My tortoise smells like fish

Erniefergie

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We got a hermann tortoise from a gumtree seller. He has been feeding her/him terrapin shrimp food. We’ve only had her for couple of days and bathed her in water but she still smells like shrimp and she hasn’t eaten any of the kale or apple we gave her. Should we be worried and any suggestion/advice on how to help her eat? We are both new to owning reptiles so we are still learning. Thanks
 

ZenHerper

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Welcome!

As you know, Hermanns should not be eating this type of meat protein. The odor will last until the foreign proteins have been digested, metabolized, and eliminated away. Soak your tort every day for 30-45 minutes in lukewarm water up to the seam where the two shells meet.

Fruit is not a Hermann's food. They have not evolved eating fruit and cannot metabolize the sugars without causing serious damage to the kidneys.

If environmental conditions are not Optimal, reptiles cannot eat.

This is the proper care information:

Animals that have moved home are very stressed, so keep handling to a minimum needed to establish a care and wellness check routine.

When introducing new foods, chop the greens down very small, or start with "baby" greens packaged for quick salads at the grocery store. They are a sweeter flavor, but do not contain adequate nutrition or fiber for a full-time long-term offering: transition over to mature broad leaf weeds over time.

Let us know if you have more questions!
 
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Sarah2020

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Thanks for taking in this tortoise. As mentioned that is totally wrong diet needs to have fresh green leaves and dandelions are a favourite. I slice them in 2 through the flower as tortoise sometimes can not rip into bite size and you want to avoid choking! Any questions ask this is a useful and helpful forum.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi, and welcome!

It's going to take a while for the smell to go away. You have to feed him like was advised in the two above posts (not apple), and once the greens have taken over his digestive tract and all the shrimp has been cleaned out of his body, the smell should have gone away.
 

Erniefergie

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Thanks for your advice, we will avoid the fruit from now on, is it normal for her (not sure if the sex is right) not to eat since she only moved 2 days ago? Any way we can encourage her? We have put a pinch of calcium and vitamin power on the kale
 

ZenHerper

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If you are feeding a wide variety of nutritious greens and providing safe, effective UVB radiation (see the care sheet), then supplemental powders should be kept to a minimum.

Many torts find the powders off-putting, so try without while you are trying to establish trust and regular eating.

Fasting in a New environment can be normal...being certain that the habitiat and care are Optimal helps you figure out what to do (wait, or adjust something).
 

Erniefergie

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If you are feeding a wide variety of nutritious greens and providing safe, effective UVB radiation (see the care sheet), then supplemental powders should be kept to a minimum.

Many torts find the powders off-putting, so try without while you are trying to establish trust and regular eating.

Fasting in a New environment can be normal...being certain that the habitiat and care are Optimal helps you figure out what to do (wait, or adjust something).
That’s helpful Thankyou
 

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