New Russian Tortoise Hasn't Been Eating

[YourAverageReptileLover]

I got a Russian Tortoise on Tuesday, and he seemed very healthy. When we first put him in the enclosure, he hid in his shell for about half an hour, drank and soaked in his water dish, then explored, and went to sleep. On the second day, he did the the same. Today, he woke up from his spot below the basking light (which I turn off at night), took a little walk, and fell back asleep in the same spot he slept. I haven't seen him eat at all. Help please!

*When he sleeps, he doesn't go into a hide. He just lays wherever. Is this normal?

*We're feeding him some spring mix and Hibiscus leaves.

 

[dmmj]

Let's go over the basics. temps? vet visit done?

 

[YourAverageReptileLover]

Let's go over the basics. temps? vet visit done?

Info about his enclosure would be useful, huh? Forgot about that.

The warm (basking) side of his enclosure is about 88F-90F. The cool side is about 70F-75F.
Not sure what the humidity is.
The substrate is 50% organic topsoil and 50% coconut fiber.
He has 2 hides, but he doesn't go in them.
He hasn't been to the vet, but my mom said we should ask some people at Petsmart if he isn't eating soon (she probably won't take him to the vet because it's too expensive).

I don't know if this will help, but here's a picture of his 6foot by 4foot enclosure.

 

[dmmj]

Well everything sounds good. IO imagine he (?), is going thrugh re-adjustment.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi. Torts, I can assure yoou take time to adjust to a new place.....patience here is a must.

 

[YourAverageReptileLover]

Hi. Torts, I can assure yoou take time to adjust to a new place.....patience here is a must.

Good news! Yesterday I soaked him for about 10minutes, then put him in front of his food. He ate! I even got him to eat out of my hand. He eats now, but he doesn't like to move away from his basking light. Lol.

 

[YourAverageReptileLover]

Well everything sounds good. IO imagine he (?), is going thrugh re-adjustment.

Yes, he.

 

[Yvonne G]

You are losing a lot of heat from you lights by clamping them at an angle. They need to be hanging straight down. And if one of your bulbs is a Mercury Vapor Bulb, you are shortening the life of the bulb by having it at an angle. The instructions for those bulbs tell you to hang it straight down. If you're using a coil shaped bulb, I would advise to get rid of it and get a MVB. Tortoises seem to really perk up when you have the correct heat/UVB.

 

[YourAverageReptileLover]

You are losing a lot of heat from you lights by clamping them at an angle. They need to be hanging straight down. And if one of your bulbs is a Mercury Vapor Bulb, you are shortening the life of the bulb by having it at an angle. The instructions for those bulbs tell you to hang it straight down. If you're using a coil shaped bulb, I would advise to get rid of it and get a MVB. Tortoises seem to really perk up when you have the correct heat/UVB.

It's not a Mercury Vapor Bulb, but I will clamp them straight. They're not coil-shaped bulbs, either. The temperature is about 90, so do I still need to clamp them straight?

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Yes, straight help the temp go directly DOWN onto the basking spot. If he's not moving away, he's probably a littl chilly! ow warm is the other side? It looks like it might be cold.