sad tortoise

[lynnefay]

oh, my gosh, guys! i adopted a 5 year old female russian 3 weeks ago. owner teenage boy, going off to college, you know the story.
the mom, because apparently her son was "unreliable," was taking care of her. fed her kale and raspberries.
she has hardly eaten since i got her...and i admit, on Halloween i caved and gave her a raspberry, only because she had only eaten 2 romaine lettuce leaves in two weeks. she ate two more small lettuce leaves yesterday.
she was housed with a young male for 5 years prior. he was adopted out separately.
(apparently she is from a breeder?...who knows.)
but, and this will sound nuts, could she be depressed? on Halloween it was 66 degrees here. so i set the 3 russians outside. one young male, Ivan, Charlotte the beast, and newbie. Newbie saw Charlotte across the yard and practically ran to her. (I kept them back from each other, like 6 or so inches, for quarantine.)
she just seems to want to be near both of my other torts.
Charlotte just eats so much, and though little Ivan has slowed down some, he's a good eater, my new girl just won't eat! currently, she is sitting on her feeding slate, head in her shell, pushed against the wall. my other torts are just so active and happy, eat of my hand, she just hisses and pulls in...(they are all housed separately).
is this a thing? is it from leaving her prior home? a break in routine? loneliness?

 

[wellington]

It's being in a place she is not used too. She got pulled from the home she knew and tossed into one she doesn't know.
Give her warm soaks and keep trying to feed the good foods she suppose to eat. If you have too, chop the greens up small and squeeze a little raspberry juice on them. As she eats this, use less juice until you don't need to use any.
Give her time to get adjusted to her new home.

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Hello there.
Thank you for the post we are here to help you and you are in the right direction in getting some good answers
First and foremost,
Russian tortoises…. I own a russian myself. Awesome species. Really. Escape artist, planners, doers, yada yada
They get addicted to the same diets and routines very fast. Meaning, you take them out of their element or change their diet… you have yourself a tortoise playing the game to get their favorite goodies back. You have yourself a stubborn tortoise who is trying to plot a plan..
My tort plays this game. In fact, well enough to persuade me sometimes but not with rasberries!!
My tortoise loves Santa Barbra mix. If I switch it up forget it…
It’s all about technique. Breaking up new leafy greens with the old. sometimes it’s how you really chop up/ display that leafy green gourmet salad ? nom nom

I also add @Kapidolo Farms into my torts leafy greens. It works like magic. Every. Single. Time!!

I would definitely advise no fruits. I mean no fruit at all. I do not believe in fruit for russians. It’s not in their staple. Excessive amounts lead to internal parasites as well.

 

[lynnefay]

Hello there.
Thank you for the post we are here to help you and you are in the right direction in getting some good answers
First and foremost,
Russian tortoises…. I own a russian myself. Awesome species. Really. Escape artist, planners, doers, yada yada
They get addicted to the same diets and routines very fast. Meaning, you take them out of their element or change their diet… you have yourself a tortoise playing the game to get their favorite goodies back. You have yourself a stubborn tortoise who is trying to plot a plan..
My tort plays this game. In fact, well enough to persuade me sometimes but not with rasberries!!
My tortoise loves Santa Barbra mix. If I switch it up forget it…
It’s all about technique. Breaking up new leafy greens with the old. sometimes it’s how you really chop up/ display that leafy green gourmet salad ? nom nom

I also add @Kapidolo Farms into my torts leafy greens. It works like magic. Every. Single. Time!!

I would definitely advise no fruits. I mean no fruit at all. I do not believe in fruit for russians. It’s not in their staple. Excessive amounts lead to internal parasites as well.

thank you, i'm an anti fruiter myself. she's probably working it.
thank you i have literally offered her 13 different greens... eye roll. i'll try chopping it up

 

[lynnefay]

It's being in a place she is not used too. She got pulled from the home she knew and tossed into one she doesn't know.
Give her warm soaks and keep trying to feed the good foods she suppose to eat. If you have too, chop the greens up small and squeeze a little raspberry juice on them. As she eats this, use less juice until you don't need to use any.
Give her time to get adjusted to her new home.

good idea with the "salad dressing." thank you. she was just so eager to engage, though i know in general they are solitary creatures...
the head against the WALL...broke my heart

 

[wellington]

good idea with the "salad dressing." thank you. she was just so eager to engage, though i know in general they are solitary creatures...
the head against the WALL...broke my heart

Maybe to engage with the others or maybe to fight/bully them and get them out of the territory she now inhabits as she went from inside to the great outdoors

 

[Krista S]

I agree with @wellington that she just need more time to adjust. It would be so sad to see her up against the wall, all tucked in her shell but try not to take it personally. If it’s already been a few weeks, I’m sure she will soon realize you’re her food goddess and aren’t going to hurt her. Tortoises are able to go a long time without eating and I’ve often seen the experts on here say that a healthy tortoise won’t starve itself. @wellington idea for the drops of raspberry juice on the greens is brilliant, so I hope you have some success with that and can gradually stop using the raspberry to entice her. Please keep us posted on how she’s doing. I’m glad you were able to rescue her. Have you come up with a name for her? I’d love to see a picture of her if you’re willing to share. ?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hello there.
Thank you for the post we are here to help you and you are in the right direction in getting some good answers
First and foremost,
Russian tortoises…. I own a russian myself. Awesome species. Really. Escape artist, planners, doers, yada yada
They get addicted to the same diets and routines very fast. Meaning, you take them out of their element or change their diet… you have yourself a tortoise playing the game to get their favorite goodies back. You have yourself a stubborn tortoise who is trying to plot a plan..
My tort plays this game. In fact, well enough to persuade me sometimes but not with rasberries!!
My tortoise loves Santa Barbra mix. If I switch it up forget it…
It’s all about technique. Breaking up new leafy greens with the old. sometimes it’s how you really chop up/ display that leafy green gourmet salad ? nom nom

I also add @Kapidolo Farms into my torts leafy greens. It works like magic. Every. Single. Time!!

I would definitely advise no fruits. I mean no fruit at all. I do not believe in fruit for russians. It’s not in their staple. Excessive amounts lead to internal parasites as well.

I agree.
Not only can Russian tortoises not process sugars, just feeding fruit can cause a parasitic overload. (From a manageable infestation that is not at all uncommon)
And this would certainly slow down eating and the energy level.
Is his/her poo normal looking?

 

[lynnefay]

well, my new tortoise has literally eaten about 4 leaves since i got her. all 3 tortoises have all been moved into the solarium, in individual enclosures, for the winter. (the other 2 are doing great). i soak her twice a week. temps and humidity spot on.
she is active, but just not eating. she has done one little normal poo, i have found urine paste, though not much. she doesn't empty her bowels in the bath like Igor and charlotte.
the front of her shell has great developement, the back third has pyramiding and looks skimpy, i don't know how else to phrase it. the family i got her from got her as a baby 5 years ago.
she walks fine. her beak is a little angled out, but not overly long. i'll take some pictures when she wakes up.