I’m wondering if there’s any tips or tricks. I can’t get Tolstoy’s mouth to pry open to force feed him the supplement. Wondering how long he can reasonably go without food safely if he’s bromating (in Soring?!). It was a harsh winter and the house we moved into does not have central air/heat. The vet said his vitals were good- no wheezing, nasal discharge etc. Because of Covid, I wasn’t allowed to accompany Tolstoy so I really don’t know what “tests” they ran.....
I love Tolstoy with all my heart. Help, please!
thanks in advance. Signed, worried tort