Hi all,
I just took in a tortoise from what I think was a not so great home. He is a three year old russian tortoise. We got him on Sunday. He came w a 45 gallon aquarium, heat lamp, hiding log, water dush and food dish. I was told he had gone two days w no heat bulb because it burned out. He came home with in his aquarium and had an hour ride. I cleaned a rubbermaid bin with lemon water and put him in that. I cleaned all that came with him in lemon water too. Then I scooped some incredibly nasty reptibark out....it had two beetle like creatures in it....and hosed the aqurium down outside. Then cleaned that w lemon water too. I put in fresh reptibark and all his other pieces. Then got the new bulb for the heat lamp set and the 30" uva/uvb light set up. He has hardly eaten since he arrived. I have not handledhim much so he could get settled with as little stress as possible. My friend who tirtoises said to try some banana to see if he would eat. I know fruit is to be a limited part of his diet but he did eat it. He ate one slicea mini apple too. Otherwise he just burrows and lies under the heat lamp. I have left collard greens, carrots, zuchinni and broccoli in his food dish along w dry tortoise food but he only has eaten the fruit I stuck in front of hus face. His eyes and nose are clear and I don't see anything odd like soft spots on his shell. Should I be worried?
I just took in a tortoise from what I think was a not so great home. He is a three year old russian tortoise. We got him on Sunday. He came w a 45 gallon aquarium, heat lamp, hiding log, water dush and food dish. I was told he had gone two days w no heat bulb because it burned out. He came home with in his aquarium and had an hour ride. I cleaned a rubbermaid bin with lemon water and put him in that. I cleaned all that came with him in lemon water too. Then I scooped some incredibly nasty reptibark out....it had two beetle like creatures in it....and hosed the aqurium down outside. Then cleaned that w lemon water too. I put in fresh reptibark and all his other pieces. Then got the new bulb for the heat lamp set and the 30" uva/uvb light set up. He has hardly eaten since he arrived. I have not handledhim much so he could get settled with as little stress as possible. My friend who tirtoises said to try some banana to see if he would eat. I know fruit is to be a limited part of his diet but he did eat it. He ate one slicea mini apple too. Otherwise he just burrows and lies under the heat lamp. I have left collard greens, carrots, zuchinni and broccoli in his food dish along w dry tortoise food but he only has eaten the fruit I stuck in front of hus face. His eyes and nose are clear and I don't see anything odd like soft spots on his shell. Should I be worried?
