New Owner has questions

[meticulous86]

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Hi,
I am a new owner (parent) to a 3 year old Russian tortoise. He appears to be healthy, and is active and alert when held or woken up.

I brought him home 3 days ago. Now, I realize that he needs time to get used to his new enclosure, but he hasn't eaten since I brought him home. Also, all he does is burrow. Today I took him outside in the sun for a few hours, and when I put him back in his enclosure he basked under his uva/uvb lamp for 10 minutues, and went straight back into his burrow.

Should I be concerned that he hasn't eaten, or that he isn't very active? Is this typical behaviour for a new tortoise? I am assuming he is just stressed, but I must admit that his new home is much, MUCH better than his one at the pet store.

He is in a 50 gallon rubbermaid sheep trough with proper lighting, sand/top soil/coir substrate, available water, and edible plants. He also has hay for burrowing, which he apparently loves.

Am I making a big deal out of nothing, or should I be concerned that he hasn't eaten, etc?

Thanks

 

[ChiKat]

What are the temps in his enclosure? If it's too cold he won't eat.
What have you offered him to eat? Where did you get him from?
He may just need some time to adjust.

Congrats on your new addition

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Meticulous86:

(May we know your name?)

to the forum!!

 

[tortoisenerd]

Welcome to the group! Make sure you have a hide near the basking spot and near the food in addition to ones in cooler areas. I would place the tort between the food, hide, and basking area daily to encourage it to eat. Offer a variety of foods starting with what it was fed at the pet store, then moving to a healthier diet. Yes, agreed to double check the temps, but if everything is right, then give it some time. I also highly highly recommend a vet checkup for general health as well as a fecal test for parasites. What did he do during his time out in the sun? Did he have a hide out there? Best wishes.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Welcome to the forum...Make sure that the temps are correct in the enclosure, if he's too cold he won't eat. But mostly I think it's just a matter of getting used to a new place. But make sure he's warm enough...

 

[Weloveourtortoise]

Welcome to the forum! Congrats on the new addtion. Nothing new to add to the checking the temps -- What are you feeding? Mine likes spring mix, Kale (in small doses), loves radiccio and butternut squash. Most russians I have read love dandilion greens--- mine will spit them out.

 

[GBtortoises]

It isn't unusual for a tortoise in a new environment to be reluctant to eat at first. Remember that this tortoise is a completely new environment, probably for the 3 or 4th time since it's been taken from the wild. More than likely the prior housings were less than adequate. Stress is very common in wild caught tortoises and often times one of the results of that stress is not eating.

Hydration at this stage of his captivity is of the utmost importance. A dehydrated tortoise will often not eat either. Don't assume because he has water available that he will go to it himself and drink. If he is constantly hiding and not active, he most likely is not drinking either. If possible I would place shallow, tempid water in a dish or pan in the enclosure, near but not directly under, the basking light. The pan should be large enough for the tortoise to fit in and be able to fully extend his neck. Place the tortoise in the pan, step back out of sight and watch to see if he drinks. The first few times he may not and may simply climb out and go back to hiding. I would continue to try it daily or even twice daily until he does start to drink. Russian tortoises in general are not big drinkers and don't normally like sitting in water. But one that is dehydrated will often use the opportunity if it's available.

As far as taking the tortoise out in the sun for a few minutes and putting him back in his enclosure it's not advisable at this point. Again, he is in a completely new environment with new sights, new smells and in his instinctive mind, new dangers. In order for him to establish a routine and learn his new environment he really has to stay in it and explore it. To keep pulling him out of it and placing him outdoors for a few minutes at a time is only prolonging his ability to become comfortable in his new indoor surroundings.

Yes, correct temperatures and diet are both important too. But most of all he needs time to adjust. During that time hydration is very important.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Hi Met,

Welcome to the forum! I'll bet your tortoise is just thrilled to finally be in a warm, secure environment where he can hide whenever he wants to and feel concealed and safe.

Congratulations on your new pet. Does he have a name yet?

You must post photos for us to admire! Here's one way to do that:http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-5245.html

 

[GBtortoises]

Also forgot to mention-check out www.russiantortoise.org for lots of good care information!

 

[meticulous86]

Ok,

Thanks everyone for the information. Currently, I haven't got a thermometer in the enclosure, but I will get one today. Our house temps are 21 C day time, and 16 C night time, but of course he has a heat lamp so it is warmer in his house. I will check on exact temps for him today.

Regarding dehydration, it may be possible. I have placed him in water every morning for 15 minutes, and watched him. He hasn't had a drink that I could see. His soil is moist, but not wet, and he does have a soaking plate in his home (which he crawls right out of).

Planted in his house is English daisy, Red Leaf lettuce, and Oregano. I have also been offering organic spring mix and kale. He puts his head on them, but eventually walks away and burrows.

I will take the advice to not put him outside, until he is eating/drinking and is more alert in his new home. If I had been moved from place to place, all different conditions, etc. I would certainly be hiding away, so I don't blame him!!

By the way, his name is Ivan (Russian Tortoise, Russian name). How long could he NOT eat until I should get worried?

Thank you everyone!

 

[GBtortoises]

The ambient air temperatures should be warmer than 21c in the tortoises enclosure. Normal daytime activity range is in the area of about 24-29c with a temperature of 35c to as high as almost 40c. At the opposite end of the basking area should be a dark hide box where it should be cooler when the tortoise needs to escape the heat and regulate it's body temperature throughout the day.

Russians tend to be stubborn sometimes when it comes to keeping them well hydrated because they aren't normally big drinkers and they really don't like to be in water.

Healthy tortoises can go for weeks without eating. Not something that should be regular practice, but they are very capable of doing so. Tortoises that are not healthy need nutrition to help get stronger. A Russian tortoises diet in comprised of a large percentage of fiber. A few vegetables may entice him to eat. I have in the past mashed vegetables or used processed infant food to smear on greens to entice a reluctant tortoise to become attracted to the food by sight and smell which is how they detect their food in the wild also.

Depending upon how heavy or light he feels, his alertness and activity a week without food wouldn't be alarming to me. But again, hydration is very important.

Have you seen evidence of him passing feces and/or urine and if so what does it looks like and what is it's consistency. Waste products can very much aid in telling a tortoises health situation.

 

[Tom]

Just so you've heard it from one more person GB and all of the above are steering you in exactly the right direction in my opinion. I'm normally a big outdoor/sunshine advocate, but in this case, I agree he needs to get settled in first.

Two things I would add are: A wild Russian would probably still be hibernating right now, so if that's been his routine for years, he might not want to eat because all systems are not "go" yet. If this is the case, then what everyone is telling you about hydration is very true.

Second thing is: As soon as you get some poop, I'd take it to the vet for a fecal exam. These are usually pretty cheap and you'll know if you are dealing with any parasites.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Do you know what Ivan was eating before you got him? Many times that can be key to getting him to eat again. If he was eating junk, he may not even recognize the spring mix as food. That is just one theory though. Many other good ones to consider. I would give it about 10 days assuming good health before I'd worry. I would have not planted the oregano and have more variety in there like turnip greens, dandelion, weeds, and any other foods that would be hard for you to get at the grocery store so you have some great variety. You can even buy seeds online.

 

[meticulous86]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to update, and say that as soon as I introduced a second heat source my tortoise started eating.

Granted, it was only a snack of red leaf lettuce, but it is a start!

Thanks for you advice!