Weird Feeding Behavior

Rijal

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Jakarta, Indonesia
Hi all,

I have a sulcata hatchling since a month ago. He was not eating a lot for the first few days, maybe only a nibble or two, and he was losing weight although he was still active and exploring his enclosure. I fed him hibiscus flower and leaf, mulberry leaf, occasional mustard green, pak choi, and opuntia pad as well as the original mazuri. Then, I asked the seller and the seller suggested to feed him outdoor under the morning sun, because that's how they did it. I tried it and he started eating like pigs. So I did it like that for few days. I put the leftover food into his enclosure afterwards but he never touched it.

Then one day, after his daily soak (I put him in a small tub inside the enclosure), I put his foods in the tub while it is still inside the enclosure. To my surprise, he started eating. However, when I put him and the food on his feeding plate, he will stop eating. Then I put him again into the tub and he will resume eating. It is just so weird. At first I thought it was light/temperature issue but seeing that he will eat in his soaking tub inside, I doubt it is the issue.

Have anyone encountered similar issue? What kind of behavior trait which might be linked with this issue? Should I continue to feed him this way?

For additional info, here is the enclosure data:
- Glass tank about 5 x 2 feet (only for his hatchling/baby period) with a lid
- Substrate is exoterra plantation soil topped with fine coconut chips to make it less messy
- Humidity always >95% except under basking light which is about ~85%
- Ambient temperature is 86-90 F at noon and 83-84 at night (even without CHE/heater)
- Basking light is exoterra daylight basking spot (it is actually R20 bulb, so it should counted as flood bulb right?) with basking temperature of 97-98 F. I cannot find normal incandescent light bulb here anywhere here in Indonesia.
- Additional light is LED strip to make the enclosure brighter

Daily care:
- Lights are on at 6 am and off at 6 pm
- I soak him everyday for about 30-45 min
- Then I put him in his portable outdoor enclosure for sunning every morning for an hour, thus no uvb light is used
- Afterwards, I put him back to the tank together with his leftover food. I removed the food every night

Here is him sleeping on his basking spot and his leftover food.
Capture.JPG
 

Tortisedonk7

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
189
Location (City and/or State)
Indonesia
Hi all,

I have a sulcata hatchling since a month ago. He was not eating a lot for the first few days, maybe only a nibble or two, and he was losing weight although he was still active and exploring his enclosure. I fed him hibiscus flower and leaf, mulberry leaf, occasional mustard green, pak choi, and opuntia pad as well as the original mazuri. Then, I asked the seller and the seller suggested to feed him outdoor under the morning sun, because that's how they did it. I tried it and he started eating like pigs. So I did it like that for few days. I put the leftover food into his enclosure afterwards but he never touched it.

Then one day, after his daily soak (I put him in a small tub inside the enclosure), I put his foods in the tub while it is still inside the enclosure. To my surprise, he started eating. However, when I put him and the food on his feeding plate, he will stop eating. Then I put him again into the tub and he will resume eating. It is just so weird. At first I thought it was light/temperature issue but seeing that he will eat in his soaking tub inside, I doubt it is the issue.

Have anyone encountered similar issue? What kind of behavior trait which might be linked with this issue? Should I continue to feed him this way?

For additional info, here is the enclosure data:
- Glass tank about 5 x 2 feet (only for his hatchling/baby period) with a lid
- Substrate is exoterra plantation soil topped with fine coconut chips to make it less messy
- Humidity always >95% except under basking light which is about ~85%
- Ambient temperature is 86-90 F at noon and 83-84 at night (even without CHE/heater)
- Basking light is exoterra daylight basking spot (it is actually R20 bulb, so it should counted as flood bulb right?) with basking temperature of 97-98 F. I cannot find normal incandescent light bulb here anywhere here in Indonesia.
- Additional light is LED strip to make the enclosure brighter

Daily care:
- Lights are on at 6 am and off at 6 pm
- I soak him everyday for about 30-45 min
- Then I put him in his portable outdoor enclosure for sunning every morning for an hour, thus no uvb light is used
- Afterwards, I put him back to the tank together with his leftover food. I removed the food every night

Here is him sleeping on his basking spot and his leftover food.
View attachment 308396

The first thing that comes to mind is possibly the rock is too hot and not comfortable to eat from.
When he was out side eating in the sun was he in the tub?
Do tortoise see in color... maybe it’s related to the color of the tub?
Maybe you can put some thing the same color near his feeding rock.

Too cute that he sleeps like that all stretched out. If my baby slept like that it would scare me. I would think it’s dead.
 

Rijal

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Jakarta, Indonesia
The first thing that comes to mind is possibly the rock is too hot and not comfortable to eat from.
When he was out side eating in the sun was he in the tub?
Do tortoise see in color... maybe it’s related to the color of the tub?
Maybe you can put some thing the same color near his feeding rock.

Too cute that he sleeps like that all stretched out. If my baby slept like that it would scare me. I would think it’s dead.
I also thought so, but I have also tried moving around the food and even scattered a lot of food everywhere in the enclosure but still he will not eat.

Gave me a shock the first time I saw it too!
 

Tortisedonk7

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
189
Location (City and/or State)
Indonesia
Hmm... I would try putting something the same color as the tub next to his feeding area. Just how my brain thinks. Lol

I wish I could get mulberry leaves here. Do you feed him kangkun? Mine loves it.
 

Hamiltondood

Active Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
248
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, Texas
Hmm... I would try putting something the same color as the tub next to his feeding area. Just how my brain thinks. Lol

I wish I could get mulberry leaves here. Do you feed him kangkun? Mine loves it.
I feed mine kangkun (water spinach) too, mine goes crazy for it ?
 

Rijal

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Jakarta, Indonesia
Hmm... I would try putting something the same color as the tub next to his feeding area. Just how my brain thinks. Lol

I wish I could get mulberry leaves here. Do you feed him kangkun? Mine loves it.
Tried it this morning, not working. I guess I have to experiment a little bit then.

You can buy and plant it, it is called "Murbei" here. I haven't had kangkung for a while now since my family got bored of it. Haha. Maybe I'll get it next week.
 

Tortisedonk7

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
189
Location (City and/or State)
Indonesia
What’s the problem just continuing to feed him in the sun or in the tub like before?

Tried it this morning, not working. I guess I have to experiment a little bit then.

You can buy and plant it, it is called "Murbei" here. I haven't had kangkung for a while now since my family got bored of it. Haha. Maybe I'll get it next week.
 

Quick

Member
Joined
May 9, 2020
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
I’m really sorry, I have nothing productive to add to your queries (but I hope you find some answers to your concerns) but I have to say ... that is one of the cutest tortoise pics I’ve EVER seen ??? S/he’s adorable!!
 

Tortisedonk7

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
189
Location (City and/or State)
Indonesia
Just had an idea come to mind. Get a tub identical To the one used now for feeding. Cut the side off so one end is open. Feed him in there next to or on top his feeding rock/bowl. Slowly (maybe a few weeks) move the tub out/away from the feeding rock. Example like first time eating in the tub, next time the food is 1cm in the rock then 2cm and so on. Eventually leaving him and the food on the rock with no tub. Maybe worth a try if you have the patients... lol.
Good luck!
 

Tortisedonk7

Active Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
189
Location (City and/or State)
Indonesia
One more similar idea would be to put the feeding rock in the tub. If he eats like that than you can slowly remove the tub, same as I described before.
 
Joined
Sep 28, 2020
Messages
40
Location (City and/or State)
Cleveland Tennessee
Hi all,

I have a sulcata hatchling since a month ago. He was not eating a lot for the first few days, maybe only a nibble or two, and he was losing weight although he was still active and exploring his enclosure. I fed him hibiscus flower and leaf, mulberry leaf, occasional mustard green, pak choi, and opuntia pad as well as the original mazuri. Then, I asked the seller and the seller suggested to feed him outdoor under the morning sun, because that's how they did it. I tried it and he started eating like pigs. So I did it like that for few days. I put the leftover food into his enclosure afterwards but he never touched it.

Then one day, after his daily soak (I put him in a small tub inside the enclosure), I put his foods in the tub while it is still inside the enclosure. To my surprise, he started eating. However, when I put him and the food on his feeding plate, he will stop eating. Then I put him again into the tub and he will resume eating. It is just so weird. At first I thought it was light/temperature issue but seeing that he will eat in his soaking tub inside, I doubt it is the issue.

Have anyone encountered similar issue? What kind of behavior trait which might be linked with this issue? Should I continue to feed him this way?

For additional info, here is the enclosure data:
- Glass tank about 5 x 2 feet (only for his hatchling/baby period) with a lid
- Substrate is exoterra plantation soil topped with fine coconut chips to make it less messy
- Humidity always >95% except under basking light which is about ~85%
- Ambient temperature is 86-90 F at noon and 83-84 at night (even without CHE/heater)
- Basking light is exoterra daylight basking spot (it is actually R20 bulb, so it should counted as flood bulb right?) with basking temperature of 97-98 F. I cannot find normal incandescent light bulb here anywhere here in Indonesia.
- Additional light is LED strip to make the enclosure brighter

Daily care:
- Lights are on at 6 am and off at 6 pm
- I soak him everyday for about 30-45 min
- Then I put him in his portable outdoor enclosure for sunning every morning for an hour, thus no uvb light is used
- Afterwards, I put him back to the tank together with his leftover food. I removed the food every night

Here is him sleeping on his basking spot and his leftover food.
View attachment 308396
This picture is hilarious. It’s the tort version of getting drunk and passing out on your pizza.
 

William Lee Kohler

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2015
Messages
879
Location (City and/or State)
Eugene, OR
Someone asked but never followed through. IF you have a good UVB light inside for him/her maybe that will do the trick. Feeding well under natural UV light but not under artificial non UVB may be the whole problem:confused:.
 
Top