Sulcara not eating

[Zuma]

(New sulcata owner and new member)

Hi. Recently I found a young sulcata crossing the street (after I drove over it). I went around the neighborhood to see if anyone was missing her, but no one came forward. She us about a year old (6” long”. Had been injured before in the past as the top of the shell has gauze marks and other telltale signs. She is in good health though.

However, in the two weeks I’ve had her I’ve tried everything under the sun to coax her to eat something. She has eaten a few blueberries and small grapes and a nibble here and there of lettuce and a pear, but nothing in the way of meaningful sustenance. She is hydrated, as I give her in a warm soak every morning.

With an AIrTag attached I let her run around as she pleases in the backyard. She’s always hiding under something. I’m guessing she may be eating some of the partially decomposed leaves there? Not sure. She does poop a little in her nest box and during the soak.

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance. Jeff

 

[Tom]

(New sulcata owner and new member)

Hi. Recently I found a young sulcata crossing the street (after I drove over it). I went around the neighborhood to see if anyone was missing her, but no one came forward. She us about a year old (6” long”. Had been injured before in the past as the top of the shell has gauze marks and other telltale signs. She is in good health though.

However, in the two weeks I’ve had her I’ve tried everything under the sun to coax her to eat something. She has eaten a few blueberries and small grapes and a nibble here and there of lettuce and a pear, but nothing in the way of meaningful sustenance. She is hydrated, as I give her in a warm soak every morning.

With an AIrTag attached I let her run around as she pleases in the backyard. She’s always hiding under something. I’m guessing she may be eating some of the partially decomposed leaves there? Not sure. She does poop a little in her nest box and during the soak.

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance. Jeff

Hello and welcome.

This species needs heat. They can't get cold day or night. They also need an enclosure. The whole backyard can be an enclosure as long as you are 100% sure of the identity of every single plant in the yard and none of them are toxic. There also can't be any dogs back there. Dogs will harm the tortoise. Even nice dogs.

Fruit upsets their stomach and that might also be why the appetite has waned.

Here is all the correct care info. Look for the sulcata care sheet near the bottom for all the stuff you need to know.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[wellington]

Oh geez, please stop the fruit ASAP and read the link Tom posted for you ASAP.

 

[Zuma]

Hello and welcome.

This species needs heat. They can't get cold day or night. They also need an enclosure. The whole backyard can be an enclosure as long as you are 100% sure of the identity of every single plant in the yard and none of them are toxic. There also can't be any dogs back there. Dogs will harm the tortoise. Even nice dogs.

Fruit upsets their stomach and that might also be why the appetite has waned.

Here is all the correct care info. Look for the sulcata care sheet near the bottom for all the stuff you need to know.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

She’s in a warm environment. No other animals around. While yard has dried up weeds and such, no interest in eating it. Won’t touch hay or alfalfa except to hide under. If not for a couple of grapes and blueberries she’s not eating anything at all. Trying to get to the point of getting her to eat (something/anything). Once she is, then I will introduce/transition her to eat grasses.

 

[Tom]

She’s in a warm environment. No other animals around. While yard has dried up weeds and such, no interest in eating it. Won’t touch hay or alfalfa except to hide under. If not for a couple of grapes and blueberries she’s not eating anything at all. Trying to get to the point of getting her to eat (something/anything). Once she is, then I will introduce/transition her to eat grasses.

What is "a warm environment" to you? What is the temperature where the tortoise is and what heating elements and devices are you using to make it warm enough? Outside in your backyard might be okay during the day in warm and sunny weather, but its far too cold at night and on overcast days. What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area, and overnight low? It needs to be no lower than 80 degrees at night, or this tortoise is not going to want to eat. Its too small to live outside full time and it needs a heated enclosure indoors if you don't want it to die. I'm horning on this so much because appetite and overall health and function are dependent upon the outside temperature for every reptile. They won't eat if they can't warm up enough to function. Sulcatas in particular need it much warmer than what most of SoCal tends to be, especially at night. I live in SCV and day time temps are almost always sunny and warm, but they live mostly indoors in heated closed chambers until they reach about 10 inches in length. At that time, they move outside full time, but with heated, insulated night boxes to shelter in on cooler winter days, hotter summer days, and every night all year long.

Where in CA are you? Different advice for Palm Springs vs. Zuma Beach. If you are near the coast, like Zuma for one example, it is too cold outside. I'm working in Zuma right now as I type this, and its way too cold outside for a sulcata. The sun didn't break through here yesterday until after noon. I'm wearing a hooded sweatshirt as we speak.