Hi everyone,
I have a bit of a long story but I've recently joined the forum just looking for any advice at all
Back in June 2020 I bought two russian horsefield tortoises Luna and Trevor (they were only 8 months old when I got them and not sure the sex as they're too young that's just the names I picked). I was originally only going to get one but people kept saying one might get lonely so I got two, even though I had one enclosure, not the best decision now thinking of it. I thought everything was fine, when I first got them they had one or two sicknesses such as an eye infection straight after getting them from the pet shop I learned after. I thought they got along fine as neither were aggressive and it looked like what I thought was happy and cuddling together sometimes but Luna started to stop eating and withdraw a bit, I brought her to the vet so many times (it was very expensive but I just wanted Luna to be okay) and no answer and when I asked on a FB group someone told me to seperate them and that she is probably intimidated by Trevor and I did, I split the enclosure in half (as a temporary measure) and she began eating more and seemed more comfortable after a bit, I couldn't believe I didn't notice it. I got them seperate enclosures (this was in October when they would be 1 years old Trevor weighed in normal but Luna was only 45grams at that point) but then she stopped eating again, I brought her to the vet as no matter what I did she wasn't gaining weight and they said she got a parasite (worms) and then she got better.
But it is now April and she is not sick and she eats some days but some days she just doesn't no matter what I do (I put the Komodo tortoise diet fruit and flower over her food cause she eats more sometimes when I do that) or no matter what food I give her, I'm trying to get her to gain more weight, she is currently 76 grams and while this is more than she was in October, I'm afraid it's not enough for her age, she's about 1 and a half now and Trevor who is the same age as her is healthy and 180 grams (and looks and according to vet growing and rounding out nicely) . I just don't know what to do, before when I first got her she warmed up to me quickly but soon after I moved her enclosure she's become more scared, not very active, reserved from me and just generally afraid like sometimes she won't eat her food if she hears me in the bedroom (they're in my room in an enclosure only place I can put them in the house but they've got a good enclosure), I don't think she likes people around her much so I put curtains around her enclosure (they're bunk bed enclosures specially made and she's bottom bunk) she bops her head away at the slightest of noise and just sits there and nods at her food sometimes. Sometimes when I fuss move over her she'll eat less like trying to get her to eat or soaking her daily (as I soak them both seperately daily especially cause neither of them ever drink their water and to hydrate them). While Trevor in his enclosure will run to food the minute he sees it, he's active and moves around a lot and when I bring him in the garden (I live in Ireland can only do this when we've certain temperatures) he runs around eating dandelions while she will stay in the same place looking scared or won't move much. I don't know what to do, I'm currently trying to get her bigger so that she'll survive cause I'm really worried she won't at this rate, is there any advice or anything anyone has?
I'm afraid that after her being scared with Trevor and then moved it might have been too much change but it's been about 6 months since this and she's still scared (and hiding a lot of the time), no matter what I do, she just doesn't seem to act like a 'typical tortoise' or even like Trevor, I know she might have a different type of personality but she is always scared of everything when I am very careful with her now not introducing much change, giving her space and stuff, giving her foods that used to be her favourite but even those she doesn't eat anymore. I really don't know what to do and I'm just trying to make her less scared and help her gain weight cause she needs to, please if anyone has any advice at all, I would really appreciate it.
(Also I know she's too young and might not be a she I just refer to her as that as it's easier when talking about both of them like this)
Thank you
I have a bit of a long story but I've recently joined the forum just looking for any advice at all
Back in June 2020 I bought two russian horsefield tortoises Luna and Trevor (they were only 8 months old when I got them and not sure the sex as they're too young that's just the names I picked). I was originally only going to get one but people kept saying one might get lonely so I got two, even though I had one enclosure, not the best decision now thinking of it. I thought everything was fine, when I first got them they had one or two sicknesses such as an eye infection straight after getting them from the pet shop I learned after. I thought they got along fine as neither were aggressive and it looked like what I thought was happy and cuddling together sometimes but Luna started to stop eating and withdraw a bit, I brought her to the vet so many times (it was very expensive but I just wanted Luna to be okay) and no answer and when I asked on a FB group someone told me to seperate them and that she is probably intimidated by Trevor and I did, I split the enclosure in half (as a temporary measure) and she began eating more and seemed more comfortable after a bit, I couldn't believe I didn't notice it. I got them seperate enclosures (this was in October when they would be 1 years old Trevor weighed in normal but Luna was only 45grams at that point) but then she stopped eating again, I brought her to the vet as no matter what I did she wasn't gaining weight and they said she got a parasite (worms) and then she got better.
But it is now April and she is not sick and she eats some days but some days she just doesn't no matter what I do (I put the Komodo tortoise diet fruit and flower over her food cause she eats more sometimes when I do that) or no matter what food I give her, I'm trying to get her to gain more weight, she is currently 76 grams and while this is more than she was in October, I'm afraid it's not enough for her age, she's about 1 and a half now and Trevor who is the same age as her is healthy and 180 grams (and looks and according to vet growing and rounding out nicely) . I just don't know what to do, before when I first got her she warmed up to me quickly but soon after I moved her enclosure she's become more scared, not very active, reserved from me and just generally afraid like sometimes she won't eat her food if she hears me in the bedroom (they're in my room in an enclosure only place I can put them in the house but they've got a good enclosure), I don't think she likes people around her much so I put curtains around her enclosure (they're bunk bed enclosures specially made and she's bottom bunk) she bops her head away at the slightest of noise and just sits there and nods at her food sometimes. Sometimes when I fuss move over her she'll eat less like trying to get her to eat or soaking her daily (as I soak them both seperately daily especially cause neither of them ever drink their water and to hydrate them). While Trevor in his enclosure will run to food the minute he sees it, he's active and moves around a lot and when I bring him in the garden (I live in Ireland can only do this when we've certain temperatures) he runs around eating dandelions while she will stay in the same place looking scared or won't move much. I don't know what to do, I'm currently trying to get her bigger so that she'll survive cause I'm really worried she won't at this rate, is there any advice or anything anyone has?
I'm afraid that after her being scared with Trevor and then moved it might have been too much change but it's been about 6 months since this and she's still scared (and hiding a lot of the time), no matter what I do, she just doesn't seem to act like a 'typical tortoise' or even like Trevor, I know she might have a different type of personality but she is always scared of everything when I am very careful with her now not introducing much change, giving her space and stuff, giving her foods that used to be her favourite but even those she doesn't eat anymore. I really don't know what to do and I'm just trying to make her less scared and help her gain weight cause she needs to, please if anyone has any advice at all, I would really appreciate it.
(Also I know she's too young and might not be a she I just refer to her as that as it's easier when talking about both of them like this)
Thank you