When to worry?

Status
Not open for further replies.

rusticreptiles

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
18
I received my new baby Greek (4 months old) on the 15th of November. He has not eaten since he arrived. When should I bring him to a vet? I'm sure he is stressed from moving from CA to NH in a little box via FedEx and I don't want the trip and prodding and poking from a vet to add to the stress if nothing is wrong with him. He was eating like a champ at the breeders and from the amount of poo in his travel cup he was quite full when he left. I'm currently offering romaine as that is what he was eating before he came to me. I have also offered dandelion, spring mix, strawberry, sweet potato and squash. Also a little ground moistened mazuri that came with him. He burrows in the dirt about halfway between the hot and cool spot. He will come out at times on his own to bask and then goes back in his hidey spot. I take him out in the morning to soak and place him in his cage in front of his food. He walks away, sometimes basking,and then goes and hides again.
I didn't handle him the first week other than soaking. I have been taking him out later in the morning and he is very active and outgoing with me. He head bobs at anyone else and he did at me at first but seems to recognize me now. Temps are 95 in the hot spot and then taper down to 70 at the cool end. He has a UV bulb is on a soil/sand mix substrate, has a water bowl, hay to hide in, a wheat grass patch that he hides in or under, and I mist the enclosure every morning while he is soaking. Please let me know when/if I should bring him to a vet and if there is anything else I can do. Thank you!
Nicole
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
It has only been ten days, so I would not worry yet ( hard to do I know).
 

Tortoise

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
956
Location (City and/or State)
Canada
rusticreptiles said:
I received my new baby Greek (4 months old) on the 15th of November. He has not eaten since he arrived. When should I bring him to a vet? I'm sure he is stressed from moving from CA to NH in a little box via FedEx and I don't want the trip and prodding and poking from a vet to add to the stress if nothing is wrong with him. He was eating like a champ at the breeders and from the amount of poo in his travel cup he was quite full when he left. I'm currently offering romaine as that is what he was eating before he came to me. I have also offered dandelion, spring mix, strawberry, sweet potato and squash. Also a little ground moistened mazuri that came with him. He burrows in the dirt about halfway between the hot and cool spot. He will come out at times on his own to bask and then goes back in his hidey spot. I take him out in the morning to soak and place him in his cage in front of his food. He walks away, sometimes basking,and then goes and hides again.
I didn't handle him the first week other than soaking. I have been taking him out later in the morning and he is very active and outgoing with me. He head bobs at anyone else and he did at me at first but seems to recognize me now. Temps are 95 in the hot spot and then taper down to 70 at the cool end. He has a UV bulb is on a soil/sand mix substrate, has a water bowl, hay to hide in, a wheat grass patch that he hides in or under, and I mist the enclosure every morning while he is soaking. Please let me know when/if I should bring him to a vet and if there is anything else I can do. Thank you!
Nicole
I have been having similar issues with my new Greek trio but its funny as I just weighed them for the second time and they have all gained weight so I would recommend that you weigh weekly to be sure. I can only assume mine are eating more than I realise yet the food isn't really looking like they disturbed it.
I soak regularly too. I think your baby will settle down and be ok as long as he is hydrated.
You could measure him too(straight line carapace length) at this stage and then you will see how he is growing over a period of time

I assume he has clear eyes, nose etc and otherwise looks to be healthy?

they seem to be shy little creatures when then move to a new home.

Good luck!
 

rusticreptiles

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
18
Phew!!!! That's me breathing a sigh of relief. If he was bigger I wouldn't be so worried just a tiny baby should eat in my thoughts anyways. Thank you, thank you for setting my mind at ease. He is more active in his tub today so hopefully that means a happier tortoise. Just so I know though if he starts to lose weight or doesn't eat by a certain number of days should I be concerned? I'm going to weigh him now and then in a week. Thanks again!!!
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
This is for everyone who buys a hatchling and can't get it to eat:

Soak everyday in either liquid bird vitamin water or Gerber baby food water.

Bird vitamins: Using a bowl with high sides and a small foot print, a bowl that the baby can't climb out of, add enough warm water so the baby can sit comfortably without having to strain to keep his head out of the water. Add a few drops of liquid bird vitamins. Soak the baby for at least 15 minutes.

Gerber baby food: Using a bowl with high sides and a small foot print, a bowl that the baby can't climb out of, add a half jar of Gerber baby food (either strained carrots, strained squash or strained sweet potatoes) and warm water. Don't make it so high that the baby has to strain to keep his head out of the water. Leave him soaking for about 15 minutes.

Even if they don't actually drink the water, they DO absorb some of the nutrients through the thin skin under the throat and around the cloaca.

If the baby doesn't start to eat after a couple weeks, something else is wrong besides stress from being new.
 

rusticreptiles

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
18
I will try that this weekend. Got to get to a store for baby food. Thanks for the advice.

Forgive me if this is stupid. Could I use powdered reptile vitamins in the water if it's mixed we'll and dissolved before putting him in?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Yes, if it desolves fully. That's why I like the liquid bird vitamins...because it mixes with water easily.
 

rusticreptiles

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
18
Update!! He ate today!! Like a champ too. Feel so much better now. Thanks for the suggestions and I did do the vitamin soak so maybe that perked him up a bit. Funny thing was he didn't want to eat in his enclosure. He ate in my hand. Aww. :)
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
Good to hear.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top