Star tortoise food habbits

[Kchandiwala]

Hello guys, I hv bought this star pair yesterday, they havent had food since then. M seriously worried as to what do i do to make them eat. This male is really active runns all day around and not scared of touch. The female seems a lil lazy but they both run in every corner of the house, hiding behind curtains or pillows following walls. They dont drink as well. Hd soaked them ystday. Didnt do anything today coz m scared if i wil do anything wrong, they havent pooped as well. Cn smone suggest if they need a doc or jst scared of new surrounding

Thanks

 

[Gillian M]

Please post pics of your torts and their enclosure(s), as this will enable us to help you and give you advice.

Don't worry: torts do take time (a lot of time) to get used to a new place, enclosure, environment, weather and so on. Where do you live and what's the weather like nowadays, where you are? Torts tend to lose appetite in Winter/cold weather,if they do not hibernate.

I suggest soaking them every day. Making the water warmer will help them poop more easily.

There are different threads (one of which is the "Beginners Mistake" Thread), as well different care sheets, which help those who have never dealt with torts before. Please read them and ask ANY question when in need of yet more help.

And a very warm welcome to the forum.

 

[Kchandiwala]

Thank you so much Gillian. They have been doin good. Except this incident that happened today.
They love us n sit with us n eat with our hands. It is so much fun to see them running everywhr in the house n all.
I dnt knw i posted smwhere in the forum. I 'll mention again. I'm a little new here, so finding it a little difficulty to browse. I should be ok soon.
Yeah so my conern was:
My indian star tortoise has sudenly brought his urine pipe or some something out today. It was purple in coliur n too big. M nt sure if it is his penis or something but it was so out of his body that he stood on ot wit all four legs erect straight. That thing was holding all his body weight. Is it normal or is he suffering frm sm disease. I put him in water and he gradually took it back in. Can someone advise whats wrong. Also this seller told us that this one is a female as her plastron is flat. So m a little confuse if it is he or she. A point to note is while this was happening he was making this hiss kind of sound. Plz advise.
Thanks you so much
I shall wait for a reply

 

[BrianWI]

Heeheeheehee...

 

[Speedy-1]

You have been "flashed" !

I think the seller may have been wrong ?

 

[BrianWI]

Maybe your tortoise just has a kickstand.

 

[Big Charlie]

lol!

 

[Fredkas]

Haha somebody post pic like that. I am curious coz i never see something like that before. Lol.

 

[Big Charlie]

Haha somebody post pic like that. I am curious coz i never see something like that before. Lol.

Believe me, it is an experience! When I first saw it, I thought my tort's insides were falling out! I think there are some videos and pictures on the forum.

Here's one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/flashing.12149/#post-106768

 

[Fredkas]

Believe me, it is an experience! When I first saw it, I thought my tort's insides were falling out! I think there are some videos and pictures on the forum.

Here's one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/flashing.12149/#post-106768

Omg. It's me always thinking how a male able to penetrate inside a female with all that shell. That pic open my mind. Tortoise really a something lol. The pup that some people think is big, is nothing to compare to.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think the biggest problem is the fact that the tortoises don't have a dedicated habitat. Tortoises are not house pets. They need to be set up in a habitat that mimics the land where they come from in nature. They need heat, water, hiding places, all things that don't change, in a place especially made for them. There are just so many things that can go wrong when you allow them to run free on the floor of the house. We had one member who didn't know her little tortoise had his head behind the door, and when she shut the door she squashed the tortoise's head in the door. So set the tortoise up in a large habitat, and leave them there. I think once they get used to living in there, they will eat.

 

[Fredkas]

I can't imagine that tortoise head... ..... .......
....... .............. .............
Back to topic. See, many experienced member here agree that when a tort change owner, they will adapt for unknown amount of time depends on the tort. Maybe the other one still adapting. I think if you really want the tort to roam around the house, there are several problems:
- If the house big enough, you should make sure they know where to go if they want to heat their body. This is not a problem with dog or cat as they can create their own heat.
-Torts are slow, sometimes they can't react fast enough from danger. Vyonne's example of door vs tort's head nailed it.
- Some tort like to taste things. I read there is one person here that find a needle in his/her tort stomach, he/she know it when taking the tort to the vet having xray.

All and all, an enclosure is the best. You can take control what your tort able to access and eliminate all the problem above at once.
But whatever the decision, welcome to the forum.. And keep asking questions, people here like to help.

Nb. Ignore my weird english, hope you get my point

Ah yes... Tort needs a hide, a small place to hide. That way they can feel secure. Maybe you can create one for them and put them inside. When they feel curious, they will come out. When they feel insecure, they have a backup to go back to the hide. Maybe this can make them more comfortable.

 

[Kchandiwala]

Thanks for the

I can't imagine that tortoise head... ..... .......
....... .............. .............
Back to topic. See, many experienced member here agree that when a tort change owner, they will adapt for unknown amount of time depends on the tort. Maybe the other one still adapting. I think if you really want the tort to roam around the house, there are several problems:
- If the house big enough, you should make sure they know where to go if they want to heat their body. This is not a problem with dog or cat as they can create their own heat.
-Torts are slow, sometimes they can't react fast enough from danger. Vyonne's example of door vs tort's head nailed it.
- Some tort like to taste things. I read there is one person here that find a needle in his/her tort stomach, he/she know it when taking the tort to the vet having xray.

All and all, an enclosure is the best. You can take control what your tort able to access and eliminate all the problem above at once.
But whatever the decision, welcome to the forum.. And keep asking questions, people here like to help.

Nb. Ignore my weird english, hope you get my point

Ah yes... Tort needs a hide, a small place to hide. That way they can feel secure. Maybe you can create one for them and put them inside. When they feel curious, they will come out. When they feel insecure, they have a backup to go back to the hide. Maybe this can make them more comfortable.

Kind suggestions
. I hv already put that on agenda fr nxt month. So, m sure to gt them their own residence soon.

 

[Tom]

Please read these before its too late:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

This is how I raise stars too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Here is what to feed them, but use less emphasis on grass:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/