Syringe Feeding Water and Pellets

[I Love Tortoises]

I have a hermann's tortoise which is sick and doesn't eat or drink anything (I soak my tortoises 30 mins a day.) so I soak some pellets and put them in a 5ml syringe and feed him with the syringe. I also give him water with the syringe (usually 0,5 ml at a time). So I wanted to ask that if it's unhealthy and I should stop it. Im concerned about the water the most tho because I have seen people that feed their tortoise with a syringe but I have never seen a person that hydrates their tortoise with a syringe (by its mouth). Thanks for your support!

 

[jsheffield]

I'd be worried about the tortoise aspirating either food or the water, and kludging up their lungs.

I've worked with several pretty sick rescue-torts and gained ground with all of them through the simple act of really, really long soaks... like 4-8 hours a day.

Sometimes with kibble or flowers floating in the water, sometimes with carrot/mango/sweet-potato babyfood mixed in with the warm water.

I kept the water warm enough for the lengthy soaks by putting it in the temperature-controlled enclosure.

Good luck with your tortoise!

Jamie

 

[Maro2Bear]

Healthy tortoises move about, get hungry & eat/drink. You need to figure out what’s wrong with your tortoise before you continue with force feeding/drinking. You might actually be harming your tort in these forced feedings.

How long have you had this tortoise? Is it kept alone or with others, outside or inside? How long has it been “sick”?

 

[I Love Tortoises]

Healthy tortoises move about, get hungry & eat/drink. You need to figure out what’s wrong with your tortoise before you continue with force feeding/drinking. You might actually be harming your tort in these forced feedings.

How long have you had this tortoise? Is it kept alone or with others, outside or inside? How long has it been “sick”?

I have him since 6 months. He was actually one of my most active tortoises. His diet is broadleaf weeds (plantain, dandelions), hibiscus syriacus, lambs lettuce, frisee, bok choy, redleaf lettuce, pellets, clovers, grass and very, very rarely some fruits (like one in 2 months as a treat) and some calcium supply that i use everyday. Im pretty sure that he doesn't have a respiratory infection because none of the symptoms were showing. No diarrhea. Runny urates. He poops as normal as a healthy tortoise. I have a big handmade indoor enclosure that I keep him with my other 3 tortoises. I suspect that the reason of his inactivity is that the other tortoises. Since I got the other two tortoises that are about 2 cms bigger than him he was kinda inactive. He is the smallest. The biggest tortoise is about 4 cms bigger than him. The other two are about 2 cms bigger than him. What are your thoughts? Thank you for your support!

 

[I Love Tortoises]

I'd be worried about the tortoise aspirating either food or the water, and kludging up their lungs.

I've worked with several pretty sick rescue-torts and gained ground with all of them through the simple act of really, really long soaks... like 4-8 hours a day.

Sometimes with kibble or flowers floating in the water, sometimes with carrot/mango/sweet-potato babyfood mixed in with the warm water.

I kept the water warm enough for the lengthy soaks by putting it in the temperature-controlled enclosure.

Good luck with your tortoise!

Jamie

Im sure that he didn't inhale any of the food but im not sure about the water. If he aspirated water how can I treat him?