My Leopard Tortoise Won't Eat

[TortoiseWillis]

Hi guys. My leopard tortoise of about one year is refusing to eat anything! I feed it spring mix from the grocery store usually, but whenever I try to give it anything it refuses to eat and goes to sleep! It also sleeps sprawled out of its shell. It hasn't eaten in a little longer than a week (at first I neglected it, but when I returned home it refused to eat so I think that could be the reason for this)
What should I do??

 

[Jacqui]

What you need to do is, first give us more information. What are your temps? Are you soaking him? Do you have a light on him? If so what kind and how long is it on?

 

[Jacob]

More info can help us determine, did it eat spring mix most of its life.
what are your temps.
is he on a varied diet
Humidity
soaks?
all that info will help.

in the beginning it sounds like u fed a lot of spring mix and maybe ur tort doesn't want anything else.

 

[TortoiseWillis]

Yes it eats pretty much only spring mix, that's what im trying to give it
Its about 80 fahrenheit at day and 60 or so at night.
Light is UV that a bought at a store (not sure what kind) on eleven hours a day from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm
I don't know the tank humidity, I imagine its pretty dry. I dont soak her, but theres a pool where she can soak herself.

 

[TortoiseWillis]

I haven't seen her moving at all lately btw, she always hides in her caves and sleeps all day.
If I take her out I can get her to walk around on my hand, but she still refuses to eat and goes back to sleep right after

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I believe this is the lamp http://www.reptileuv.com/megaray-sb-160-watt-self-ballasted-flood-uvb-lamp.php

 

[Jacob]

You might need to rise your temps and try to create humidity.

your basking temperature should be at 85-95
a cool side of 70

at night it should stay at around 70

Try giving her a lukewarm bath, in a tuber ware,


you need to give a varied diet as well, its not getting enough by just feeding spring mix everyday.
do you have access to grass weeds, or somewhere to grow them?
you can mix it up with dark leafy greens, cactus, grass, weeds, mulberry leaves, hay etc.

 

[TortoiseWillis]

Okay, im giving her the bath now.
I grow grass in her pen but she never seems to eat it. I can feed her clover, is that a good idea?

 

[Jacob]

Nice, you can also give baths in baby food, or warm water with calcium.
some believe they can absorb calcium and vitamins thru skin and other parts.

yes clover is fine. if you are having a hard time feeding a different selection,
chop up what you want to add, and mix it with the spring mix
example: spring mix grass clover all mixed up
usually they will acquire a taste for it

 

[Laura]

what do you mean by 'neglected her' and now she wont eat? did you go away and she got cold?

 

[TortoiseWillis]

Thanks!

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I didn't feed her. She had water and the lamp stayed on the schedule because I have a timer

 

[Laura]

how long did she go without eating? they can handle a few days no problem.. but only if they were healtyh befreo hand.
Id try enticing her with other foods. Something with color might help. Try grating carrot over the greens, or butternut sqaush, even a bit of grape or strawberry..
start with a nice warm soak and see if that helps.....

 

[TortoiseWillis]

About a week . There WAS grass growing in her pen though but I dont think she eats it at all. I'm soaking her currently and she seems to be waking up. How long should I keep this up?

Thanks!

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Gah, she just got out of the bath and still won't eat! She didn't drink any of the bath water, either.

 

[Lunartwist]

Hi! I'm not sure how much help I can be, but all I have to say is, I feel your pain. When I rescued my Redfoot Viola, she had a nasty URI and went off eating for a MONTH! We had to force-feed her Critical Care mixed in with baby food by syringe as instructed by our vet. I certainly hope it doesn't come to it, but I know how it feels!

And I agree with the above posts. Higher temps, and soaking more often. The general rule is 10-15 minutes in lukewarm water. I would probably try doing that once a day, it typically perks them up (but other users correct me on this if I'm wrong).

Also, the diet of a Leopard tortoise should be mostly grasses, hays, and weeds. Which...is actually cheaper to acquire than spring mix!

Here's how I give Viola this (her natural diet is more broadleaf plants, but the occasional hay doesn't hurt either). She wont; eat just plain hay hay, so I have to prepare it a special way:

I typically chop hay with scissors (Timothy, Orchid, or Bermuda grass hay is the best, Alfalfa is too high in protein) into the tiniest bits I possibly can. Then I soak it in the hottest water I can get from the tap for about 5 minutes. Then I put it into ice cube trays and freeze for future use! I think the boiling/freezing process breaks down the toughness of the hay, and Viola will actually eat a pile of it this way. You can also mix it in with other things easily.

I would just try adding tiny bits to your spring mix, then gradually increase the proportions. Hay is inexpensive and lasts a long time, and grasses and weeds I just get from my backyard as it is free from pesticides. Its so ridiculously cheap, and much more health for your Leopard. I hope this helps!