Sick tortoise?

[toriluvstorties]

Hi! I’ve noticed that one of my tortoises seems to be less active than the other. It seems to wake up later than the other, and go to sleep earlier. It also eats less and I frequently find it sleeping in the “cold” side of the enclosure during the day. I replaced the uvb bulb, and the humidity is normal. I checked for illness but the eyes and nose are free of discharge, and there doesn’t seem to be any sores or obvious signs of illness. Due to it being under a year still i’m worried. Is this concerning?

 

[zovick]

Hi! I’ve noticed that one of my tortoises seems to be less active than the other. It seems to wake up later than the other, and go to sleep earlier. It also eats less and I frequently find it sleeping in the “cold” side of the enclosure during the day. I replaced the uvb bulb, and the humidity is normal. I checked for illness but the eyes and nose are free of discharge, and there doesn’t seem to be any sores or obvious signs of illness. Due to it being under a year still i’m worried. Is this concerning?

You really need to separate the two tortoises. The one which is not acting very well is being bullied by the other one. It is not obvious to humans, but tortoises don't like company and try to eliminate any competition in their range. This is most like why the one sleeps in the cold side and doesn't eat well, etc., etc.

If you don't separate them, the one which is not doing as well may ultimately die.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hi! I’ve noticed that one of my tortoises seems to be less active than the other. It seems to wake up later than the other, and go to sleep earlier. It also eats less and I frequently find it sleeping in the “cold” side of the enclosure during the day. I replaced the uvb bulb, and the humidity is normal. I checked for illness but the eyes and nose are free of discharge, and there doesn’t seem to be any sores or obvious signs of illness. Due to it being under a year still i’m worried. Is this concerning?

Does it gain weight? Poop regularly, pass urates (white stuff in pee, normally like a toothpaste)?
Are temperatures the same in both enclosures?

 

[DoubleD1996!]

It could also be due to the change temperature outside. No matter how warm you keep it, they can always sense that change in barometric pressure, even hatchlings.

This could be one of them simply going into brumation, but pics if their set ups would help too.

 

[TammyJ]

Does it gain weight? Poop regularly, pass urates (white stuff in pee, normally like a toothpaste)?
Are temperatures the same in both enclosures?

It seems they are both in the same enclosure.
That, as Zovick said, is the problem.
After they have been separated, we would like to have details of the conditions in each enclosure, diet, lights etc.

 

[COmtnLady]

Welcome to the Forum!



Please post pics of the enclosure(s) you are keeping them in.

Also, give specific numbers or ranges as to temps, humidity, UVA-B levels and so on. We've discovered that everyone coming to The Forum has different ideas of what is "normal", so a nice clear "Its about 84 degrees" does a better job of explaining to us what's going on.


Here are a couple links to read through about keeping tortoises in pairs. It really is a huge problem that humans don't usually comprehend unless its pointed out.

Signs of bullying in young tortoises

'Following' is a form of "mad dogging". Cuddling and sleeping in the same area is a form of trying to crowd the other out of the territory. Does one or both sit on the food? That's another one. Outward, obvious hostility like biting, ramming, or flipping seldom happens with juveniles. The...

tortoiseforum.org

Which tortoise to keep?

So it finally happened. After over 8 years together, my 2 CDT finally got into it. They had been separated for the last 4 years or so but finally went outside in the yard together. I watched them quite closely for a month or so and exactly what I had hoped would happen, did: complete...

tortoiseforum.org

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