No activity by my tort.

[Sweetu]

I am a proud owner of a 1 & half year old female Indian star tortoise. The problem is that it's been 2-3 months since she showed me some activity.She does not even opens her eyes and just hibernate all day long.please help.

 

[yillt]

Does she eat a lot? Apart from that does she seem ill? What are the temps and do you let her outside.

 

[Sweetu]

No food since last 2 months.I let her go outside once a week.

 

[Yvonne G]

Your tortoise isn't hibernating, it is sick. They don't go without eating or showing any activity for any length of time normally. Please read the leopard tortoise care sheet - YES, I KNOW you have a star tortoise, but the care is very similar, and we don't have a star tortoise care sheet. Then after you've read how to care for the leopard tortoise, make some adjustments to the way you are caring for your star tortoise.

In the mean time, put the tortoise in a shallow tub of warm water every day and leave it in there for 15 minutes. I'm afraid that if you don't make some immediate changes in the way you are caring for your tortoise, it is going to die.

 

[Sweetu]

OK and one more thing is that is it really necessary to make an indoor enclosure or I can let her move freely?

 

[Yvonne G]

Because your little tortoise is fighting for its life, you need to set it up in a small habitat where you can monitor the temperature. You need a light over the habitat, even though you think it's hot enough in your house, the tortoise still needs a light. Measure the temperature in the little habitat and try to keep it around 85F degrees all the time, day and night. But be sure to soak this tortoise daily or it will get dehydrated.

 

[Sweetu]

Sure.Thank you.

 

[Sweetu]

I put her in a tub and she drank lot of water. I can see a drastic change in her behavior.

 

[Yvonne G]

Good deal....sounds like you're on the right track now.

 

[Sweetu]

Still I am handfeeding her. I also built an enclosure for her.