russian tortoise won’t eat and sleeps all day

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Jan 1, 2021
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hi, so my russian tortoise eddie hasn’t been acting normal recently. he has slept for 3 days straight, only waking up to move his sleeping spot slightly and when i take him out every morning to soak, even then he’s really sleepy. i took him out of the tank earlier and he went straight to sleep. he won’t eat anything even when i place his favourite lettuce in front of him. he’s only about 6 months to a year so i don’t think he’s trying to hibernate, i also checked his tank temperture
under heat lamp: 40°c or 100°f
in hide (dark and damp): 25°c or 70°f
im wondering if it’s an issue with humidity as recently i’ve been adding more spray than normal as i’ve seen they need a lot of humidity
2 nights ago i covered his substrate (newspaper pellets, i know it’s not great for them, i have orchid bark coming in the post) in water, not until it forms puddles, but where it’s quite damp and i’ve sprayed his tank about twice a day which i did before anyways. there’s lots of mist on the glass but i don’t think that has anything to do with it.
he’s not dehydrated as he gets soaked everyday and he drinks water when he is being soaked
i genuinly don’t know what else i should do, i don’t know if this is normal behaviour or if he’s just tired but it’s certainly not like him, he loves his good and he’s always running around
i’ve included a picture of his tank in case it’s something to do with that. i’ve ordered new substrate like i said and two terracotta plant pot bases for food and water.image.jpg

the plastic container with lettuce underneath is for enrichment as he loves tipping things over
 

method89

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Your hide temp is too cold. Wanna get it up to 80 to 85°
 

Lyn W

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Hi have a look at the care sheet for Russian torts in the species section for more help.
 

Lyn W

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The pellets will go moldy if wet and the rule I was given was -
too cold + humid = sick tort
right temps + humid = healthy tort.

So make sure your temps are correct for him at his level,
What are you using to check the temps?
I have a digital temp gun which is great for spot checking temps at tort level.
Are you using anything for night heat?

The caresheet will be your best guide for temps (night and day) humidity, diet and substrate etc.

A few other ideas -
  • A plant in there may make him feel more secure. Many of us use spider plants as they are tort safe but try to get cuttings from a chemical free plant. If you buy from a shop/garden centre they will have been treated with fertiliser and pesticides so wash roots, repot in chemical free soil and leave for up to a year to allow anything that has been absorbed to grow out - so if you can get cuttings from an older untreated plant it will be quicker. Leave the plant in a pot and bury it in the substrate - it's quicker and easier to swap plants of they get nibbled or bulldozed
  • www.thetortoisetable.org.uk is a good guide to safe/toxic plants for food and enclosures.
  • until the plant saucers arrive I would feed on something else like an old plate etc so he doesn't eat the wood pellets too (just worried it could be a choking hazard for him)
I hope he's better soon.
 
Last edited:
Joined
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Location (City and/or State)
northern ireland
The pellets will go moldy if wet and the rule I was given was -
too cold + humid = sick tort
right temps + humid = healthy tort.

So make sure your temps are correct for him at his level,
What are you using to check the temps?
I have a digital temp gun which is great for spot checking temps at tort level.
Are you using anything for night heat?

The caresheet will be your best guide for temps (night and day) humidity, diet and substrate etc.

A few other ideas -
  • A plant in there may make him feel more secure. Many of us use spider plants as they are tort safe but try to get cuttings from a chemical free plant. If you buy from a shop/garden centre they will have been treated with fertiliser and pesticides so wash roots, repot in chemical free soil and leave for up to a year to allow anything that has been absorbed to grow out - so if you can get cuttings from an older untreated plant it will be quicker. Leave the plant in a pot and bury it in the substrate - it's quicker and easier to swap plants of they get nibbled or bulldozed
  • www.thetortoisetable.org.uk is a good guide to safe/toxic plants for food and enclosures.
  • until the plant saucers arrive I would feed on something else like an old plate etc so he doesn't eat the wood pellets too (just worried it could be a choking hazard for him)
I hope he's better soon.
oh thank you! his temps are regular and i use a regular thermometer but have got a digital reptile inclosure metre arriving in the mail soon. i also do check his night heat before i go to bed as i turn his heat lamp off a while before i go to bed, it’s 25°c under the basking lamp and i think this is normal (according to google) i think him acting strange may be because his substrate was a bit too soaked so i got rid of it because it smelt really bad in there and i think it could be because of that, plus the new substrate came. he’s perked up a bit, i took him out earlier and he walked around for a bit, still not eating but had definitely perked up. i’ll also look into a plant for him and his plant saucers arrived too! thank you so much for the info!! ?
 

JoesMum

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This is the care sheet you need to follow

You need to convince your tortoise that it’s summer.

Have the lights on full and bright for 12-14 hours. Use a timer.

It must be 35-37C directly under the basking lamp at tortoise level. Use an infrared thermometer foraccuracy.

It must not drop below 17C at night. If your tort gets too cold he will take too long to warm up next day. You may need a ceramic heat emitter, which must be used with a thermostat, to maintain temperatures when the lights are off.

Haul your tort out first thing every morning and soak him for 30 minutes in warm water. Use a large flat-bottomed bowl like a washing up bowl. Change the water if it goes cool.

Weigh your tortoise straight after the soak on e a week. It is important to know that your tortoise isn’t losing weight.

Feed your tortoise immediately after the soak as this is when he’s most likely to eat. He will be less active until the days grow warmer and brighter.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
northern ireland
This is the care sheet you need to follow

You need to convince your tortoise that it’s summer.

Have the lights on full and bright for 12-14 hours. Use a timer.

It must be 35-37C directly under the basking lamp at tortoise level. Use an infrared thermometer foraccuracy.

It must not drop below 17C at night. If your tort gets too cold he will take too long to warm up next day. You may need a ceramic heat emitter, which must be used with a thermostat, to maintain temperatures when the lights are off.

Haul your tort out first thing every morning and soak him for 30 minutes in warm water. Use a large flat-bottomed bowl like a washing up bowl. Change the water if it goes cool.

Weigh your tortoise straight after the soak on e a week. It is important to know that your tortoise isn’t losing weight.

Feed your tortoise immediately after the soak as this is when he’s most likely to eat. He will be less active until the days grow warmer and brighter.
oh, thank you! his lights are on 12 hours or more a day and at night it is 25° and directly under the heat lamp in day time it’s 40°. i do take him out most of the time every morning once i wake up for his soak and use a tub which is opaque and tall so he can’t see out of it
i will start weighing him after his soaks i do weigh him but never after his soaks and i can’t remember where i wrote it last time i weighed him
i put him in his tank after his soak and then go down and get his food ready
thank you so much for the info!
 

JoesMum

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If it’s 40 under the heat lamp then it’s a bit too warm. You need to raise the lamp and get it down to the range I mentioned. A tortoise will become ina tive if it’s too hit as well as too cold.

Please read that care sheet I linked to and compare it with your setup.
 
Joined
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If it’s 40 under the heat lamp then it’s a bit too warm. You need to raise the lamp and get it down to the range I mentioned. A tortoise will become ina tive if it’s too hit as well as too cold.

Please read that care sheet I linked to and compare it with your setup.
i can’t raise the lamp as he’s in a vivarium and its at the highest i can put it. is there any other way to lower the temp? and i will read the care sheet, thank you!
 

JoesMum

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You adjust temperature under a basking lamp by raising and lowering the fitting, using a dimmer if the bulb is compatible with one or by using a lower wattage bulb
 
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You adjust temperature under a basking lamp by raising and lowering the fitting, using a dimmer if the bulb is compatible with one or by using a lower wattage bulb
ok thank you. i’ll look at it’s wattage tomorrow morning as i don’t want to burn my hands and look into a lower wattage bulb
 

Lyn W

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oh thank you! his temps are regular and i use a regular thermometer but have got a digital reptile inclosure metre arriving in the mail soon. i also do check his night heat before i go to bed as i turn his heat lamp off a while before i go to bed, it’s 25°c under the basking lamp and i think this is normal (according to google) i think him acting strange may be because his substrate was a bit too soaked so i got rid of it because it smelt really bad in there and i think it could be because of that, plus the new substrate came. he’s perked up a bit, i took him out earlier and he walked around for a bit, still not eating but had definitely perked up. i’ll also look into a plant for him and his plant saucers arrived too! thank you so much for the info!! ?
There is a lot of old and unsafe information on the internet so don't rely on Google for accurate information. This forum is full of very experienced tort keepers some of whom have been involved in research over the years to improve conditions for torts, so make TFO your only port of call for all advice.

The viv won't necessarily hold the heat your tort needs all night if your room temps fall but check the caresheet to see what the lowest temp should be for tort babies.

If needed a CHE on a thermostat will keep the temps even within the required range at night so that it doesn't get too hot or cold. They last for years so after the initial cost you don't need to keep replacing it.

A digital thermometer and hydrometer with a probe positioned in the viv at all times will make it easier for you monitor temps and humidity.

The best way to check your temps when adjusting the basking bulb height is to put a rock or something similar in size to your tort under it and check the temps on that until you get it right.

It can be expensive to get all the equipment needed at first but worth it to keep your tort safe and healthy and will save on vets bills in the long run.

Also Russians like to dig into their substrate so make sure its suitable and deep enough for that.
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
87
Location (City and/or State)
northern ireland
There is a lot of old and unsafe information on the internet so don't rely on Google for accurate information. This forum is full of very experienced tort keepers some of whom have been involved in research over the years to improve conditions for torts, so make TFO your only port of call for all advice.

The viv won't necessarily hold the heat your tort needs all night if your room temps fall but check the caresheet to see what the lowest temp should be for tort babies.

If needed a CHE on a thermostat will keep the temps even within the required range at night so that it doesn't get too hot or cold. They last for years so after the initial cost you don't need to keep replacing it.

A digital thermometer and hydrometer with a probe positioned in the viv at all times will make it easier for you monitor temps and humidity.

The best way to check your temps when adjusting the basking bulb height is to put a rock or something similar in size to your tort under it and check the temps on that until you get it right.

It can be expensive to get all the equipment needed at first but worth it to keep your tort safe and healthy and will save on vets bills in the long run.

Also Russians like to dig into their substrate so make sure its suitable and deep enough for that.
hi! thank you for the info, i don’t usually use google, i do mostly use tfo. i have a digital thermometer and hydrometer coming in the post today actually and he has a log under his basking lamp so he can climb up and i usually put the thermometer on that. my room temps usually are at 20°c-25°c and he has orchid bark as his substrate and he does love to dig. thank you!
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
northern ireland
hi, i have posted about this before but i’m going to post about it again as it has gotten worse. my russian tortoise hasn’t eaten in 5 or 6 days and has slept for 5 or 6 days straight, only waking when i wake him up for soaks and even then he is super tired and tries to sleep a lot. he has no energy and there’s definitely something wrong with him, this is not like him, he usually loves his food and is always running around. he also peed earlier and it was pink. i’ve seen this can be caused by pink/red coloured foods but he hasn’t eaten in ages and usually only eats green foods (different types of lettuce, cucumber, etc) and hasn’t had red foods before. i don’t know what to do, should i take him to the vet?
 
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