HELP!! Not eating!

Digger&Blinky

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I have 2 russian tortoises a girl and a boy they are 3 years old their temps are 23-27°c the girl (digger) eats anything she can get her hands on while the boy (blinky) sits in the corner and stares at me. I have tried spring mixed lettuce rommaine lettuce cabbage apples cress but he doesnt eat any of it digger is much heavier and more active any ideas???
 

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TammyJ

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I have 2 russian tortoises a girl and a boy they are 3 years old their temps are 23-27°c the girl (digger) eats anything she can get her hands on while the boy (blinky) sits in the corner and stares at me. I have tried spring mixed lettuce rommaine lettuce cabbage apples cress but he doesnt eat any of it digger is much heavier and more active any ideas???
Blinky is being bullied and they need to be separated, each in his/her own separate enclosure where they cannot even see each other, or Blinky may not make it for much longer. This I have learned from being on this site and reading what the more experienced keepers have said.
 

Yvonne G

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Just a note of explanation about 'bullying.'

You may not see any overt actions. This may sound kind of la la la. But tortoises communicate mentally. The dominant tortoise is telling the submissive tortoise to get out of the dominant tortoise's territory. Because they're contained in a small space with walls, the submissive tortoise isn't able to get out. So he stops eating, stays hidden and tries to be unobtrusive.

Please take what we're saying to heart. We know what we're talking about. We have first hand experience plus we read the same stories (just like yours) over and over again here on the Forum.
 

TammyJ

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Just a note of explanation about 'bullying.'

You may not see any overt actions. This may sound kind of la la la. But tortoises communicate mentally. The dominant tortoise is telling the submissive tortoise to get out of the dominant tortoise's territory. Because they're contained in a small space with walls, the submissive tortoise isn't able to get out. So he stops eating, stays hidden and tries to be unobtrusive.

Please take what we're saying to heart. We know what we're talking about. We have first hand experience plus we read the same stories (just like yours) over and over again here on the Forum.
Totally agree. Rescue Blinky as quickly as you can. Just ensure that each separate enclosure has all the correct temperatures and humidity, and the other things that are recommended as regards substrate and diet.
 

TammyJ

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Im still a child i just cant go out and buy a £120 enclosure.
You don't have to spend any money really, to be able to separate them. Try to find something like a big cardboard box, put newspaper on the bottom and then some natural bedding like grass or leaves, make a little hide, get a shallow plastic or ceramic flower pot saucer and sink it down in the grass/leaves with a few stones in the bottom and put some water in it, get a piece of tile and put the food on it. Read the care sheets. You can do the best you can with what you have around you and gradually, with a bit of help, improve on it! We are here to help. Thank you for caring about the little guys!
 

Tazers Dad.

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I have 2 russian tortoises a girl and a boy they are 3 years old their temps are 23-27°c the girl (digger) eats anything she can get her hands on while the boy (blinky) sits in the corner and stares at me. I have tried spring mixed lettuce rommaine lettuce cabbage apples cress but he doesnt eat any of it digger is much heavier and more active any ideas???
My tortise goes days without eating. He is only about four months old. I have started liquidising courgette,cucumber and watercress and he is now starting to eat most days. When he was not eating he was still very active and fast. Good luck with your two.
 

Oogway the russian tort

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I would split them if they ae fighting/bullying they can get injured badly mentally and physically u can get a plastic kiddy pool for the males enclousre they cost about $10-30 good luck
 

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