Very Worried

[BridgetJones]

Hi, i desperately need some help with Sarah. He is a Greek marginated tortoise and although i have had him for 8 years, we lived in Tenerife, Canary Islands until we arrived back here. Sarah has been here since May and was doing well in the summer, then she developed an eye infection and diarrhoea and was put onto antibiotics. She did lose a little weight and when I read the book I have, it said to not allow her to hibernate as she was new to this climate and wasn't really up to weight on the chart it had. We've bought her inside, but she has gone very very lethargic and I can't get her to eat or drink. She was living in our poly-tunnel with loads of roaming room and a heat light, but it's very cold out there now. I don't know what to do with her as we live in a tiny house and have no room for a table. I can put her into a wooden box with the light suspended over the top but how do I get her to eat and wake up? What temperature should she be in? The house is warm but is that bad? I'm desperately worried about her.

 

[Jacqui]

Let me see if I have this right... You normally brumate him, but this year you moved and he also got sick, so your not wanting to do that this year. You still have him outside? He needs inside and heat on him and also lights for 12-14 hours a day to mimic summer time. Some warm soaks may also help get him moving. Now if you can't do this, it may actually be best to let him sleep off winter as normal for him.

So how much of this did I get right?

 

[BridgetJones]

Let me see if I have this right... You normally brumate him, but this year you moved and he also got sick, so your not wanting to do that this year. You still have him outside? He needs inside and heat on him and also lights for 12-14 hours a day to mimic summer time. Some warm soaks may also help get him moving. Now if you can't do this, it may actually be best to let him sleep off winter as normal for him.

So how much of this did I get right?

Hi Jacquie, I guess my post was a little rambling so thanks for translating! I've found a vet nearby that apparently knows a lot about tortoises and I'm going to give him a call today for an appointment to check Sarah's overall health and get some professional advice. Everyone here is amazing, but I don't really know how to look after my tortoise here. It was a piece of cake in a warm climate! Will keep him in now and rig up the light today and see if he perks up. Thanks again.

 

[ascott]

OVERWINTERING
Any tortoise which is underweight or suffering from an ailment should not be hibernated, but overwintered on an indoor tortoise table, or in an indoor run or vivarium. This should have a heat source and full spectrum light for 13-14 hours to prevent hibernation. The temperatures should be 26°C by day and 18-22°C at night. Fresh food and water should be provided. Never allow the temperature to go below 15°C.

 

[Richsandwich]

Put her in a wooden box with a light over it? I think she needs more than that. You need to set up an enclosure for her.