Rescue tortoise

[Amie.M]

Hi
I’ve recently rescued a tortoise from the vets I work at. She had been signed over after having anorexia following hibernation and the owners no longer could care for her. She had also had her lower beak trimmed (too short) and was subsequently unable to pick up food. She is being fed via stomach tube until the beak grows back. I’m wondering if anyone has experience with this issue? I’ve had her for 4 weeks now and her mouth looks less open than it did to begin with. I have set up a tortoise table for her with combination bulb basking lamp 30 degrees basking spot and cool area around 20-25. She has a humid hide with moss in where she spends most of her time. I’m getting her out daily for soaks to avoid dehydration and she is passing urine and faeces regularly. She shows no interest in food, even when I have left the tube feed off for 48 hours. On nice sunny days I’ve been allowing her access in the garden she will potter around but then goes and hides. (Buried usually) If I didn’t get her out of her hide she will stay there all day. I’m basically looking for advice from experienced tort owners to make sure I’m doing things right for her. I’m not too sure of what she was used to previously as the people who signed her over hadn’t had her long either. Are tortoises usually more active than this? Or is she not getting warmed sufficiently? Thanks in advance

 

[method89]

Pictures and specific type of tortoise always improve the answers that can be provided.

Welcome to the Forum and good job rescuing a tort!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome!

Two things spring to mind: the tortoise isn't warm enough, and cut the food up into very small pieces so he can just 'tongue' it into his mouth and not have to bite off pieces. You can start with food that isn't on the ok-to-feed list. things like cucumber and iceberg lettuce. Anything just to get him interested in eating again. then once he's eating you can slowly, over time, decrease the amount of 'do not feed' items and increase the 'good for you' items.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome and thanks for rescuing the little guy. Like Method89 said pics would be great so we can see what you have and give you suggestions on your enclosure.

 

[Amie.M]

Pictures and specific type of tortoise always improve the answers that can be provided.

Welcome to the Forum and good job rescuing a tort!

 

[Amie.M]

Yes I thought after I never said what type she is, I was told she’s a Hermanns but I’m not sure on that now as I’ve been looking at pictures of Russian tortoises and she looks rather similar to those. I have tried using more unsuitable foods such as strawberries, tomatoes all cut up small. I’ve also grown some tortoise weeds in her table. I have even tried liquid fruity baby food as well as the herbivore critical care that is used in the tube feeds. The only thing she actually picked up was a red leaf from mixed salad and a dandelion leaf but then dropped them again. I’ve not tried cucumber but will certainly give it a go. If the thermometer readings are correct, could there be another reason she is always hiding? It’s been very hot today outside and she went off and buried herself in a pile of leaves. Is possible she is too hot? However I live in the UK so could that be the case? I will try and get a better picture of her tomorrow, including the damaged beak to give you a better idea of how it looks. Thanks for the info so far.

 

[dmmj]

They hide when it gets to hot, to cool down.

 

[TammyJ]

We look forward to seeing some close up pictures of Beau. Especially her head and beak, but overall body pictures.

 

[Lyn W]

Try grating the cucumber and other foods to soften them, if she is having trouble eating she may find that easier. Cucumber can have a laxative effect but it may tempt her to eat. I don't feed it regularly but my tort loves it and just the smell, or juice squeezed on his food gets him interested if he has been off his usual food.
I do hope she perks up soon.
Thanks for helping her.

 

[Amie.M]

We look forward to seeing some close up pictures of Beau. Especially her head and beak, but overall body pictures.

 

[Amie.M]

Thank you
These are some pics, just having her morning weigh in and soak, got the close ups on the beak too. I’m hoping someone may know if she will eat with it like this x

 

[Amie.M]

Try grating the cucumber and other foods to soften them, if she is having trouble eating she may find that easier. Cucumber can have a laxative effect but it may tempt her to eat. I don't feed it regularly but my tort loves it and just the smell, or juice squeezed on his food gets him interested if he has been off his usual food.
I do hope she perks up soon.
Thanks for helping her.

Thank you I’m going to try the cucumber now x

 

[Amie.M]

A few more pics of her all over, she may be a he? No luck with cucumber, grated or in small pieces but I will keep trying

 

[TammyJ]

Experts please let us have your further valuable input on this? Yvonne?

 

[Amie.M]

She ate a large pile of dandelion leaves on Friday outside, so the beak doesn’t concern me too much now I know she can eat. She hasn’t ate since then and continues to hide whether outside or in her table. Is it normal for them to eat a lot in one go then nothing for a few days? I would value any opinions on this and also the constant burrowing/hiding. Is it ok to move her from the hide for soaks, offering food etc? I think if I just left her she would stay put and that worries me as it doesn’t seem to make a difference what the temperature is she goes to the same spot outside or in her table to hide.

 

[Sleppo]

Thank you for taking this girl in, you are at the best place for information. They are super sensitive to change so the lack of interest in food may be related to that, it could also be that yours is just a bit skittish. I keep 2 Russians and one will charge me for her food/eat out of my hand, the other will not touch anything or move until I am out of the room. You may just need to give her a little space, all the handling for her medical issues may have her stressed. I have a camera on my enclosures so I can peek in without disturbing them, that could be an option they are pretty inexpensive too. Good luck!

 

[Amie.M]

Thanks for that, I think she could be a bit shy as she does tend to pul her head in when approached unexpectedly. I was told she’s a Hermanns, does she look more like a Russian tortoise? How do I tell the difference?

 

[Sleppo]

You can tell by her coloring, she has 4 toes/claws and her small size. Russians are the "little guys". Check out the Russians section of the forum for food requirements, enclosure requirements etc, that helped me a lot when I was getting started. Helpful Info : they are crazy good climbers (be careful with anything in your enclosure that she can climb on, it could be a flipping hazard), great diggers, insanely persistent, do not like to be handled, and never keep in pairs they are super territorial and scrappy. They also have lots of personality that I am sure you will be seeing once she is feeling better.

 

[Amie.M]

You can tell by her coloring, she has 4 toes/claws and her small size. Russians are the "little guys". Check out the Russians section of the forum for food requirements, enclosure requirements etc, that helped me a lot when I was getting started. Helpful Info : they are crazy good climbers (be careful with anything in your enclosure that she can climb on, it could be a flipping hazard), great diggers, insanely persistent, do not like to be handled, and never keep in pairs they are super territorial and scrappy. They also have lots of personality that I am sure you will be seeing once she is feeling better.

Thanks that’s really helpful advice, I had wondered after a few weeks of having her if she’s a Russian after I looked at some pictures on the internet. Her personality certainly sounds similar to how you’ve described. I’m going to have to rethink my set up now as I’d set up for Hermanns so hopefully with a few changes she will be a happy Russian tort. I’m going to definitely reduce the handling too.

 

[LaLaP]

I think your cute Russian is a boy also. Looks like the tail is long and kept swept to the side, right? If that's true then he's s boy. Girls have short tails.