Tortoise Rescue Brenda
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the longer story but I think you will need the information in order to advise me. (Hoping the organization makes it seem less lengthy like when I am grading college papers. Ha ha 
)
His normal behavior:
My 6-yr-old 35lb sulcata lives outside in central Texas. He has a 32x40 foot enclosure with no other pets, a large tree for shade, a hide that faces east and a shaded house that faces west. I have only had him 2 months so I am still learning. He usually eats well: grass, mulberry leaves daily, Mazuri 5M21 and a cactus leaf from my yard every 2-3 days. He usually walks for several hours in the morning around 8:30 and again in the evening around 6 or 7 PM. He poops normal every day to every other day. He plays in his sprinkler by choice about every 2 days although I water his yard daily. When I see he is walking, I go turn his sprinkler on. He has a mister I put on his cave any day he has not played in the sprinkler and additionally any day when the humidity here is low. The humidity has been high all summer. The temps have been our usual lows in the 70s and highs up to 102. He has shade, sun, water and food at all times. He has been very active and routine for 2 months.
The only changes 2 days ago:
2 days ago we had a cold front, lows in the high 60s and highs in the low 90s. I removed the hay in his house and replaced it with mulch a week ago. 2 days ago I fed him 2 leaves of cactus that was given to me. I didn't think about mine having no pesticides and no fertilizer and that the gifted cactus might. No other changes.
His behavior change for 2 days:
For the last 2 days he stayed in his cave/hide. Did not come out to eat or walk. Yesterday he had watery eyes. I turned his mister on him for fear of dehydration and tried to coax him out with favorite treats. He looked at me and turned away to sleep. I left the mister on all day.
What I did and results:
Today, I pulled him out of his cave at 9 AM after an apple did not entice him out. (He does not get fruit except for watermelon rind as a seldom treat. This was his first with me). I checked him over. NO signs of any problem. NO watery eyes, nothing. He ate half the apple, walked to his food bowl, ate a little of that, ate 2 mulberry leaves, avoided the sprinkler, walked the perimeter for about 30 feet then went the 15 more feet into his house to sleep again.
Finally, the questions?
Is this normal behavior for a sulcata to take a few days off? Was it possibly the change in temperatures? Was is possibly the gifted cactus and he will be fine with continued monitoring and usual food provisions? Is there a number of days of this that is no longer normal and he should go to the vet?
I love my boy and will do whatever he needs.
Thank you for tolerating my thoroughness.
Brenda
)His normal behavior:
My 6-yr-old 35lb sulcata lives outside in central Texas. He has a 32x40 foot enclosure with no other pets, a large tree for shade, a hide that faces east and a shaded house that faces west. I have only had him 2 months so I am still learning. He usually eats well: grass, mulberry leaves daily, Mazuri 5M21 and a cactus leaf from my yard every 2-3 days. He usually walks for several hours in the morning around 8:30 and again in the evening around 6 or 7 PM. He poops normal every day to every other day. He plays in his sprinkler by choice about every 2 days although I water his yard daily. When I see he is walking, I go turn his sprinkler on. He has a mister I put on his cave any day he has not played in the sprinkler and additionally any day when the humidity here is low. The humidity has been high all summer. The temps have been our usual lows in the 70s and highs up to 102. He has shade, sun, water and food at all times. He has been very active and routine for 2 months.
The only changes 2 days ago:
2 days ago we had a cold front, lows in the high 60s and highs in the low 90s. I removed the hay in his house and replaced it with mulch a week ago. 2 days ago I fed him 2 leaves of cactus that was given to me. I didn't think about mine having no pesticides and no fertilizer and that the gifted cactus might. No other changes.
His behavior change for 2 days:
For the last 2 days he stayed in his cave/hide. Did not come out to eat or walk. Yesterday he had watery eyes. I turned his mister on him for fear of dehydration and tried to coax him out with favorite treats. He looked at me and turned away to sleep. I left the mister on all day.
What I did and results:
Today, I pulled him out of his cave at 9 AM after an apple did not entice him out. (He does not get fruit except for watermelon rind as a seldom treat. This was his first with me). I checked him over. NO signs of any problem. NO watery eyes, nothing. He ate half the apple, walked to his food bowl, ate a little of that, ate 2 mulberry leaves, avoided the sprinkler, walked the perimeter for about 30 feet then went the 15 more feet into his house to sleep again.
Finally, the questions?
Is this normal behavior for a sulcata to take a few days off? Was it possibly the change in temperatures? Was is possibly the gifted cactus and he will be fine with continued monitoring and usual food provisions? Is there a number of days of this that is no longer normal and he should go to the vet?
I love my boy and will do whatever he needs.
Thank you for tolerating my thoroughness.
Brenda
