My yellow footed baby isnt eating

[selviester]

Hi all,

I posted a while ago about a yellow footed baby. I adopted him end of november and he hasnt eaten much at all. Well the day after I got him, he ate some grass.. very small amount. Then a bit flower here and there.

He still has his egg tooth. Is it because of that that he doesnt feel like eating? He drinks a lot so the vet here advised me to make Oxbow powder mix with pedialyte. Which I have been doing for over a week. He would drink it. Few days ago he would eat 1 pelet and thats it.

He sleeps most of the time and really dont like opening his eyes but everytime I soak and bask him, he would climb all over the place and active.

Please help! What should i do

 

[Yvonne G]

The only YF tortoises I had were adults when I got them, so when a few of their eggs hatched, I knew nothing about feeding YF babies. I had four of them. None of them would eat. I had a brain storm, and went and bought some of the more exotic flavored Gerber strained fruit baby foods. I cut up the greens into tiny pieces, then added about a half teaspoon of the fruit baby food and mixed it all up until the the greens all smelled and tasted like the fruit. THEY ATE!

Make sure your COVERED enclosure is between 80-85F degrees all over the whole enclosure. It also needs to be moist/humid in there. He's afraid, because he prey, so he'll stay hidden most of the time until he feels safe (a month or so). Many plants in the enclosure will help give him a safe feeling. Also, I place the food tile right in front of the mouth of the hiding place so they didn't have to come out too far to eat.

YF tortoises don't pay too much attention to grass. They much prefer broad-leaf plants and weeds. Mine also like Mazuri Tortoise diet, moistened and softened. I think Zoo Med makes a Forest Tortoise Diet. That would be one to try, but soak it in water until it's soft.

The most common cause for a tortoise to not eat is because he's not warm enough. Just because you're in Indonesia, where it's warm and humid, doesn't mean you can get away with not having heat/lights in the enclosure. He still needs some sort of heat to warm up the enclosure inside.

 

[daniellenc]

First post pics of his enclosure, tell us what you use for heat and lighting, and detail his diet. Have you contacted the breeder to find out what he is eating? Most yellowfoots are not grass/hay eaters so either he's too cold, still settling in, or you're offering the wrong foods.

 

[selviester]

The only YF tortoises I had were adults when I got them, so when a few of their eggs hatched, I knew nothing about feeding YF babies. I had four of them. None of them would eat. I had a brain storm, and went and bought some of the more exotic flavored Gerber strained fruit baby foods. I cut up the greens into tiny pieces, then added about a half teaspoon of the fruit baby food and mixed it all up until the the greens all smelled and tasted like the fruit. THEY ATE!

Make sure your COVERED enclosure is between 80-85F degrees all over the whole enclosure. It also needs to be moist/humid in there. He's afraid, because he prey, so he'll stay hidden most of the time until he feels safe (a month or so). Many plants in the enclosure will help give him a safe feeling. Also, I place the food tile right in front of the mouth of the hiding place so they didn't have to come out too far to eat.

YF tortoises don't pay too much attention to grass. They much prefer broad-leaf plants and weeds. Mine also like Mazuri Tortoise diet, moistened and softened. I think Zoo Med makes a Forest Tortoise Diet. That would be one to try, but soak it in water until it's soft.

The most common cause for a tortoise to not eat is because he's not warm enough. Just because you're in Indonesia, where it's warm and humid, doesn't mean you can get away with not having heat/lights in the enclosure. He still needs some sort of heat to warm up the enclosure inside.

Yvonne!! Ive been hoping for your advice.

I keep him together with my 2 baby cherry heads and I make sure the temperature is steady. Both cherries are eating fine. And I always have the lights on.
I will try that baby food recipe. Thanks so much! Hopefully this works.

 

[selviester]

First post pics of his enclosure, tell us what you use for heat and lighting, and detail his diet. Have you contacted the breeder to find out what he is eating? Most yellowfoots are not grass/hay eaters so either he's too cold, still settling in, or you're offering the wrong foods.

I have offered him pretty much everything - same food for my cherry head... lettuce, hibiscus leaves, flowers, papaya, mango, pellets, strawberries, cactus, mustard greens and many more.. still nothing. He just wants to drink.. he drinks all the time which is why I made him the oxbow mix.

 

[daniellenc]

Yvonne!! Ive been hoping for your advice.

I keep him together with my 2 baby cherry heads and I make sure the temperature is steady. Both cherries are eating fine. And I always have the lights on.
I will try that baby food recipe. Thanks so much! Hopefully this works.

It may be he's new but housing with your cherryheads is a bad idea. Cross contamination can take out your entire collection and is very risky. All new animals need to be quarantined for a minimum of 90 days.The stress of "buddies" may also delay him getting settled in....consider housing alone.

 

[selviester]

It may be he's new but housing with your cherryheads is a bad idea. Cross contamination can take out your entire collection and is very risky. All new animals need to be quarantined for a minimum of 90 days.The stress of "buddies" may also delay him getting settled in....consider housing alone.

Thing is during the day I housed him separately from the cherries because I need to monitor whether or not he is eating. Only at night will I let him sleep in with the cherries. If that is the case, I will not mix him together. He seems to like their companies though

 

[Toddrickfl1]

A trick I used with my Redfoot when I first got him was I filled up a spray bottle with fruit juice and misted my tortoises greens and other stuff he wasn't eating with it. It works too, he totally falls for it everytime.

 

[selviester]

A trick I used with my Redfoot when I first got him was I filled up a spray bottle with fruit juice and misted my tortoises greens and other stuff he wasn't eating with it. It works too, he totally falls for it everytime.

Thanks I will try this too

 

[jsheffield]

I have had great success from day one with my redfoot yb feeding him while he soaks ... my assumption is that the warm water stimulates him, and since he's got nothing better to do while in the smaller container I soak him in, he sees and eats the food.

I'd try some papaya or strawberry or banana or bits of hard-boiled egg to prime the pump ... my Darwin loves those, and soak-softened Mazuri.

Good Luck, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your little one.

Jamie

 

[selviester]

I have had great success from day one with my redfoot yb feeding him while he soaks ... my assumption is that the warm water stimulates him, and since he's got nothing better to do while in the smaller container I soak him in, he sees and eats the food.

I'd try some papaya or strawberry or banana or bits of hard-boiled egg to prime the pump ... my Darwin loves those, and soak-softened Mazuri.

Good Luck, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your little one.

Jamie

My little one doesnt seem to like much staying in container while soaking, he would try to escape lol... (pic attached.. this is right after soaking. Im just basking them for a bit)
But i will try your suggestion. Im up for anything as long as my baby eats

 

[jsheffield]

Maybe try a higher sided container (I use a white dishpan, so he can't get out and also cannot see outside of the pan).

J

 

[selviester]

Maybe try a higher sided container (I use a white dishpan, so he can't get out and also cannot see outside of the pan).

J

I used that before these clear ones and same thing... he is just more “rebellious” when he is outside

 

[drew54]

I used that before these clear ones and same thing... he is just more “rebellious” when he is outside

They don't necessarily line being forced to soak, so they will try to escape. Over time your little dude might actually start to enjoy therm. My sulcata hatchling is about three or four months and she is just getting used to being soaked in a routine schedulebc she now most of the time lays all sprawled out until she poops. Just use a higher sided tub and make sure the water stays warm. The exercise of therm trying to escape is good for them. I would also feed right after a soak.