Need help, hermann tortoise

[Stewy]

Need some urgent help with a young Hermann. I have a 6 to 8 month Hermann and I'm unable to get him to eat. I have had him for a few months now. When I first got him he was eating okay, taking bits out of whole pieces of weeds and grasses but now nothing. Has been to the vet twice and visually he seems to look okay. I tried giving him just a small piece of strawberry just to get him interested, he looks interested but just smells it. I have even tried to give him a soak in 50/50 mix of baby carrot food and water (suggested by a vet). All he wants to do is sleep, night and day if I would let him. If I take him out he will walk around for a while after a bit of coaxing. I don't think he is hibernating due to how active he can be when I take him out and it's not like it cool in the house at this time of year, but could be wrong. Any ideas on how to help and get this little guy eating would be greatly appreciated.

A Little about his tank setup, 30 to 34 (86 to 94) in the basking spot, is on organic earth and play-sand mix (more on the earth side). He does have a hiding spot on the cool side but he is doesn't seem to go over there. Have ceramic heater, reptisun fluorescent light and he gets a bath every morning to keep his water intake up.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

The most common cause for a baby tortoise to not be eating is that he isn't warm enough. For a temporary measure, set him up in a smaller, hospital habitat, with the overall temperature set at around 85F degrees. I like to use 10 gallon aquariums for hospital habitats. Give him a hiding place, a food tile and a small flower pot saucer for water, and that's all. Take him out every morning and soak him in warm water, and while he's soaking, chop up his food (escarole, endive, racciccio, any of the dark, leafy greens). Place the feeding tile right in front of the hiding place opening. After soaking for about 15 minutes, put the baby back in the hospital tank, and place him in the hiding place, facing out, towards the food, then step out of sight and don't let him see you.

While you have the baby in the hospital, read the care sheet we've provided at the top of the Hermanni section. Then make any necessary adjustments to your other habitat, paying particular attention to the different temperatures all over the floor of the habitat.

 

[Stewy]

Thank you. I have read the care sheet and we are pretty much following it to a T. I have done what u said but things are not looking good

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Sounds to me too like he's not warm enough. Is your Reptisun fluorescent light one of the spiral ones?

 

[Stewy]

We have the heat at 85 degrees. His enclosure is heated by the ceramic heat emitter. The reptisun light is a long fluorescent bulb and not a short spiral one.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

We have the heat at 85 degrees. His enclosure is heated by the ceramic heat emitter. The reptisun light is a long fluorescent bulb and not a short spiral one.

It sounds like he's warm enough. What is his regular diet?

 

[Stewy]

Mostly spring mix and fruit on occasion. He does not eat anything now. The vet told us to give him whatever he would eat as long as he ate something and that if he did not start eating he would die. She gave me some critical care powder but he won't eat that either. He won't let me force feed him and I feel at this point it may be too late for him.

 

[Dr Tortoise]

when do you feed him

 

[Stewy]

At this point I have food in front of him all the time. Well in his enclosure I mean. I am soaking him in carrot baby food also but he just sleeps in it.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Can't you hold his head and force his mouth open to force feed that critical care? Maybe have someone else hold his head out, it's easy enough to do, carefully, then you would have 2 hands one to force open his mouth the other using a syringe, w/out the needle to get that important food in him...just trying to help, I have done it and I have a disabled right hand, you can do it too. You were feeding him fine, have you figured out what happened? Temp is ok, humidity? lights ok, Food was ok...
did that Vet offer to gavage him? That might be best...

 

[Stewy]

I have tried with help and he won't allow it. What is gavage?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Fruit is not good for him. It can cause gut upset that makes him reluctant to eat.

 

[dmmj]

Not to sound mean, but it is called 'force feeding" for a reason. I often use a toothpick to wedge it inbetween whee his beak closes and pry open his mouth and then slide the toothpick inberween his jaw so it can't close. he must eat or he will die.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have tried with help and he won't allow it. What is gavage?

The Vet uses a stainless steel tube-like thing and very easily puts the tool down their throat and into the stomach, and feeds the Critical Care that way. My exotics Vet has done it to a number of my chelonians and it is so easy on the animal, and gets the important food right where it's supposed to go. If you think your baby going to die, and I believe the Vet said if he won't eat he'll die, and heaven knows we all here have seen that, gavage by the Vet is the way I'd go. It just might save his life...

 

[Stewy]

Thank you for you replies My vet said he is too small to gavage (we spoke of it but she did not tell me what it is called). I managed to force feed him a bit of critical care last night and will try today as well. He obviously still has some energy cause he puts on quite a fight with me. I will also do more carrot bathing today. Keeping my fingers crossed for the little guy.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I know it's difficult, but it looks like you are doing all you can...chin up

 

[Stewy]

Hello everyone, I have an update. I have managed to start force feeding Stewy and he has been force fed 3 times dly for the last week. He is also drinking. He physically is looking much better. He still sleeps all the time though and refuses to eat on his own. I try to tempt him with a variety of greens but he does not want them. Wondering how long I will have to continue force feeding him this critical care food? Any ideas of what I should do next?