I've had this tortoise for a few months now, and after the first few weeks she stopped eating. I haven't been able to get her to eat anything at all, she just wants to stay in one corner of the enclosure that has the lowest light and burrow. I've tried to bathe her at least once or twice a week, and I just checked the temperature and humidity, the temp was fine, but the humidity was low, so I corrected that. After the first few weeks she stopped, she was still pooping every time I bathed her, but now that's stopped as well. I also gave her an electrolyte bath today, hoping that would help if she is dehydrated. Is there anything else I can do here, I'm really concerned!
Tortoise stopped eating?
- Thread starter lpcullum
- Start date
What kind of tortoise is it?
May we see a picture of the enclosure?
May we see a picture of the enclosure?
It's a Russian tortoise, and the enclosure is a 50 gallon rubbermaid-type tub, working on making a better one, but it has a ceramic heat emitter, a basking bulb, and a UV bulb, temp around 80 in the middle (away from both the ceramic and the basking bulb), and in the 90's under the basking bulb. It has reptibark bedding, with coconut coir underneath, which keeps the humidity around 60-70's. I can put up a picture tomorrow of it if need be. Thank you for the help!
Is it possible your Russian's internal body clock is telling her it's time to brumate?
What sort of UV bulb? The coil ones can burn their eyes and cause them to want to hide a lot.
Also, this time of year, sometimes you need to warm them up and lengthen the light cycle to 14 hours to prevent them from wanting to hibernate.
Also, what size Russian. A 50 is much too small for an adult.
Also, this time of year, sometimes you need to warm them up and lengthen the light cycle to 14 hours to prevent them from wanting to hibernate.
Also, what size Russian. A 50 is much too small for an adult.
Yeah, it's a coil one I believe, what do you recommend? And I can certainly do that, also she's pretty small, I'll look around for a larger one, what do you suggest in the future? I'm trying to get all the stuff together for a tortoise table, so I'm using this as a go between until I get that assembled.
Those tubs are great for smaller ones.
For UV I suggest a mercury vapor bulb or a tube style florescent bulb. I you live in an area with warm temps and sunshine year round, you don't need any artificial indoor UV.
For UV I suggest a mercury vapor bulb or a tube style florescent bulb. I you live in an area with warm temps and sunshine year round, you don't need any artificial indoor UV.
Okay, I'll look for a new UV light today. I've also read that them not eating is a common thing and that it can last for up to a few months, is that correct? And when should I be worried about it? I'm very concerned about it now, all she seems to do is burrow under the ceramic heater, ignoring the basking light.
This time of year is when a temperate species of tortoise's body is telling him/her to prepare for a long cold winter. You can help to fool their body by increasing your overall temps, lengthening the "days" on your light timers to 13+ hours, brightening the enclosure during the day, and I have had some recent success with daily warm soaks. Many of my young russians were trying to dig in and "quit" for the season. Most of my new babies only hatched in May and June of this year, so with some thought, I made the decision to NOT hibernate them this year. When they started slowing down on appetite and activity levels, in addition to all of the above, I began digging them up from their little self dug caves and soaking them in warm shallow water for 15-20 minutes each day. After their soaks I rinse them and put them on the flat rock under the basing lamp kind of over near the food. Since it was bright, warm and "sunny", and they were now up and awake, they would usually stay up, walk around and explore and eat, until the next night fell. After a few weeks of this, I think they have mostly now decided that staying up is not such a bad idea.
A few months of not eating at hibernation temps is fine, if it is done correctly. A few months of not eating at normal room temps or higher will deplete their fat reserves much too quickly and could kill them. So you have got to either get yours up and eating, or follow the procedures for hibernation and let him/her fully shut down for the winter.
A few months of not eating at hibernation temps is fine, if it is done correctly. A few months of not eating at normal room temps or higher will deplete their fat reserves much too quickly and could kill them. So you have got to either get yours up and eating, or follow the procedures for hibernation and let him/her fully shut down for the winter.
lpcullum said:
Does she get calcium or any kind of supplement regularly? She may be seeking out a nutrient she needs.
