Kski
New Member
My Russian tortoise has stopped eating and she is dragging her back legs and I'm worried.
She is like 15 years old.
Took her to the vet. X ray and blood taken. No eggs or broken bones or kidney stones.
I have her in a 40 gallon tank with a power sun light bulb (heat and UVB and UVA all in one).
She won't eat but I normally give her romaine and kale and some green beans.
She used to drink when I put her in her water dish and now she won't.
As soon as she stopped using her legs I started to give her warm soaks everyday and that is also the day that I switched her from a light bulb that was just heat to the kind that has UV built into it.
She also weirdly seems to have an extreme sensitivity on the lower section of her shell, as in what would be her lower back. When I touch that part of her shell she uses her back legs to push up into the touch and I do not know if that means that she is in pain or if she likes it.
Although the veterinarian did not see any eggs in the X-ray she suspect that maybe my tortoise might be forming an egg which I guess is possible but then I read somewhere that when a tortoise is making an egg they become more active and my tortoise is the opposite of active.
He also weirdly has her tail tucked in, like it is either tucked to the side or it is straight with the tip of it like curling towards the underside of her shell.
I know it is definitely normal for tortoises to go through their hibernation phase and I would be less worried if it were not for her not using her back legs. Her eyes are alert and she raises her head to look at me especially when I talk to her or play guitar, so she seems fine in that regard. But I'm worried.
Can anyone help me? I'm going to take her back to the vet again for more bloodwork. I'd be happy to answer any questions to paint a better picture.
She is like 15 years old.
Took her to the vet. X ray and blood taken. No eggs or broken bones or kidney stones.
I have her in a 40 gallon tank with a power sun light bulb (heat and UVB and UVA all in one).
She won't eat but I normally give her romaine and kale and some green beans.
She used to drink when I put her in her water dish and now she won't.
As soon as she stopped using her legs I started to give her warm soaks everyday and that is also the day that I switched her from a light bulb that was just heat to the kind that has UV built into it.
She also weirdly seems to have an extreme sensitivity on the lower section of her shell, as in what would be her lower back. When I touch that part of her shell she uses her back legs to push up into the touch and I do not know if that means that she is in pain or if she likes it.
Although the veterinarian did not see any eggs in the X-ray she suspect that maybe my tortoise might be forming an egg which I guess is possible but then I read somewhere that when a tortoise is making an egg they become more active and my tortoise is the opposite of active.
He also weirdly has her tail tucked in, like it is either tucked to the side or it is straight with the tip of it like curling towards the underside of her shell.
I know it is definitely normal for tortoises to go through their hibernation phase and I would be less worried if it were not for her not using her back legs. Her eyes are alert and she raises her head to look at me especially when I talk to her or play guitar, so she seems fine in that regard. But I'm worried.
Can anyone help me? I'm going to take her back to the vet again for more bloodwork. I'd be happy to answer any questions to paint a better picture.