Sleepy Hermann - not eating....

[lizzie12987]

new Herman - worried that he's not eating

Hi all! Recently bought a 4 year old tort from a woman who couldn't look after him anymore- he is gorgeous! He loves to speed around the house and loves his baths but doesn't seem to be eating anything. He's been with us for 3 days now - any suggestions please?!

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: new Herman - worried that he's not eating

Hi lizzie12987:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Do we call you "Lizzie?"

And may we know appx. where in the world you are?

Well, in answer to your question, tortoises (cold blooded creatures) can't digest their food unless they can get their core temperature up above 80F. So if your tortoise lives in the house and not in a habitat, chances are pretty good he's not warm enough.

 

[dmmj]

RE: new Herman - worried that he's not eating

3 days is not that long to start worrying yet. They often require a period of readjustment when moving to a new home. Have you contacted the previous owner and see if there is a special treat she gave it?

 

[dmarcus]

RE: new Herman - worried that he's not eating

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[pam]

RE: new Herman - worried that he's not eating

Welcome

 

[lizzie12987]

Hi all - new to this; just rehomed a very handsome 4 year old Herman's from a woman who couldn't care for him anymore. He came to me in a tiny glass fishtank with a 40w spotlamp painted purple. I've changed this for a 60w and a UVA/B light plus a new rabbit cage - but he's not eating much.
He's been with me for 4 days now and i dont think he's eaten more than a couple of weeds from the garden and a tiny piece of tomato. The woman who had him before fed him on lettuce, tomatoes and grapes so when he wasn't fussed by the weeds then i tried him on something he was more used to.
Also he keeps burrowing into the 'shelter' in the cool corner of his home, away from the sunlight and seems to spend a lot of time asleep... When I get him out and let him loose then he whizzes around merrily but still doesn't seem to want to eat...
Am i doing something wrong? Anyone any ideas?

Many Thanks in advance!

 

[lizzie12987]

RE: new Herman - worried that he's not eating

Hi -thanks for the welcomes!! I'm in the east of england -pretty nippy here!! I've bought him a 60w basking lamp bulb, but he seems to prefer sleeping in the 'cool side' of is new house burrowed into the bedding. Should i get him a heat mat too?

Thanks!
Lizzie x

 

[pdrobber]

warm soaks!

 

[Pokeymeg]

What are you temps? Hot spot vs. gradient? It sounds to me he likely needs more time to adjust. That previous diet he was on definitely was not sufficient, but it seems like your tort is already well on his/her way to a better life! And like Peter said---Warm soaks!

 

[lizzie12987]

Thanks, going to take him into the specialist reptile shop tomorrow and ask them to have a look! Also need a new thermometer! Have been weed collecting today so hopefully can tempt him with something! Is it usual for torts to sleep a lot at this time of year? Thanks x

 

[GBtortoises]

He is in a completely new environment with new surroundings. Tortoises in that situation need time to acclimate and become secure in their new surroundings. Their first instinct is to remain safe and secure (hide). Once they are they will begin to venture out, usually a few minutes at a time, to explore their new surroundings and find their basking spot, food, water, etc...
Generally, the more the tortoise is handled and disturbed, the longer it will take for him to become acclimated. Four days with you may seem long enough but to a tortoise it's not nearly enough.
It is also not a wise idea to feed newly acquired tortoises fruits such as tomato. To begin with, they really should not be fed fruits on a regular basis anyway. But definitely not when newly acquired. A tortoise in a new environment, especially one being handled, can be stressed. When they are stressed their immune systems can often be weaker leaving their digestive system vulnerable to parasitic blooms. Several types of parasites are present naturally in a tortoises digestive system. They aid in breaking down foods. A normal, unstressed healthy tortoises system can keep those parasites in check. A stressed one often cannot. Fruits contain high amounts of sugar and acids which internal parasites fluorish on.

 

[lizzie12987]

Thanks, that's some really useful info- sorry if I seem a bit thick! What food would you suggest I put down for him? He was fed a lot of what people suggest not to before- should I try to wean him off this slowly or just start on proper diet straight away?
Thanks!

 

[GBtortoises]

A Hermann's diet should consist primarily of good quality, varied greens (including some flowers & leaves) with some vegetables for additional vitamins and minerals. The ratio of greens to vegetables fed varies some among different keepers. Generally speaking a diet of 80-90% greens with the remainder as vegetables is within the range of most. The list of foods to feed in nearly endless. Here are some of the most easily obtainable and popular: Dandelion, clover, chicory, broad and narrow leaf plantain, purslane, vetch, endive, escarole, romaine, collards greens, beet greens, mustard greens, carrot tops, kale and more. Vegetables can consist of pumpkin, squashes and limited mounts of carrots, peas, green and yellow beans and more.
There are several sites on the internet dedicated to identifying non-toxic plants, consumable plants and even tortoise specific plants.