Tortoise eating poorly

[rocky1998]

Hi , just bought my torts a couple of days ago , sandy is absolutely fine; rocky on the other hand hasn't been eating well, he has been eating, dandelion leaves , daises and have their usual nutrobal and their usual dietary supplements , I am SO worried he hasn't been eating to much, he scales and scratches the walls and I just feel horrible I just want to give them back because I feel like I'm being a horrible owner, someone give me suggestions and advice

 

[Yvonne G]

Rocky is a very pretty little captive bred Russian tortoise. Some tortoises just take longer to acclimate to new surroundings. You are not a horrible tortoise-keeper. The onus is all on Rocky. He will settle down and start acting calmer in a week or two. As long as he eats he will do ok.

 

[JoesMum]

As Yvonne says, torts can take a long time to decide that a new enclosure is safe. Weeks is not unusual.

The first thing to do is establish a routine so that they learn what to expeft and when. Use a timer for the lights so that they go on and off at the same time each day.
Soak them before they have warmed up properly in warm, not hot water, for a good 20 minutes in a high sided container that they can't see out of. I would do each tort in a separate bowl.
Put their food on a slate or flat tile in their enclosure... I would have two separate feeding places so they are not competing.
Pop the torts back in after their soak and walk away and leave them to be brave and explore. Don't stand over them and watch as it's intimidating.

Be warned that this species is solitary in the wild. They roam large distances, meet up to mate and move on. They don't get lonely or need or want company. In captivity this can result in mental or physical bullying and they fight nasty, drawing blood. If one of your torts continues to fail to thrive you must keep them in separate enclosures and accept that this may well have to be permanent.

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

give him time to come around he will be okay. Watch out for bullying though, and keep a close eye on how much or how little he eats. Thats a major sign of bullying.

 

[Laura]

be prepared to have two separate enclosures.. due to bullying or health..