My (kinixys nogueyi) hingeback still isn't eating. He had been prior fed a diet of lettuce by the old owner, and when i got him i carried on feeding what he was used to while he settled in.
I then switched him to a full weeds based diet and has been months now. Before this though i tried mixing the good food with the bad when wet so he couldnt help but get the good, put fruit puree on, mixing his favourite foods in cut up small with good food and the opposite way round, covered with cucumber and nothing fools this boy. In the end, i gave up and in june i started only offering good foods on their own - if he's hungry he'll eat right? He hasn't eaten anything since, and after a month i wondered if he even had an appetite or if he was ill. He will happily eat if fruit is offered to him, occasionally if he gets to the kitchen sneakily when he's out he will try to eat any crumbs he sees on the floor. He's been checked for worms, which isn't an issue, is bathed regularly and is in good health. The environment is the same as Phoebe's (same species, kept in a separate room) and she has a fantastic appetite and eats a full weeds diet, with some fruit and protein.
Im getting worried because he isn't even interested at all! When i had him checked by the vet he suggested hand feeding him - ie, opening his mouth and putting bits of good food in and repeating every few days until he will eat himself. It seemed to be too much at the time and i wasn't sure it would work but now im wondering if that would work? He's very good and lets me check inside his mouth without much fuss. If not am i ok to just plough on and keep only offering weeds until he eats?
I then switched him to a full weeds based diet and has been months now. Before this though i tried mixing the good food with the bad when wet so he couldnt help but get the good, put fruit puree on, mixing his favourite foods in cut up small with good food and the opposite way round, covered with cucumber and nothing fools this boy. In the end, i gave up and in june i started only offering good foods on their own - if he's hungry he'll eat right? He hasn't eaten anything since, and after a month i wondered if he even had an appetite or if he was ill. He will happily eat if fruit is offered to him, occasionally if he gets to the kitchen sneakily when he's out he will try to eat any crumbs he sees on the floor. He's been checked for worms, which isn't an issue, is bathed regularly and is in good health. The environment is the same as Phoebe's (same species, kept in a separate room) and she has a fantastic appetite and eats a full weeds diet, with some fruit and protein.
Im getting worried because he isn't even interested at all! When i had him checked by the vet he suggested hand feeding him - ie, opening his mouth and putting bits of good food in and repeating every few days until he will eat himself. It seemed to be too much at the time and i wasn't sure it would work but now im wondering if that would work? He's very good and lets me check inside his mouth without much fuss. If not am i ok to just plough on and keep only offering weeds until he eats?
