Stars Not eating.... :-(

turtletania

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Update#2 - We have had some progress in the bigger one today. She has taken a bite of some carrot strips and bokchoy. The smaller one also pooped just a small amount. I call these two small things progress.
Hoping tomorrow will be further progress.
 

leopard777

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Update#2 - We have had some progress in the bigger one today. She has taken a bite of some carrot strips and bokchoy. The smaller one also pooped just a small amount. I call these two small things progress.
Hoping tomorrow will be further progress.


sounds good
 

turtletania

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Day 3 of "Star Watch" - again did the reptaid bath this morning, then into the sun.
Both are showing a little movement. But only the bigger one is taking small bites of the food.
Still doing everything I can think of.
 

Tom

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Hey all, My 2 adult indian stars are off their food.

I keep them in 85degrees-70degrees. The humidity is 85%
I feed them leafy greens, with occasional carrot strips or banana.
They are bathed every day for 15 minutes.

But one week ago we noticed a decrease in food consumption.... now today nothing.

No swelling, no bubbles, no breathing problems evident.....just not eating.
Any ideas?

I did not read all the way through this thread, but 70 is much too cool. 85 is fine for an ambient, but stars like it hot. THey should have a basking spot of near 100 and daytime ambient should get into the high 80s or low 90's. 70 with humidity could make them sick.

They should also not be housed as a pair.

And they should never be fed banana, and only rarely fed small amounts of carrot mixed in with other foods.
 

Tom

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They are not sniffing or even moving around much at all. They just sit near the heat lamp and have shuffled in and out of the heat zone a few times today, but that's it.

Here is your clue. Any tortoise that sits under the heat source all day is being kept too cold. Warm them up day and night.
 

Berkeley

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They should also not be housed as a pair.

Why is that, Tom? I have always heard and read that stars are one of the few tortoises that can be kept year-round as a pair, or even in groups because they are so compatible. Just curious.
--Berkeley
 

Tom

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Why is that, Tom? I have always heard and read that stars are one of the few tortoises that can be kept year-round as a pair, or even in groups because they are so compatible. Just curious.
--Berkeley
Groups are usually fine. Pairs are much too personal. Its explained better here: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/

Being housed in a pair is sometimes survivable in some situations, but it should be recognized that it is an added stressor. If all else is perfect, the amount of stress generated might not be enough to do any visible damage. When compounded with other stressors (and stars are easily stressed compared to some species) it could be enough to cause problems. This might be a contributing factor in Turltetania's problem.
 

turtletania

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Tom, These two have been together for years (since the bigger one was almost a year old and the other was about 4 months. I have had them for 8 years now. Should that make a difference? Maturity? The environment has been the same all the time with only one exception which just yesterday we felt might be the cause... the heat mat died about 2 weeks ago / about the same time we noticed change.
We are making a long drive today to try to find a new heat mat hoping that replacing that will bring them back to normal.
Late yesterday they were both moving a little while outside in the sun and both took a bite or two of the greens.
 

keepergale

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Tom, These two have been together for years (since the bigger one was almost a year old and the other was about 4 months. I have had them for 8 years now. Should that make a difference? Maturity? The environment has been the same all the time with only one exception which just yesterday we felt might be the cause... the heat mat died about 2 weeks ago / about the same time we noticed change.
We are making a long drive today to try to find a new heat mat hoping that replacing that will bring them back to normal.
Late yesterday they were both moving a little while outside in the sun and both took a bite or two of the greens.

It sounds to me like you solved the problem. I hope the too cool temps didn't cause any lasting problems.
 

turtletania

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So Sad....... the smaller one just passed away. I tried so many things... but she still didn't make it. I feel so helpless sometimes.
 

leigti

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I'm so sorry that your tortoise passed away. sometimes they just get too sick and you can't bring them back. Thinking of you.
 

Tom

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I'm very sorry for your loss.

Stars do not tolerate cold temps well in most cases. I would also not use a heat mat. Those can be very dangerous. I prefer to use CHE's set on thermostats in closed chambers for tropical species of tortoises.
 

turtletania

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We have just cleaned out the entire enclosure....... then mixed up all the stars favourite things.....and ...... OMG..... the bigger one "Starfire" has not stopped eating since!!! Can anyone shed light on this? What she fretting over her sick friend? It is incredible. She is suddenly active and has a full appetite. I am stunned.
 

turtletania

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We live on the island of Borneo so we are already in a tropical environment. I use a humidifier to keep the humidity up.
 

Tom

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We live on the island of Borneo so we are already in a tropical environment. I use a humidifier to keep the humidity up.

This is a mistake I frequently see people in tropical countries making. Regardless of where in the world you live, we have to heat and light indoor enclosures in order to provide each species with what it needs. I frequently get messages from people in tropical countries housing tortoises indoors without adequate heat and light, because they think it is already warm enough in their house. It isn't. Even if the ambient is warm enough, the tortoises still need a basking area that is significantly warmer to simulate the sun when they are indoors.

I don't like humidifiers. I don't like them in any climate. It is best to contain the warm humid air, and just not let it drift away into the room in the first place.
 

G-stars

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Sorry for your loss. Very weird that the other one started becoming active shortly after.
 

turtletania

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This is a mistake I frequently see people in tropical countries making. Regardless of where in the world you live, we have to heat and light indoor enclosures in order to provide each species with what it needs. I frequently get messages from people in tropical countries housing tortoises indoors without adequate heat and light, because they think it is already warm enough in their house. It isn't. Even if the ambient is warm enough, the tortoises still need a basking area that is significantly warmer to simulate the sun when they are indoors.

I don't like humidifiers. I don't like them in any climate. It is best to contain the warm humid air, and just not let it drift away into the room in the first place.

Although I do live in a tropical climate I was very much aware that it was not enough which is why the enclosure has a roof on it so the humidifier doesn't drift off.... it keeps the area at the constant 85%. As it has an auto function. I use it because the house has aircon which keeps the house at about 25/26 (i don't like it cold) but it dries it out. They have the basking area with the heat lamp/light also. I understand my temps may have been a bit low and have immediately adjusted that. Far end is now about 80/85, and the basking area seems to be hovering about 95).
 

turtletania

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Although I do live in a tropical climate I was very much aware that it was not enough which is why the enclosure has a roof on it so the humidifier doesn't drift off.... it keeps the area at the constant 85%. As it has an auto function. I use it because the house has aircon which keeps the house at about 25/26 (i don't like it cold) but it dries it out. They have the basking area with the heat lamp/light also. I understand my temps may have been a bit low and have immediately adjusted that. Far end is now about 80/85, and the basking area seems to be hovering about 95).


I really appreciate the advice..... I hope the adjustments I am making will help the other one. All my other tortoises are doing fine.
 
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