My russian tortoise isn't looking her best. I've had her for 6 years, but lately she's been sleeping all day. When I wake her up to see if she'll eat, she just slowly closes her eyes and goes back to sleep. She lives under a light and we have another russian boy with her. When she opens her eyes she doesn't open them all the way, and they look sort-of sunken back compared to how much more out her eye lids are. And she keeps her head in her shell now most of the time. Her beak looks kind of dry to me and she scratches it with her legs when ever she does stick out her head. I haven't taken her to a vet because my parents say she's fine or maybe just depressed, and it's a lot of money to take her to the vet and we don't even know she's sick, but I know she's acting different. Can someone give me some advise or explain what's going on with her. The boy russian tortoise is to small to mate with her. One side of her face worries me the most. On that side of her face her beak is chipped. It's the side where she scratches her face most, and the side with the eye that looks a bit worse than the other.
keeps eyes closed and chipped beak
- Thread starter I am Me
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The first thing I would do is separate them. What are the high and low temps? Basking spot? Night temps?
For me, the photo didn't come through. That said, from your description it almost sounds as it the male may have bitten this one on the side of its face where you are noticing the other issues. Have these symptoms all been about the same time as the beak break on that side? Do you have the ability to set up a separate enclosure for each?
It's the temperature at the surface underneath your heating light.
A picture would help a lot of the tortoise and enclosure.
That sounds good. What did you measure that with? A temp gun is ideal for that. I'm not sure if a thermometer is as accurate at registering that.
Those are very inaccurate. You need a digital thermometer and a temp gun.
Read all three links I provided. They will help tremendously.
Read all three links I provided. They will help tremendously.
They need to be separated ASAP. Tortoises should not live in pairs.
Are you using any UV lighting? What type? The screw in cfl types can sometimes burn their eyes.
What size enclosure are they in?
Do you ever soak them? Sound like you need to start soaking them every other day or so for a while to make sure they are hydrated.
Read those threads before we go on, and then come back with questions.
Are you using any UV lighting? What type? The screw in cfl types can sometimes burn their eyes.
What size enclosure are they in?
Do you ever soak them? Sound like you need to start soaking them every other day or so for a while to make sure they are hydrated.
Read those threads before we go on, and then come back with questions.
From reading the posted threads, the water NEEDS to be warm. These are cold blooded animals and warm is what keeps them healthy. Depth is up to the side edge of the tortoise where the plastron, (lower shell) attaches to the upper. Keep an eye on the water temperature maintaining 70°-80°f. Soak in a tub with sides that are unable to be seen through and it'll be hard, but try not to disturb it too much. Also clean the water as often as needed. The soaking with kind of swimming action will help encourage the tortoise to crap in the water.
Actually I believe the soak water temp is supposed to be 95f...pretty sure.
I didn't read the linked threads…
