Lethargic and not eating

[Claire Barnes]

Hi All,

I was hoping that someone could help me with my baby leopard tortoise. Over the past week my Leopard Tortoise, Maximus, has become very lethargic, won't eat or drink and always sleeping. He won't move or walk and I'm very concerned. He is about 14 months old and lives in a tortoise table indoors. He is staying towards the corner where his heat lamp is. I've tried everything to get him to try and eat but he's not interested. I have bathed him in water and he will drink then but other than that he's not interested. A few weeks ago he was wondered off in the garden for about 45 minutes so not sure if this may have affected him at all. I'm really concerned about him. I'm new to having a tortoise and only had him 3 months. Any advise would be really appreciated. His general diet consists of kale, grasses and garden weeds and clover (which is his fav). I put a calcium supplement on his food and the temp is around 95 in the hot end and 75 in the cold end.

Thanks
Claire

 

[Tom]

Where are you?
Does he go outside often?
What are you using for UV inside?
What size is he?
How often are you using the calcium supplement?

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Also, how often do you soak him?
Then please read Tom's threads below in my post for proper housing and care. The sulcata threads will apply too.
It will tell you about humdiity, that I don't believe you are doing, so please read them.

 

[Claire Barnes]

Hi, I live in Manchester UK, he only goes out when its sunny for about 5-10 minutes. We have a large garden so he will generally munch on the grass and clover whilst out. He is soaked every other day and generally loves water and would wade around and have a good drink, but recently he hasn't been interested in that. I have a UV lamp on the table, which is on for a good 12-14 hours and the calcium supplement is sprinkled daily.

Hope this is enough

 

[Claire Barnes]

Oh and he is about the size of my palm

 

[Tom]

What type of UV bulb?

Looks like you have gotten the typical bad advice for this species.

Please read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Claire Barnes]

Thanks for this. I will have a good read. Do you think he will be ok or should I get him to a vet?

 

[Tom]

Do you think he will be ok or should I get him to a vet?

No way for me to know that yet.

I asked what kind of UV bulb you are using because the commonly recommended ones often burn tortoise eyes and could be contributing to the symptoms you are seeing. Sooooo, what type are you using?

Also, what are you doing for night heat?

 

[Claire Barnes]

I'm not sure what the UV bulb is as got rid of the packaging but can go back to the shop tomorrow and check. At night its the heat lamp and he has always lay in the corner behind the light. This has been his preferred spot. Before this last week he would wonder up and down and sometime stay in the cold end but always preferred the hot end at night

 

[Lyn W]

Can you post a pic of your enclosure and lamps etc?