In need of help please ): (lethargic, not eating)

Grace-Sophia

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
688
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Okay, so I have a around 20 year old Russian tortoise (could be your get/older) and he recently has not been acting himself, he has just wanted to sleep and hide, and not eat. I even picked up some Mazuri for him and… he DIDNT EVEN EAT IT!! A few months back he struggled with health conditions (liver, worms + parisites) he had been feeling better, but now he doesn’t want to eat almost anything! I’m not sure what to do? Should I wait a few days and not feed him until he is hungry? My Hermann’s are eating and healthy as can be, but my Russian just isn’t acting normal… I’ll post a pic down below to see if mabey he’s older than we thought based on his wear n tear…

I would also like to mention that he has been
moved to a temporary enclosure until we can build him a proper one later this summer. The encloser his is in currently he has already lived in so it should be familiar to him.
Also, I am not his first home, he is an adopted rescue, I did not cause the pyramiding, stunting, or deformities, he came to me like that.
 

Attachments

  • 72ED9B50-63D9-401E-AB47-E3E8C6E4A1E5.jpeg
    72ED9B50-63D9-401E-AB47-E3E8C6E4A1E5.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 31

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Moving him may be the reason for not wanting to eat or do anything.
Try putting him back in the old enclosure and see how he acts.
Also try putting him outside if you have a proper enclosure for him.
Other then that, give us a run down of his enclosure temps type of lighting heat diet etc.
The minimum enclosure for adult Russian and Hermanns is 4x8 hopefully larger. Too small is a constant stress on them and can make them sick.
No way if telling his age.
 

Grace-Sophia

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
688
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
He eats a varied diet of leafy greens, veggies, weeds, flowers and very occasionally a small piece of fruit as well as pellets and a calcium and d3 dusting. Right now he is in a very, very temporary enclosure that I will admit is WAY too small for him… I will move him out doors ASAP!! Is it okay for him to stay out there at night? At what is too hot for him? It’s been getting around 100 f recently and I don’t want him to over heat.
he has a water dish, hide, decor, and feeding slate in his temporary enclosure which he will be over out of ASAP once again. And is there any way that I could get an age estimate? Not exact, but just by wear and tear on his shell, I feel like there must be an estimate? Thanks!
 

Grace-Sophia

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
688
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Also, would it stress him out too much to move him to another location?
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Where did you get him, and why do you think he's 20? What did his previous keeper say about him?

Any time you move a tort it causes stress. But when the move is for his living conditions to improve, you do it. He probably will sulk for a while, but he'll get over it.
 

Grace-Sophia

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
688
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Okay! I will do that today! So, his story is I am his fourth home, his first home was with a family that had to rehome him for health reasons, the next family who had him was a young boy (who was in around middle school) who would purposely drop him, as well as swing him around on a rope. Then a dear friend of mine who was one of my old teachers had rescued him (yay!!) she took great care of him and loved him dearly for 8
Years, the only issues were that his enclosure was way to small ( 3 x 2 ft) and I believe he was primarily fed romaine and the once weekly half of a blue berry. Then she came into a situation where she had to rehome him and from there I will have had him for one year on July 31!

the reason we believe that he is around 15-20 is because she had him for 8 years and we have no idea how long the other family’s had him… problay around 10 years ( 5 each)
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Okay, so I have a around 20 year old Russian tortoise (could be your get/older) and he recently has not been acting himself, he has just wanted to sleep and hide, and not eat. I even picked up some Mazuri for him and… he DIDNT EVEN EAT IT!! A few months back he struggled with health conditions (liver, worms + parisites) he had been feeling better, but now he doesn’t want to eat almost anything! I’m not sure what to do? Should I wait a few days and not feed him until he is hungry? My Hermann’s are eating and healthy as can be, but my Russian just isn’t acting normal… I’ll post a pic down below to see if mabey he’s older than we thought based on his wear n tear…

I would also like to mention that he has been
moved to a temporary enclosure until we can build him a proper one later this summer. The encloser his is in currently he has already lived in so it should be familiar to him.
Also, I am not his first home, he is an adopted rescue, I did not cause the pyramiding, stunting, or deformities, he came to me like that.
I don't see any pyramiding, stunting or deformities. Looks like a normal healthy Russian.

What are you using for heat and light? What is the basking temperature and ambient temperature during the day?

What size enclosure is he in? Any hides?

They can be outside in 100 degree weather as long as there is heavy shade, and places to escape the heat. Like an underground retreat. Use a thermometer and check the temperature in the hiding areas. It should always be well under 100. Use shade cloth, misters, and sprinklers to keep temps down when needed.

They should never be fed fruit. It upsets their little tummies.

More info: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
 

Grace-Sophia

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
688
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Thank you so much @Tom ! You have definitely helped out with many of my tort questions, and I’m sure there willl be more that you help with in the future!
 
Top