EMERGENCY tortoise isn’t eating

User2848829386

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My Russian tortoise isn’t eating I have the proper heat and Uv lights. I have had him for 1.5 years now and he is in a 40 gallon tank by himself. He hasn’t eaten in 15 days and is always closing his eyes and is very weak. I would like to know how old is he and what he needs to be fed. I took him to the vet a couple of days ago and they gave me some antibiotic eye drops, a vitamin injection and they printed some google form care sheets for him. He didn’t seem to get any better. Please review the images that I attached and help me and Sherman grow. image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 

jsheffield

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Read the following thread:


Use the meds the very gave you, but make sure you have the enclosure parameters in the appropriate range for your tort...

Once you do, start a series of warm water soaks a few times a day, augmented with carrot baby food for the first few days.

Fingers crossed for your tort.

Jamie
 

User2848829386

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Read the following thread:


Use the meds the very gave you, but make sure you have the enclosure parameters in the appropriate range for your tort...

Once you do, start a series of warm water soaks a few times a day, augmented with carrot baby food for the first few days.

Fingers crossed for your tort.

Jamie
Ok will do thanks
 

KarenSoCal

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Eye issues in babies are frequently caused by the wrong kind of UVB light. What kind do you use? CFL, compact, mercury vapor, or fluorescent tube type? Does it screw into a socket, or is it a fluorescent tube fixture?

Was it a vitamin A shot the vet gave? Where did he inject? Front or rear?

What kind of substrate are you using? Has he been digging himself into the substrate at night?

Has he brumated (hibernated) other years, or have you kept him awake for winter?
 

User2848829386

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Eye issues in babies are frequently caused by the wrong kind of UVB light. What kind do you use? CFL, compact, mercury vapor, or fluorescent tube type? Does it screw into a socket, or is it a fluorescent tube fixture?

Was it a vitamin A shot the vet gave? Where did he inject? Front or rear?

What kind of substrate are you using? Has he been digging himself into the substrate at night?

Has he brumated (hibernated) other years, or have you kept him awake for winter?
The uv is a screw on bulb and he has never hibernated. also he uses cypress mulch and he doesn’t dig he. barely keeps his eyes open and the shot was on his front. They said it was a vitamin. He hasn’t been eating the carrot baby food that someone suggested. please help
 

Hamiltondood

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The uv is a screw on bulb and he has never hibernated. also he uses cypress mulch and he doesn’t dig he. barely keeps his eyes open and the shot was on his front. They said it was a vitamin. He hasn’t been eating the carrot baby food that someone suggested. please help
vitamin shots are terrible.
the uv bulb you use is probably a cfl bulb. not good for their eyes.
remove the bulb ASAP.
he won't exactly eat the carrot food, just continue the baby food soaks for now.
40 gallon tanks are also way too small for a RT that size.
most vets know close to nothing about tortoises. don't get any more vitamin shots for him
hope all goes well
 

User2848829386

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vitamin shots are terrible.
the uv bulb you use is probably a cfl bulb. not good for their eyes.
remove the bulb ASAP.
he won't exactly eat the carrot food, just continue the baby food soaks for now.
40 gallon tanks are also way too small for a RT that size.
most vets know close to nothing about tortoises. don't get any more vitamin shots for him
hope all goes well
How do I feed him though
 

KarenSoCal

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Ok, he might not eat because his eyes hurt and are closed. He can't see his food.

So first, turn off the UVB light, and leave it off He will be fine without it until he is well.

Second, make sure he is warm. Turn up his heat so the minimum overnight temp is 85°F. Make sure his substrate is damp and humidity is above 80%.



He won't eat the carrot baby food. You don't feed it to him. It goes into his soak water at a 50/50 mix. When you put him in the soak, he might drink a bit of it.

Make sure to use those eye drops as directed.

He will eat when his eyes are better, in my opinion. For now, offer him yummy stuff that he loves. Foods that are a treat, even if he shouldn't have them often.

Remember that this is the time of year that tortoises hibernate. Even if he hasn't before, it could still cause him to drastically reduce how much he eats, and make him extra sleepy. I'm not saying that is the reason he's not eating, just that it could be contributing to the problem.

Keep us informed how he's doing. We're praying for him.
 

User2848829386

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Ok, he might not eat because his eyes hurt and are closed. He can't see his food.

So first, turn off the UVB light, and leave it off He will be fine without it until he is well.

Second, make sure he is warm. Turn up his heat so the minimum overnight temp is 85°F. Make sure his substrate is damp and humidity is above 80%.



He won't eat the carrot baby food. You don't feed it to him. It goes into his soak water at a 50/50 mix. When you put him in the soak, he might drink a bit of it.

Make sure to use those eye drops as directed.

He will eat when his eyes are better, in my opinion. For now, offer him yummy stuff that he loves. Foods that are a treat, even if he shouldn't have them often.

Remember that this is the time of year that tortoises hibernate. Even if he hasn't before, it could still cause him to drastically reduce how much he eats, and make him extra sleepy. I'm not saying that is the reason he's not eating, just that it could be contributing to the problem.

Keep us informed how he's doing. We're praying for him.
Ok thanks
 

User2848829386

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He is slowly drinking the mixture but isn’t eating his dandelions. Also how do I boost the humidity besides misting it? Right now it is at 57% and I can’t seem to get it higher.
 

FrankIinTheTortoise

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Let him adjust to the mixture. In the mean time, if you want to boost the humidity, try putting some tiny water bottle caps with water and leave them somewhere in Shermans enclosure where he can't access them. :cool:
 

KarenSoCal

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He is slowly drinking the mixture but isn’t eating his dandelions. Also how do I boost the humidity besides misting it? Right now it is at 57% and I can’t seem to get it higher.

I know you are using a 40g tank as an enclosure, so I am assuming that it has an open top. Trying to maintain heat and humidity in an open habitat is nearly impossible. All the warm moist air just goes up into the room.

What you need to do is cover the top of the tank. There are several ways to do this, so I'll show them to you and you decide what works best for you.

First, you could build a structure like this...

IMG_1511635956.495114.jpg

It sits over your tank, and you hang your lights from the bar across the top. Then you get a shower curtain and drape it over the entire setup.

Next, read this. It shows other methods. I mention Markw84's enclosures because they are great. There is a company that makes beautiful closed chambers called Animal Plastics. Their chambers are excellent, but it takes months to get one. That is why I don't put them into that post.


For right now you can put some aluminum foil over your tank to keep in the heat.

To raise the humidity, if you are using orchid bark, coco coir, or cypress mulch as the substrate, you pour some water right into it, and mix it up good with your hands. It should be damp all the way through. You don't want it soaking, just nicely damp. Then if you want you can put a thin layer of dry substrate on top. Put that foil over the tank...you have to keep the temp up with the moist substrate.

Are his eyes opening yet? Did you turn off his UVB light and leave it off? I'm glad to hear he's drinking some of the carrot mixture...is he showing any signs of being stronger?
 

User2848829386

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Hi. He hasn’t really gotten any better with the carrot and water mixture. He isn’t really opening his eyes and is very lethargic.

Please help.
 

KarenSoCal

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Hi. He hasn’t really gotten any better with the carrot and water mixture. He isn’t really opening his eyes and is very lethargic.

Please help.

Have you done any of the things I suggested in post # 18? You keep asking for help, but you haven't said you've made changes.

Please post some pictures of his enclosure and the lights you are using. We need to see the bulbs themselves.

If you are using any screw in UVB bulb, TURN IT OFF!

Tell us what you have done to help this tortoise?
 
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