Sulcata tortoise eating lesser for a few days...

[jonathantle]

Hi Guys,

I live in Malaysia and have my Sulcata tortoise with me for about 1 year 5 months. When I bring her back she is about 2 months old, so now she's about 1 year 7 months old.
My Sulcata tortoise is having trouble eating now. She is still very active, comes out from her hides in the morning about 9am, that's when the sun shine on her enclosure and she will walk around in her enclosure. Her enclosure are outdoor so she have natural sunlight. I soak her 4 days per week, and feed her 6 days per week. I usually feed her hibiscus leaves and flowers, romaine lettuce and wheat grass. A little bit of cactus as well occasionally.

For about 6 days now, I realize she never finish the food I gave her which she usually does. I monitor her and realize she have trouble eating. She constantly open her mouth and miss the food. The food will hit the bottom of her jaw and she will miss it. She will manage to get a few bites but just a few. After awhile she will just leave the food and go back to her hides. I try hand feeding her and it's much better but still keep missing. I have to like tilt the food into her mouth right when she open her mouth. I also realize her mouth open a little smaller compare to last time.

I'm not sure what is the issue here. Not sure if she hurt her jaw or something. Need help !!

Here are some photos of her that I just take a few minutes ago.

 

[Tom]

Your tortoises environment is much too dry and that bedding could be causing an impaction.

Read this and make changes ASAP. Your tortoise should be getting soaked and fed every day. You must also maintain the correct temperatures day and night. Always over 26-27C day and night. Closer to 32-33C during the day, and with a 36-37C basking area for 12-13 hours a day.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

 

[jonathantle]

You our tortoises environment is much too dry and that bedding could be causing an impaction.

Read this and make changes ASAP. Your tortoise should be getting soaked and fed every day. You must also maintain the correct temperatures day and night. Always over 26-27C day and night. Closer to 32-33C during the day, and with a 36-37C basking area for 12-13 hours a day.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

Thanks a lot the information. I will start feeding and soaking everyday.
I did spray the entire encloser with water and also my tortoise everyday when I'm feeding her.
I will spray until it is soaking wet. Besides the hides. I did not spray inside the hides cause I thought atleast the tortoise have somewhere dry to go to if she wants to. Will work on the temperature at night right away.

 

[TammyJ]

Thanks a lot the information. I will start feeding and soaking everyday.
I did spray the entire encloser with water and also my tortoise everyday when I'm feeding her.
I will spray until it is soaking wet. Besides the hides. I did not spray inside the hides cause I thought atleast the tortoise have somewhere dry to go to if she wants to. Will work on the temperature at night right away.

The enclosure should be closed, and humid but not soaking wet, and there should be at least one damp humid hide. If you have her in a closed container with the conditions recommend by Tom then that is what is needed. Please study the sheet Tom sent and do what he advises. He is greatly experienced in this. Check the diet too.

 

[jonathantle]

The enclosure should be closed, and humid but not soaking wet, and there should be at least one damp humid hide. If you have her in a closed container with the conditions recommend by Tom then that is what is needed. Please study the sheet Tom sent and do what he advises. He is greatly experienced in this. Check the diet too.

Got you. Thanks a lot !

 

[Tom]

Thanks a lot the information. I will start feeding and soaking everyday.
I did spray the entire encloser with water and also my tortoise everyday when I'm feeding her.
I will spray until it is soaking wet. Besides the hides. I did not spray inside the hides cause I thought atleast the tortoise have somewhere dry to go to if she wants to. Will work on the temperature at night right away.

You can't spray that substrate. It will mold and cause all sorts of problems. You need the correct substrate. Also, spraying the surface of your substrate does very little. You have to dump water into the substrate to maintain the correct level of dampness. How much water and how often varies tremendously. You have to go by feel in your own enclosure. But you can wet it until you have some fine grade orchid bark in there, or coco coir, but that will be messy. If you use the coir, hand pack it down firmly and keep it damp.

 

[jonathantle]

You can't spray that substrate. It will mold and cause all sorts of problems. You need the correct substrate. Also, spraying the surface of your substrate does very little. You have to dump water into the substrate to maintain the correct level of dampness. How much water and how often varies tremendously. You have to go by feel in your own enclosure. But you can wet it until you have some fine grade orchid bark in there, or coco coir, but that will be messy. If you use the coir, hand pack it down firmly and keep it damp.

Got you ! I do have some orchid bark and also some Coco coir with me but I never use it, cause it is very messy. The orchid bark always stick on the tortoise body. So I remove it... Will put those back in.