Tortoise not eating HELP

[GrassiFranklin]

Hi! I'm new here, I've had my tortoises for a year now, and I NEED HELP they are male and female of Gopherus berlandieri (Texas tortoise), but I have a few problems, first of all they mainly eat lettuce, they are not eating much tomato or "nopal" (cactus) or anything, they bite it but they don't eat it, and second is that the female is hardly eating, I've seen her biting her food just. Couple times this week and she is loosing weight and energy, I don't know what to do and this covid left me without a job to take them to the vet so I'm sick worried any help will be well received, they are in a good temperature I think, nice space, water and food all the time, good humidity, sun and shadow whenever they want, I don't know!

 

[Lyn W]

Hi. It is not a good idea to keep tortoises in pairs. They are territorial and do not like company so will try to make the other leave.
One becomes dominant and will bully the other - quietly at first by staring and trying to intimidate - or by following and nudging (often mistaken for cuddling which they don't do) The bully will try to dominate the food and best basking spot which really stresses the one on the receiving end. Eventually the behaviour will become more aggressive with barging and biting and could result in serious injury - even death.
When you have a male and female the make will constantly harass the female to mate and this also causes great stress. A pretty miserable life!
So the first thing you need to do is separate them as soon as possible and I think you will see that they are both happier and healthier.

The next thing you need to do is improve their diet. Some lettuces are better than others but here is little nutritional value in lettuce. I don't know what your torts should be eating but look for the caresheet on the forum for your species and follow the dietary advice there.
Also have a look at www.thetortoisetable.org.uk which is a good guide to tortoise safe food.

 

[GrassiFranklin]

Hi. It is not a good idea to keep tortoises in pairs. They are territorial and do not like company so will try to make the other leave.
One becomes dominant and will bully the other - quietly at first by staring and trying to intimidate - or by following and nudging (often mistaken for cuddling which they don't do) The bully will try to dominate the food and best basking spot which really stresses the one on the receiving end. Eventually the behaviour will become more aggressive with barging and biting and could result in serious injury - even death.
When you have a male and female the make will constantly harass the female to mate and this also causes great stress. A pretty miserable life!
So the first thing you need to do is separate them as soon as possible and I think you will see that they are both happier and healthier.

The next thing you need to do is improve their diet. Some lettuces are better than others but here is little nutritional value in lettuce. I don't know what your torts should be eating but look for the caresheet on the forum for your species and follow the dietary advice there.
Also have a look at www.thetortoisetable.org.uk which is a good guide to tortoise safe food.

OMG! I though they where so happy together! They even interact really cute with each other (I'll add a gif) but thank you so much! I'll separate them now! And the food, that's the problem
I've tried to give them everything, that just don't like it

 

[Lyn W]

OMG! I though they where so happy together! They even interact really cute with each other (I'll add a gif) but thank you so much! I'll separate them now! And the food, that's the problem
I've tried to give them everything, that just don't like it

Many people buy pairs because they think they need a friend - they don't! I think you'll find that interaction is one tort trying to move the other out of his space. Sadly there have been many posts of torts injured or made ill by their room mate. Torts may be OK in groups if the gender mix is right, and they have a huge space so that they can avoid each other but the more torts - the bigger the space and more equipment is needed. I hope your female will be OK
Their are ways of introducing new foods to torts gradually, but it has to be the right food which the caresheet will help you with.

 

[GrassiFranklin]

Many people buy pairs because they think they need a friend - they don't! I think you'll find that interaction is one tort trying to move the other out of his space. Sadly there have been many posts of torts injured or made ill by their room mate. Torts may be OK in groups if the gender mix is right, and they have a huge space so that they can avoid each other but the more torts - the bigger the space and more equipment is needed. I hope your female will be OK
Their are ways of introducing new foods to torts gradually, but it has to be the right food which the caresheet will help you with.

Love you so much, tnx

 

[Lyn W]

Have a look at this thread

Would like to know what kind of tortoise I have

HI this is Tortie (pic below) My name is Sheila and live in Tucson. I have had(her?) 3 years. She was found after a really big storm in my boyfriends dad's yard. He sent me a text with a picture of her (her? she likes pink). The next day after I got out of the hospital he took me to where...

tortoiseforum.org

Tom gives a lot of good information for care of your species and there will be other helpful posts too.