Not eating (Now "Eyes Shut")

[diane curtis]

My tortoise is just over a year old and the last 2 weeks she hasn't eaten anything, is this normal behaviour I'm getting really worried

 

[KarenSoCal]

My tortoise is just over a year old and the last 2 weeks she hasn't eaten anything, is this normal behaviour I'm getting really worried

No, eating nothing for 2 weeks is not normal.

But we need a lot more info from you to be able to try to help.

What species of tortoise?
She's a year old...have you had her all that time?
Is she showing any other new behaviors?
Has anything changed in the last 2-3 weeks? Her enclosure? Your home?
What are the 4 temperatures? Basking, cool side, overall, and nighttime low?
What kind of substrate is she on?
What was her diet before she stopped eating?
Does she drink? Are you soaking her?
Please include a picture of her from overhead, and one of her from underneath, and a few of her enclosure.

I know this is a lot, but it will help us to help you figure out what's bothering her.

 

[diane curtis]

She is in a table top enclosure, usually eats mixed veg, lettuce kale and spinach

 

[diane curtis]

She has lamp on until 5pm from 6am, haven't had any prior experience, I just want to do the right thing.

 

[diane curtis]

She has lamp on until 5pm from 6am, haven't had any prior experience, I just want to do the right thing.

She is soaked and yes she does. Drink

 

[Yvonne G]

I see a couple things that may help if you change them.

Remove that substrate and instead use orchid (fir) bark or coco coir, and dampen it slightly. Next, run your light during the day hours, not at night (that was probably a typo on your part). Change out the water dish to a plant saucer that you've sunk down into the substrate. Measure the temperature all over the whole enclosure. I'm thinking the tortoise isn't warm enough and a cold tortoise doesn't eat because the food won't digest if they're not warm enough.

 

[diane curtis]

Thankyou for the advice. Will change substrate and other suggestions Thankyou.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I'm inclined to agree with Yvonne. I think he's cold. It's really hard to keep the temp and humidity high enough with an open topped enclosure. It would be so much better if you covered it.

What you could do is this: make a framework over the top of the enclosure using wood or PVC tubing. You want a bar running the length of the enclosure at the proper height to hang your lights. Then you drape a shower curtain over the bar, too. You've made a tent over your enclosure that will keep the heat and humidity in. Do you see that bumpiness of his carapace? That's called pyramiding, and it's caused by being too dry. The "tent" will make it possible to hold some humidity in.

Another addition for now is a flat rock or brick or piece of slate to put directly under the basking light. The rock gets warm and warms the tortoise from underneath. The temp on the rock should be 95-100 deg F.

 

[diane curtis]

I'm inclined to agree with Yvonne. I think he's cold. It's really hard to keep the temp and humidity high enough with an open topped enclosure. It would be so much better if you covered it.

What you could do is this: make a framework over the top of the enclosure using wood or PVC tubing. You want a bar running the length of the enclosure at the proper height to hang your lights. Then you drape a shower curtain over the bar, too. You've made a tent over your enclosure that will keep the heat and humidity in. Do you see that bumpiness of his carapace? That's called pyramiding, and it's caused by being too dry. The "tent" will make it possible to hold some humidity in.

Another addition for now is a flat rock or brick or piece of slate to put directly under the basking light. The rock gets warm and warms the tortoise from underneath. The temp on the rock should be 95-100 deg F.

 

[diane curtis]

I am pleased to report "shelley" is up and about and eating. Thankyou so much for your advice ?

 

[KarenSoCal]

I am pleased to report "shelley" is up and about and eating. Thankyou so much for your advice ?

I'm happy to hear that!

 

[diane curtis]

Hi my tortoise has recently woken up she is eating/drinking but her eyes are closed.do i need to bathe them or shall i leave them.i dont want to harm her tia

 

[Jan A]

Hi my tortoise has recently woken up she is eating/drinking but her eyes are closed.do i need to bathe them or shall i leave them.i dont want to harm her tia

Welcome to the forum!! Please give some detail. How old is she & how long have you had her? What kind of tort is she? What kind of enclosure is she in, lighting & heat sources, temps & humidity readings. Have you been giving her daily soaks? How long has she kept her eyes shut? Photos of your tort (especially her face) & enclosure setup can help give people a better idea of what is going on.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the forum!! Please give some detail. How old is she & how long have you had her? What kind of tort is she? What kind of enclosure is she in, lighting & heat sources, temps & humidity readings. Have you been giving her daily soaks? How long has she kept her eyes shut? Photos of your tort (especially her face) & enclosure setup can help give people a better idea of what is going on.

Hey, Jan: I've just now merged Diane's two threads so the info you've requested may be shown in the first posts above - Yvonne

 

[Yvonne G]

Diane: Little Russian tortoises are very hardy and scrappy. The fact that your baby is still eating with its eyes closed tells you it has a very strong will to live.

I'm thinking you haven't made the changes we suggested in your other thread. You MUST keep that baby warm. Room temperature just doesn't do it. And a single light shining down into an open-topped enclosure isn't warming up the whole enclosure. When he goes into his hiding place, he's too cold. That's why the eyes don't open. He's not keeping them closed, the conditions inside his enclosure are keeping them closed.

So to fix his problem, warm him up and keep him warm, day and night.

 

[Yossarian]

Its been very cold in the UK for the last couple weeks. My guess is your house is colder as a result and the baby isnt staying warm enough. They are very sensitive to small changes in temperature, especially if the temps are on the low side to begin with, which with a table, in the UK, they usually are. Most people dont keep their house over 25 degrees.

 

[Jan A]

Hey, Jan: I've just now merged Diane's two threads so the info you've requested may be shown in the first posts above - Yvonne

Thanks. You do a great job organizing these threads!!