Kylee L.
Well-Known Member
you are wonderful!!! I have been checking his enclosure temps at three points, the cool side is between 70-75, the corner is about 73 and the top of his shell at his basking spot is 90- 95. I thought he escaped one day because he was buried so deep in the corner I didnt see him. I have been keeping his lights on at least 14 hours a day too stimulate summer days, I will absolutely cover the window this evening!! I was reading about the length of time they go without eating for hibernation and the time they take to wind down for it so I now he can handle a few days without eating ...I think im just being a paranoid new tort mom...It sometimes takes a couple weeks for a new tortoise to settle in and realize he's going to be safe in his new environment. But just double check the temperatures all over the whole enclosure. A tortoise won't eat if he can't get his inner core up to at least 80F degrees.
Another thing to consider: In the wild Russian tortoises dig in and brumate 6 months or more out of the year. Mikey is wild caught and this might be something he's conditioned to do. They stop eating for a couple weeks to clear out their digestive tract prior to brumation. This might be what's happening with Mikey. You're going to have to fool him into thinking it's really still summer - long, hot summer days and warm nights. And cover that window so he can't see or feel the weather and length of the day outside.