Horsefield not eating! Doesn't seem happy

[Robinsmom]

Hi all in new here.
My horsefield Tortoise Robin is around 3/4 years old now. Normally a happy chappy comes running to the side of the table when I come in to turn his light on and eats out my hand etc. I went on holiday for two weeks and my mom took care of him at her house. Since we've been back and bought him home his ate nothing. Doesn't come out and see me and if I pick him up to put him under the lamp he walks straight back to bed. His eyes and nose are not running all fine he looks healthy just really out of character. I've not changed his lamps or temp, food or anything all the same and his normally fine. Any ideas? I'm worried sick. Thanks

 

[Gillian M]

Don't panic: torts take long, very long to adapt to a new environment, a new home, a new enclosure, a new owner, and last but not the least a new climate.

Please post pics of your tort and his/her enclosure.

And welcome to the forum!

 

[wellington]

He may just need to get readjusted after being put in a strange place and then back again. If it's warm where you are, a nice outdoor enclosure for warm weather will perk him up

 

[Robinsmom]

Thanks guys will get a photo of his enclosure when I'm home later. I'll post a pic of him his she'll is bumpy as his overweight but I know this and was sorting that. He also has an over bite and I'm not sure why but his always had it. Thanks

 

[Robinsmom]

This is Robin

 

[Robinsmom]

And again

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

That is quite the underbite. How often do you get this tortoise outside? What do you do for a dietary calcium source?

 

[Robinsmom]

He has calcium dust on his food. And whenever the sun is out which isn't a lot lately and around work.

 

[Pearly]

Has his beak always look like this? What do you do for UVB? What's your temp under his basking light at the substrate level? And very warm welcome from Texas

 

[Robinsmom]

Thanks this is a stupid question but how do I check the temp of a bulb? My mate gave me him me as she breeds them and I've done all she's said but I'm still not sure. I use a 100watt bulb and he has a heat mat in his sleeping bit. His never normally off his food and the environment is all the same. Thanks guys

 

[Robinsmom]

I'll check through old photos with regards to his bite. I'm out in the garden with him now after a bath. Walking fast but still not eaten

 

[Robinsmom]

This is his set up. Just bought him in and he will eat his hard pellets but no veg now

 

[Pearly]

Sweetie looks like you have some tweaking to do but we'll ask some experts to chime in. I keep the redfooted torts (different requirements). All torts need UVB light, without it they can't process calcium, and it messes up their bones/shells. Perhaps @Tom and @Yvonne G come along to give you species specific advice. There's lot of outdated info out there so don't feel bad about not knowing. Most of us made those mistakes at the beginning. God knows, I did!

 

[Yvonne G]

Please take my criticism in the vein it is given, not to be mean, but to help you give your tortoise a better life.

Your little Russian tortoise is VERY BUMPY! This means he's been kept too dry, and the substrate I see in that last picture tells the story. He needs to be kept on something that can be moistened a bit. When you dig down into the earth outside, you'll notice that under the dry top layer it get a bit moist. That's how it should be for your little tortoise's indoor enclosure too...a bit moist when he digs down.

I can't tell if one of those lights is the new compact fluorescent bulbs or not, the spiral-shaped bulb? If so, those have been known to harm baby tortoise's eyes. But the way you have it mounted is probably ok. Horizontal would mean the concentrated, harmful rays are going out the end horizontally and not pointing straight down at the tortoise. Your lights really should be mounted on some sort of stand so they hang straight down (except for the spiral bulb). You get much more heat directed down into the enclosure that way.

The beak problem is due to a calcium deficiency. Do you feed calcium-rich foods? Do you offer calcium supplementation along with a GOOD UVB bulb to make the calcium work?

 

[Robinsmom]

God guys I had no idea! I thought he was happy glad I've found this site now. Poor guy. Didn't mean to cause him harm.
What substrate is best? I used to use tortoise life but he had problems digging like it was to heavy the reason I used this is put different stuff down and picked this to dig in. I use this calcium dust stuff on his food but that's all. What foods are high in calcium? I give him things like cucumber, lettuce, grated carrot, sweetcorn, broccoli and kiwi etc. And he has his tortoise pellets.
What bulbs would you recommend? I really don't know what's best. If someone could send me a link to one on eBay I will buy it. Will his she'll ever go normal and how?
I feel terrible thanks everyone

 

[Gillian M]

This is his set up. Just bought him in and he will eat his hard pellets but no veg now

View attachment 177807

Lovely enclosure and a cute little tort. GOD bless.

 

[Robinsmom]

That's the bulbs I have now

 

[Gillian M]

Do you give your tort daily soaks in warm water? If not, please make sure you do,especially if you live in a dry climate.

 

[Robinsmom]

Ok I will start doing that. I've done it the last two days to that s a good start. Thank you

 

[Gillian M]

Ok I will start doing that. I've done it the last two days to that s a good start. Thank you

Personally, I live in Jordan (the Middle East), in an extremely dry climate Winter and Summer alike. during Summer I give Oli two to three soaks a day AND I spray his enclosure with water once or twice each and every day.