New owner

[garysgirl4]

Hello,
I got my Russian tortoise two weeks ago today. I soak him every few days and feed him every day. The problem is he has yet to eat anything. I am not sure how long he can go without eating and I am a little worried.

 

[Jacqui]

What temps are you keeping him at? Do you have a light on him, if so how many hours a day? What are you trying to feed him? What was he fed before you bought him?

If possible, it usually helps a lot for us to see pictures of your setup.

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the Forum The and yup, We LOVE PICS

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[CLMoss]

Welcome!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Christine:

I agree, it would be good to see your set-up. USUALLY the "no eating" thing is because the tortoise is not warm enough. So you may have all the right kind of lights/heat, etc. but maybe its not positioned correctly. So seeing it would help us to help you.

 

[Utah Lynn]

Welcome to the Forum.:shy:

 

[Weiyo!]

why cant i post new topic? i need help id-ing my tortoise

 

[lynnedit]

Weiyo, I believe you have to post on threads about 5 times or thereabouts before you can start a new thread w/o being 'approved'. Won't be long!

---

Hello,
I got my Russian tortoise two weeks ago today. I soak him every few days and feed him every day. The problem is he has yet to eat anything. I am not sure how long he can go without eating and I am a little worried.

Welcome! Be sure to fill us in on the questions listed, so we can help you.

 

[garysgirl4]

View attachment 14212

Her is a picture of my set up.

 

[garysgirl4]

I keep the lights on for 13 1/2 hours a day. I have been trying to feed him kale, and greens. Plus the dry stuff the pet store was giving him. I have a CHE and a zoo med powersun UVB light.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Christine:

I'm sorry, but I deleted the wrong post. You posted so many times the same info, and I deleted all except one, however the one I didn't delete the picture didn't show up. So would you be so kind as to post that picture again? Thanks.

 

[garysgirl4]

Hi Christine:

I'm sorry, but I deleted the wrong post. You posted so many times the same info, and I deleted all except one, however the one I didn't delete the picture didn't show up. So would you be so kind as to post that picture again? Thanks.

How do you post a picture? I can't seem to figure it out?

---

 

[Yvonne G]

ok...it doesn't look like heat is the problem. It looks like what you're offering him to eat is the problem.

Most tortoises don't like that kibble stuff. Have you tried to feed him greens from the produce section of the store? Any dark leafy greens like turnip greens, dandelion greens, endive, beet tops, escarole, even a bag of Spring Mix.

Also, you need to dig the substrate out away from that waterer and get it down lower.

 

[garysgirl4]

Yes I have tried greens, kale, squash, zucchini, even a little bit of banana.
I will go lower the water dish right now.
Thank you

 

[pdrobber]

welcome

 

[Utah Lynn]

Garysgirl, your setup looks good. The only things that my RT's will eat, consistently, is Romaine Lettuce and Spring Mix, while indoors for the Winter.

 

[garysgirl4]

Garysgirl, your setup looks good. The only things that my RT's will eat, consistently, is Romaine Lettuce and Spring Mix, while indoors for the Winter.

I tried that also. I haven't been able to get him to eat anything at all. All he wants to do is burrow into his substrate.

 

[Kolorbl1nd]

Garysgirl, your setup looks good. The only things that my RT's will eat, consistently, is Romaine Lettuce and Spring Mix, while indoors for the Winter.

I tried that also. I haven't been able to get him to eat anything at all. All he wants to do is burrow into his substrate.

welcome to the forum. what I like to do is take my tort Tanker out of his enclosure and hand feed him. it might help your tort stop digging and eat, and might help him be more comfortable. Tanker loves people tho if yours goes directly in his shell, dont take him out and scare him more. also when handling him support all his legs. and do slow movements. good luck!

 

[slowpoke]

welcome garysgirl ... I'm with Utah Lynn with the spring mix and a bit of lettuce mixed in there and slowpoke loves it and really won't eat much of anything else , the digging part I made a part of my enclosure about 8 inches deeper with the substrate so he can dig down pretty far and that kept him from digging around and I put that more in between the hot spot and the cool spot and he seems to like that more than having it in the hot spot or on the cooler side of his setup ...