help and advice please on a horse field tortoise

[Laura1412]

I have a horse field tortoise I have had Clyde since February I'm waking a bit of advice if anyone can help me only in the last 2 months my tortoise has really changed all he wants to do is sleep in his hide he does not come out to bask or eat unless I get him out his hide n put him near his lamp or food he has only been eatin every three days even tho food there daily some times he will sit under his light for 15 mins some times a hours sometimes sprightly bak to his hide he lives in a tortoise table got a Arcadia d3 combo bulb uva uvb the temps under basking are 34 cold end 22 I AV took him 4 weeks ago to a reptile vet who says he's fine but his behaviour sont seem fine to me n am worried also the last 3 days his eye lid above 1 eye seems slightly puffy I bath him him every 3 days can anyone please offer any suggestions please

 

[wellington]

Can you post a pic of the enclosure. Also what are you using to measure temps? If they are the puck/disc type, they are not reliable and may measure your temps colder or hotter then it really is. The bulbs you are using, is one a coil type bulb? If so, this could possibly be causing the puffy eye. There has been problems with them.

 

[Laura1412]

Hi thanks for gettin back I'm using the little Exo terrace disc thermometers and no the buld is a big round buld with silver coating around the sides

 

[Laura1412]

There is Clydes enclosure his substrate is aspen this is Clyde n what his eye looks like

 

[Laura1412]

Also Wellington the bulb is a combo bulb everything in one bulb

 

[Gillian M]

There is Clydes enclosure his substrate is aspen this is Clyde n what his eye looks like

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread and care sheets. You'll find a lot of helpful info there.

 

[Laura1412]

Thanks for the reply Gillian I will read them I'm just really worried to y he has change so much over the last months half also he has gone 16 days now with out having a poo I spot clean his hide every few hours to c if any thing but still no poo I have started to bath him daily for 25 min as that's as long as he will stay in before he is climbing up the sides wantin to get out any advice on how I can get him to poo please coz 16 days is a long time however in that time he only only eaten 6 times

 

[Gillian M]

Thanks for the reply Gillian I will read them I'm just really worried to y he has change so much over the last months half also he has gone 16 days now with out having a poo I spot clean his hide every few hours to c if any thing but still no poo I have started to bath him daily for 25 min as that's as long as he will stay in before he is climbing up the sides wantin to get out any advice on how I can get him to poo please coz 16 days is a long time however in that time he only only eaten 6 times

Is the water warm enough? (Don't mean to hurt you, am trying to help). Torts do not like change. Therefore they take time to adapt; do not worry.

Please soak your tort in water that is warmer than usual: this usually helps torts poop. Again: do NOT panic: your tort will eventually poop.

Keep me updated, and good luck.

 

[Laura1412]

Well I do ensure his water is warm n today I have put him in hotter water then normal but still nothing I just can't understand how a month n half ago he was out of his hide as soon as his light came on in the morning then he would potter about digger down n bask n goin to his food now he is constantly in his hide n does nt offer to come out to eat or bask unless I put him out n the some days he will have a hour near light some 15 mins sometime goes straight bak into his hide I put food in daily but he don't eat it only every 2 days he will eat I'm sorry to be a pain askin lots of questions but I'm just worried about him as he has changed so much

 

[Gillian M]

Well I do ensure his water is warm n today I have put him in hotter water then normal but still nothing I just can't understand how a month n half ago he was out of his hide as soon as his light came on in the morning then he would potter about digger down n bask n goin to his food now he is constantly in his hide n does nt offer to come out to eat or bask unless I put him out n the some days he will have a hour near light some 15 mins sometime goes straight bak into his hide I put food in daily but he don't eat it only every 2 days he will eat I'm sorry to be a pain askin lots of questions but I'm just worried about him as he has changed so much

@Laura1412 , we are here to help! Ask ANY question.

Wish I could give you more advise. Am not a tort expert..

 

[Laura1412]

I'm am hopin other people in the forum may be able to advise me abit also coz Clyde n my cat Elvis are my pride n joy n am deverstated to think there is something serious with him

 

[Tom]

I see 4 potential issues.
1. Your temps are a little too cool. Try for a basking area of 37 and a cool side around 25 during the day. Cooling to 20-22 at night would be good.
2. The enclosure is too small. Sometimes tortoises will go into a bit of a "depression" when confined to quarters that are too small.
3. That bedding is much too dry and not right for a tortoise. That is a likely cause of the eye issue.
4. Those water bowls are literally tortoise death traps. Great for lizards and snakes, but no good for tortoises. Not related to your current issue, but its a problem none the less.

It is my guess that one or multiple of the first three issues is causing your problem.

What are you feeding him?
Do you soak him in a separate container periodically?

 

[Laura1412]

Thanks for the advice yea he has a bath every 3 days in a box which is a lot bigger then the bowl I am in the process of purchasing a terracotta plant pot try which I have read on this forum his enclosure is 3ft by 2ft n also as a hatch on the front which I put down in the day n he walks around my living room which he used to do every day but as nt for a month n half now he eats various weeds out the garden dandelions rocket water cress chicory romaine n normal lettuce plus lambs n frisse lettuce e as bits of pepper courgette carrot brocoli top Brussels leaves kale n cabbage on occasions with nutrabol n calcium powder put on I only use the aspen as that's what he was on wen I got him but what is best for his substrate I took him to c the local reptile vet 4 weeks ago as I was concerned about how he has gone n he states he is okhe weight is good she'll good dry noes clean mouth n advise that I give him to veg things as they go for vitamin a as he thought that was the problem with his eye but I'm hope u people can help me

 

[Gillian M]

Thanks for the advice yea he has a bath every 3 days in a box which is a lot bigger then the bowl I am in the process of purchasing a terracotta plant pot try which I have read on this forum his enclosure is 3ft by 2ft n also as a hatch on the front which I put down in the day n he walks around my living room which he used to do every day but as nt for a month n half now he eats various weeds out the garden dandelions rocket water cress chicory romaine n normal lettuce plus lambs n frisse lettuce e as bits of pepper courgette carrot brocoli top Brussels leaves kale n cabbage on occasions with nutrabol n calcium powder put on I only use the aspen as that's what he was on wen I got him but what is best for his substrate I took him to c the local reptile vet 4 weeks ago as I was concerned about how he has gone n he states he is okhe weight is good she'll good dry noes clean mouth n advise that I give him to veg things as they go for vitamin a as he thought that was the problem with his eye but I'm hope u people can help me

I'd like to suggest giving your tort a daily soak.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Climbing the sides of the bowl during a bath is normal. It won't hurt him to stay in there longer than he wants - sometimes I do 40 minute baths. Get a thermometer to measure the water temperature - I find 85-95F to be the optimal water temperature range (it can be hard to gauge with your hand at first).

The walking around your living room part is worrisome. Tortoises are well known to eat non-food items off the floor - hair, lint, bits of plastic, metal, etc. These can lead to intestinal impaction which first presents as constipation. If I were you, knowing my tortoise was at a risk for this, I would get an X-ray.

 

[Laura1412]

Since yesterday Gillian I have started bathing him daily I'm not sure how old he is either as the petshop where I got him said they was unsure to His shell is around 3 1/2 inch diameter

 

[GingerLove]

I've got an idea. I have a Russian (horse field) tortoise as well. I just wrote in because mine was acting lazy and not coming out to eat unless I moved her there. It turned out the cause was the UVB light quit working. Maybe you should buy a new bulb? This one might be malfunctioning.

 

[Gillian M]

Since yesterday Gillian I have started bathing him daily I'm not sure how old he is either as the petshop where I got him said they was unsure to His shell is around 3 1/2 inch diameter

You cannot tell the age of a tort I'm afraid.

 

[Gillian M]

I've got an idea. I have a Russian (horse field) tortoise as well. I just wrote in because mine was acting lazy and not coming out to eat unless I moved her there. It turned out the cause was the UVB light quit working. Maybe you should buy a new bulb? This one might be malfunctioning.

Could be the case.

 

[Laura1412]

I have got him booked in at a reptile vet tomorrow Sarah to get him looked at as the vet I last visited I'm not really happy with his report I'm so glad I AV found this forum coz iv ad him since February this year but it's the last month n half he as changed iv read pages n pages on Internet but they so contradicting I did nt no if I was doin right or Wrong I AV order a hand help infared heat thermometer so hope fully I will get a accurate bask in temperature