NEED HELP! PLEASE! (Greek not eating)

[*misskerrimoo*]

Hey everyone,
Got a quick question & need quick answers, PLEASE. Mookie-Boo, my hatchling Greek (ibera), has not eaten in 2 days, that I've seen. Normally he let's me finger feed him, & never refuses, but in his past 2 baths, he S done nothing but pee & pass a little urea... No poop. & he's not wanting to eat... I offer food, he turns his head... I sit him in his food dish, the past 2 days.. he walks away to bury himself in the substrate, & stays there most of the day. That's his norm, besides he usually eats, then goes & digs his hidey hole... Am I panicking over nothing? Please tell me I am! He's about 3mos old. I love him to bits, & don't want to lose him! Is there any special veggie I could offer that he wouldn't refuse? It's normally Romaine, but he want eat that even! Or maybe a little chunk of fruit? I just want to get something in him. ((o_o)) PLEASE HELP! tell me this is normal sometimes?! Help, please!

MY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN:

3.2.0 Cats (Neeko, Bootsie, Bean (Special Needs), Puff (Special needs), Pokie)
1.0.0 Dog (Sidney (Special needs))
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons (Lochey & Zane (Special needs))
2.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Hopper, Spanky-Butt (Special needs), Rumi)
0.0.1 Greek Tortoise Hatchling (Mookie-Boo - Ibera species)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Ellie, Teddy)
0.0.1 Emporer Scorpion (Mr. Pickles)
1.0.0 Betta Fish (Mr. Pook-Pook)

 

[ascott]

RE: NEED HELP! PLEASE!

First off, take a breath and come back to calm

Okay, so check your temps--with the weather being hot now perhaps his temps have fluctuated a bit and is causing him to not eat...are you maybe running your cooler in the house and such????

Does he go outside to get natural sun? If yes, has it been a couple days and he is due to get some rev up?

Have you introduced any new food item that he may now be holding out for?

Perhaps offer an identified amount of food and set it in for him, set him near it, then you walk away to give him some privacy?

Also, there are times that a tort simply will skip food a time or two without any adverse reasons....

 

[*misskerrimoo*]

Re: NEED HELP! PLEASE!

Thanks for the reply!
The temps here have been around 100f... Outside. Inside, the a/c has been acting up.. & even though we have the air on 70, its staying close to 80... about 5 or 6 degrees off of what it normally is in here..
He hasn't gone out yet. Honestly, I'm scared to, at his size. The hawks are terrible in his area, & one took a kitten off a while back, & I don't want to risk Mook-Mook going out til he's a bit larger, & I have a netting or something over the pen I'm building him... It would kill me for one of these freakin hawks to get my Mook!
He DOES have a heat lamp, & a uva/uvb lamp. & when they're out st night, he has a heating pad under his spot he sleeps at, in the humidity box...
The only different food....? Err... Let's see... I've been offering tomatoes, which he has refused... Raw fresh broccoli, which I haven't offered in a few days... He loves the broccoli! Do you reckon he's on a hunger strike, because he wants broccoli? Lol... I am going to offer a piece in a second.
I hope he's not trying to go off food & cross the rainbow bridge. :/ I've had elderly chameleons & a bearded dragon to do that... Ugh... But, I'm new to the tortie world. I'm reading any & everything I can to know more... & this forum has been GREAT for info...
Thanks for your answer, & I'd appreciate anymore input!

MY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN:

3.2.0 Cats (Neeko, Bootsie, Bean (Special Needs), Puff (Special needs), Pokie)
1.0.0 Dog (Sidney (Special needs))
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons (Lochey & Zane (Special needs))
2.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Hopper, Spanky-Butt (Special needs), Rumi)
0.0.1 Greek Tortoise Hatchling (Mookie-Boo - Ibera species)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Ellie, Teddy)
0.0.1 Emporer Scorpion (Mr. Pickles)
1.0.0 Betta Fish (Mr. Pook-Pook)

 

[ascott]

RE: NEED HELP! PLEASE!

http://www.petco.com/assets/product_images/0/027773010210C.jpg

I totally know what you mean about aerial assaults....I live in the High Desert and we have all types of predatory birds (hawks, falcons, ravens, and a bunch of migratory ones as well) along with squirrels and other earthen creatures.....so I feel your worry. I have a few totally enclosed areas that the Redfoot Torts go outside in to assure they are not a snack----although the Redfoot torts do not require the same amount of natural sun (intensity) as other species, they do get emotional wellbeing rev ups by the natural sun exposure several times a week for short periods...

You can often find these type of enclosures at second hand stores and yard sales--even on craigslist....this will help your mind find ease in offering up natural sun time and will be a welcomed outing for your tort and his health...

Now, back to the issue ...I would be curious if the a/c has anything to play in the behavior---do you have the enclosure covered most of the way? This will help to better regulate the temp---just make sure that you dial in the temp if you now cover the top mostly---if you cover then you will want to take several readings of the temp to assure you have the heat bulb at the right level and such...

Also, if the little bugger goes for the broccoli then you may have some of your answer---they are sly little buggers...

---

Oh yeah, I would not offer tomato to this species of tort....the redfoot and box turtle and some of the other "meat" eating species do not seem to be bothered by tomato---however, some of the non "meat" eating species seem to do better with no tomato in their diet...

 

[*misskerrimoo*]

Sorry to seem so unappreciative! My app was not working last night for some reason. :l
I actually have my pet store owning friend of the hunt for a similar cage for Mook, as an indoor enclosure, but will be taking him out for some sun,when I get one! I actually found out we have eagles in our area, a few months ago, but haven't witnessed one yet... But I do know I was devastated when I saw the hawk steal my kitten! let's just say idve had a big fine on me, if the rifle had've been outside... Lol... I don't like killing ANYTHING, I rescue bugs from being killed... But the freakin hawk shouldn't have stole my kitten. ugh.. anyway... I didn't know you could use those cages outside, but will do it as soon as one is found!
So, the a/c has been fixed, thank God! He seems to have more energy... But to think of it... I had the "closed chamber" deal going on on when I first got him & he was fine. Then.. I heard humidity was bad for Greeks, so I took the foil off... & then after a wk or so... He has lost interest in food. Do you think I should put the foil back? It's sooo much contradicting info out here, it gets so confusing! Does he need the closed chamber for humidity or not? He has. His moist hide box every night, but does he need more?
He was checking out the broccoli this morn, but didn't actually eat any. its really worrying me.... Since the a/c has been messed up.. all my reptiles have been agitated... But everyone is eating, besides Mook, & one of the male geckos, hopper... It really has me curious now.

MY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN:

3.2.0 Cats (Neeko, Bootsie, Bean (Special Needs), Puff (Special needs), Pokie)
1.0.0 Dog (Sidney (Special needs))
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons (Lochey & Zane (Special needs))
2.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Hopper, Spanky-Butt (Special needs), Rumi)
0.0.1 Greek Tortoise Hatchling (Mookie-Boo - Ibera species)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Ellie, Teddy)
0.0.1 Emporer Scorpion (Mr. Pickles)
1.0.0 Betta Fish (Mr. Pook-Pook)

 

[*misskerrimoo*]

UPDATE: HE'S EATING AGAIN! yay! He doesn't want me staring at his eating much anymore... So, I walked in to get my medicine, & the little poot is sitting there munching away. I wonder if closing the top in again has helped some... It really scared me. I've lost baby lizards before to not eating... & I forcefed one beardie for 6mos... & I was panicking over nothing, apparently... He must've been eating all along, or either is happy to have the humidity up again. :B thanks for the help! I truly appreciate it!

MY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN:

3.2.0 Cats (Neeko, Bootsie, Bean (Special Needs), Puff (Special needs), Pokie)
1.0.0 Dog (Sidney (Special needs))
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons (Lochey & Zane (Special needs))
2.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Hopper, Spanky-Butt (Special needs), Rumi)
0.0.1 Greek Tortoise Hatchling (Mookie-Boo - Ibera species)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Ellie, Teddy)
0.0.1 Emporer Scorpion (Mr. Pickles)
1.0.0 Betta Fish (Mr. Pook-Pook)