Tortoise not eating

[abbiesparrow]

I have a Russian tortoise she is about 2 and a half years old but she hasn't been eating for about a week now, I'm not sure if she is lonely? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[dmmj]

She(?) is not lonely. If she is not eating it is probavly temp related. What are yours?

 

[abbiesparrow]

I'm calling her a she hit I don't know what sex she is, what do you mean temp related?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Tortoises don't get lonely and don't need friends.
see http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/
Tortoises need temperatures of about 85°F for their digestive systems to work properly.
They also need to warm up enough to want to eat.
So we need to know the four temperatures you have; hot side, cool side,basking spot and night time, so we can see if that's where your problem lies.

 

[abbiesparrow]

I keep her in my bedroom I have a day lamp and a heat lamp which both stay on for 12 hours a day. I'm not sure of the temperature of the tortoise table but it's in doors so I don't think it gets too cold

 

[Jodie]

If she is not eating the most likely cause is too cold. You need to know all 4 temps and make sure they are correct.

 

[abbiesparrow]

T

This is a photo of my tortoise table

 

[johnsonnboswell]

What kind of bulbs are you using? A tortoise that is too hot also won't eat.

You need to change that substrate. Pellets just won't do, no matter what the pet store told you. Substrate needs to hold moisture. Coconut coir is one good choice.

What are you feeding? No fruit. They enjoy it but can't digest it, so it causes gut upset.

 

[keepergale]

The mounts for your lamp are kind of dangerous. That type of clamp can fail and cause a fire. You should use a different substrate. The pellets do not hold humidity. When they get wet they mold. As to what you actually ask, my guess is it is to cold at night with no night time heat source.
Just saying I don't have a TFO expert shirt or anything.

 

[abbiesparrow]

Just a normal heat lamp and day lamp, I feed her kale, watercress, rocket, red peppers and apple as a rare treat. I have tried her with coco coir but it kept going in her eyes and she was trying to brush it out with her feet and I didn't know if she as getting stressed or if this was damaging her eyes

 

[Lyn W]

Can you be more specific about your lamps - make, wattage etc? So that people here can help you.

If any of your lamps are the coiled sort remove them straight away as these cause eye problems, blindness and even death?

I assume your heat light does not give out any light as well because torts need complete darkness to sleep.

Please find the Caresheet for your tort, Beginner's Mistakes and Enclosures threads they will help you rectify any mistakes that could be affecting your tort.

You need to check the temps at your torts level so it is not too hot or cold - a temp gun would be good to do that.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

What we consider a normal lamp may not be what you consider normal. Please be specific. I find that a new MV bulb stimulates activity & appetite. So does outdoor time.

No red pepper or apple. Try offering other greens in addition to what you already feed. They need variety. Try endive, turnip greens, dandelion leaves & flowers, day lilies, rose of Sharon, hibiscus, violets leaves & flowers, grape leaves... Romaine lettuce is usually a great treat.

The substrate must hold moisture. You could try orchid bark instead. I add finely finished compost to coconut coir to avoid the dirt problem you described. You may need to tinker with the substrate, but pellets are not a fix because dryness creates different problems even though you won't see it right away.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

If you don't like coco coir, cypress mulch and orchid bark are popular alternatives.