Not Eating

[CourtneyG]

My new female pancake has not been eating and I got her on 28th. I feel like it might be a bit of stress from moving into a new home, my male as far as I can see is not bullying her. I know she was fed spring green mix and I feed her cut up mustard, turnips, bok choy. Occasionally kale and romain lettuce get added 5days a month, i might also begin adding collards if she will eat it since my male decided he does not like collards anymore. She is getting daily soaks and she drinks heavily during them. Just would like to know how many days of her not eating should I become really concerned.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I'd get real worried after the week 5. They can and do survive fasting better than a mammal. If you can't setup a separate enclosure for her maybe its time to get spring mix and slowly change the diet to something healthier. Drinking heavily isn't bad, but it's not especially a good thing either. Is she maintaining her weight?

 

[parrotlady]

Do have a good scale? You need to weigh her and keep track of her weight. A loss of more than 10 percent could indicate a potential problem,and then a trip to your vet for a check up would be in order. Could she be eating when you are not around?

 

[CourtneyG]

I don't think she is eating when I am not around, I put grassland tort on their leaves and my males faces is covered in the stuff when he is done and hers has nothing on it. I thought the food I am feeding is healthy, it is all the same stuff that is in the spring green mix. The food also gets a dusting with vitamin and calcium powder as well. Their are 3 hides spots in the tank as well for her.

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I feel that it might be stress but I can buy a bag of spring green and mix it in with their food to get her used to eating the plants.

 

[parrotlady]

How is she doing? I just took two babies to the vet yesterday as they just did not look right, one was 34.4 grams and one was 39 grams. Each got an injection of antibiotic and a nasal flush, neither one had any signs of infection but the vet noticed a slight swelling of the nasal passages. This morning eyes were open and they showed interest in their food. I take them back for a followup on Tuesday. Maybe I worry needlessly, but I would rather be safe than sorry. The reason for the trip back is because they are so small the vet feels better giving the injections. I usually give injections myself.

 

[Laura]

do you have them together already?

 

[Steve_McQueen]

I don't think she is eating when I am not around, I put grassland tort on their leaves and my males faces is covered in the stuff when he is done and hers has nothing on it. I thought the food I am feeding is healthy, it is all the same stuff that is in the spring green mix. The food also gets a dusting with vitamin and calcium powder as well. Their are 3 hides spots in the tank as well for her.

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I feel that it might be stress but I can buy a bag of spring green and mix it in with their food to get her used to eating the plants.

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Try feeding her separately, and without mixing in things you know she won't eat. Try all kinds of stuff, even if it may not be the "best." Once you find things that she will eat, you can gradually mix the better foods in.

 

[CourtneyG]

As far as I know she was feed spring green mix. I can feed her that, but my male as far as I can see does not bother her.

 

[WillTort2]

When my Russians become picky I try starting their meal with a few dandelion flowers, stems and leaves. That stimulates their desire and they then eat the rest of their greens.

And, separating the 2 is probably a good idea.

 

[CourtneyG]

I am going to move my male out and let her have the tank for a while.

 

[Tom]

If you are dusting the food daily, try it without. Also, grocery store foods are not great. The best diet is broadleaf weeds, a few types of leaves like mulberry, grape and hibiscus, cactus pads and a few other succulents. I'm not sure of the normal grass content for a pancake. There is much conflicting evidence, but 10-20 percent won't hurt and will add some much needed fiber to grocery store greens.

You said "tank". What size enclosure is she in? Can we see a pic or two? What is available for hiding?

Lastly a single female in with a male can be very stressful for her, even if you don't see any overt bullying.

 

[CourtneyG]

The plants I get come from a farmers market, I can stop dusting the food and mix some spring green food in, and I am moving my male out today. The tank is a Tortoise Palace and it is 48inX30inX12in, there is a terra-cotta pot and a log to hide in and the natural hide that is built in the tank, there are also plants to hide behind and eat.

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I also put grassland tortoise food on the leaves as well, and when the weather gets warm again I pick the prickly pear leaves and clean the spines off and cut them up an feed them.

 

[CourtneyG]

She has been on her own since yesterday an I put dandelions in her food, did not dust or put grassland on it either. Lets hope she eats.

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When I soak her I mix her vitamin powder in real well and add some Poweraid as well. I also put some of the leaves of her food in there to maybe encourage her to eat them as well. She has still not eaten so tomorrow I am going to go out and buy some of the spring green mix to feed her with and then gradually mix the better quality greens in.

 

[Tom]

What are your four temps. Warm side, cool side, basking spot and night?

Too much vitamin supplementation. Too much of a good thing. You only need to use a tiny pinch on a pile of food once a week. You don't need it in the water, and you certainly don't need sports drinks.

Unless those plants were intended for human consumption, they are probably full of pesticides. Most nurseries nowadays are using systemic pesticides that can last a year INSIDE the plant and its tissues.

Just throwing out possibilities for you to eliminate here.

 

[CourtneyG]

The plants are organic, and grown on an Amish farm. The temps are: basking 106, warm is 72 and cold is 67. I only put a bit in the soaking water to help restore electrolytes since she is not eating. It's always a light dust over the food everyday but I can change it to every 3rd day.

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Night time temps is around 68-72

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She is not sick by the way. Has a healthy pink mouth and is active when you put her out to dry.

 

[CourtneyG]

Well I bought her new food today, the exact same stuff she was fed on from the place she came from, so today with a good soak I hope she will eat some.

 

[CourtneyG]

I am taking her to the vet tomorrow, she has not eaten and is dehydrated(she does not get in her water bowl the silly bugger, her every other day soak is going to turn into daily soaks now)

 

[deadheadvet]

I've raised pancakes for a long time. Spring mix is perfectly fine! You are probably over supplementing with calcium. I would stop all the supplements for a bit and get some Mazuri if you can. They can take it warmer in general. Your basking is ok, but I keep mine closer to 88-90.
Separate the two and watch for eating. Was this a captive bred or wild caught animal?
Get a fecal run to be sure parasite free. They will eat strawberries, papaya, mushrooms, turnip greens and romaine chopped up. Only soak for about 5 minutes, they really don't like it. Remember they are crevice dwellers by nature.

 

[CourtneyG]

In the health section there is an update on her.