Horsefield tortoise pretty much stopped eating and sleeps a lot

[smurfytherabbi]

Hi.

We got our tortoise in march and he has been fine until a week or so ago and he has slowed right down on eating and sleeps a lot. Is this normal? Is he preparing to hibernate??? He is 10 years old and as its our first to own we are not sure.
Any advice would be good.

Many thank

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Russian tortoises have a pretty short 'awake' cycle. In the real world, they hibernate for sometimes 8 months out of the year. So when they sense that the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler, they start to prepare their bodies for hibernation (brumation).

If you want to keep your tortoise awake, you're going to have to try real hard to fool him into thinking it is still spring/summer. Sometimes its not very easy.

BUT!!! be very sure that everything is correct with your tortoise-keeping. Sometimes they show the same symptoms when they are sick, or something's not right with their care.

 

[smurfytherabbi]

Do you have any tips to fool
Him ?? The tortoise rehoming place said not to let him hibernate the first year we have him.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

How are you keeping him? What are you using for light and food?

 

[smurfytherabbi]

He is on a table top indoor enclosure in our living room and we use basking lamp and UVA/UVB light which are both on 9-5 every day and food we give him rocket, watercress, tomatoes, cucumber, butternut squash, broccoli, but all he seems to really like is the squash but we keep it alternate between the listed every day.

---

His house is 30x18x6 inches. And he has a section on it that he uses as his bedroom.

 

[Tom]

You need warm temps and a longer daylight cycle. Your lights should be on for 13-14 hours a day to simulate summer. It would probably help if you did this somewhat gradually. Maybe add a half hour a day until you get to 14. What type of UV bulb is it. The coil types can hurt their eyes and they usually respond to this by hiding from the light because it hurts. This will seem like lethargy sometimes.

Your diet needs some help. Rocket and watercress are okay as part of a varied diet, but broadleaf weeds would be much better. You can also look for endive, escarole, and dandelion greens. Turnip, mustard and collard greens are also good. I'd skip the tomato, broccoli and cucumber, and keep the squash to a minimum. Here is a good diet sheet:
http://russiantortoise.net/russiantortoisediet.htm

 

[smurfytherabbi]

Thank u soooo much fella. We're new and this is a great help.

---

It's almost 2am here I will check the bulb in the morning. How will I know if its coil? As in the metal inside the bulb?

 

[redfoot_mama94]

The bulb itsself would be coil shaped, like the way many 'energy saver' bulbs look

Sent from my LG-L38C using TortForum mobile app

 

[WillTort2]

You need to check all your temperatures. I would suggest a temperature gun.

Good luck.

 

[smurfytherabbi]

this is his UVA light

 

[smurfytherabbi]

I put the heating on this morning in the house and he seems more lively. Eating and walking around. I also advanced his light time by half an hour as you suggested. So fingers crossed it was just that he was getting chilly