Think My Greek is Sick

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Marshman

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Hello All,
the last couple of days Walter hasn't been as active and last night he barley ate anything. I gave him a soak he drank up some water but did not poo. I'm getting concerned and might take to the VET. Any body have any ideas he has been really active and eating very well till now.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Is your temperature the same? It's time for them to rid their systems of food so they can hibernate, is it possible that is what he is doing? I don't keep Greeks so I really don't know if they hibernate or not. I was just making a suggestion, I am sure others who are more experienced with Greeks will chime in. Check your husbandry and make sure it is the same as it has been...
 

Marshman

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Clementine_3

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This seems to be happening a lot lately. See this thread as it has a similar situation. My Greek was "off" last week-ish as well but I thought it was due to a substrate change...not so sure now actually. He's back to eating and being active but had really 'slowed down' for a bit. Not at all sure if any of this is related, seems too coincidental at some level though??

Oh and...Walter is handsome :)
 

Marshman

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Well just heard back from the keeper at the reptile park and she said that she does not hibernate the smaller torts that they have and that she noticed that some of them go thru stages of not eating much and wondered herself if it corresponded with the hibernation period. If any off you have some more insight into this it would help set my mind to ease a little.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Well, I am certainly not an expert by any means, BUT...to me he looks dehydrated.
I would not hibernate someone like him. Put him in a box in a dark closet for about 5 or 6 days. Then take him out and soak him and go about acting like things are normal. Sometimes you can trick them into thinking they've hibernated and they snap out of it...Just a thought, it worked with a blind box turtle I have...
 

bettinge

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I believe hibernation is trigered by at least two things, temp change and day length! We are now loosing nearly 20 minutes of daylight a week! I would think the hot days and very warm nights would keep him awake for a bit longer.

With that said, I keep bearded dragons, and they ALWAYS become less active and hide from mid August and on and off till March. I do not hibernate them. I read the dragons do this because there is less food to be had in the hottest months!

Do you keep him inside or out?
 

Marshman

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Well two days later he has been eating, but not alot likes the tomatoes i gave him. But he still doesn't have that rush to run to the food dish like before. think I'm going take him to the VET
 

Stazz

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Hey there Marshal. For one thing, you shouldn't be feeding your Greek tomatoes, the seeds are toxic to them and it's not really part of their varied diet. Spring mix bags are easy to find, he should be eating mixed greens like raddichio, endive, escarole, romaine, chicory. I hope he gets better though.
 

Marshman

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Stazz,
I feed him primarily spring mix with some mustard greens,grasses, and other leafy greens with a little bit off squash and occasionally a coupe small pieces of tomato cut up without the seeds as a treat. I have lately been having trouble finding spring mix seems like baby greens i thinks its called is replacing it. has any one else seen this at there local grociery store.
 

tortoisenerd

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I would look at the ingredients list and see what's in it. I have always seen that spring mix and baby greens are the same, and the ingredients only differ by brand. I try to get one with the most variety, and no spinach.
 

Marshman

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Well were back to really nice days here those days were Walter was not acting like before he's been cooped up inside. after a couple of days of fun and sun seems like he is back to old self.
 

tortoisenerd

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Great to hear. Sounds like we had quite a few torts here (including mine) who had a bit of a funk. I've heard they can sense changes in weather/season, pressure, moods of the owner, etc.
 

dmmj

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Even with our ability to try and fool them with lights and heat I have always known that torts can sense the changing weather such as less light and such, and some of them respond .
 

Marshman

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Been cold at night Walter has been inside more and he seems back to not eating. it's got me concerned again got him to it a little squash but I'm getting worried he seems to have some energy. Ive been soaking him twice a day for 15min in warm water and not getting any poop out of him just a little white seepage. any one have any ideas.
 

Yvonne G

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You're going to think I'm anthropomorphizing, but in my opinion, tortoises pout. They get comfortable in their outdoor habitat, then we have to start bringing them inside because of the weather. They pout and stop eating because they want to be back outside where "home" is. One way to get them used to coming inside is to bring them in every night, but not until dark. Put them back out in the morning. Even if its still ok, weather-wise, for them to be outside at night, bring them in. This way they get used to the indoor habitat and start to remember it. As the nights get cooler, you can bring him in earlier and earlier, until he's inside most of the day. And finally inside all the time.

I hope he settles down and acts normal soon.

Yvonne
 
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