Winter Issues… Is this normal?

[Tank'sMom]

So "Winter" has officially hit South Texas. Tank had been doing fine in his burrow with his heater and "door cover" as long as it doesn't drop below 60F. Well, we had a horrible cold spell, for us, it dropped as low as 28F and has been in the 40's for the past week. He has an outfitted, heated, boxed in area in our garage where he's been the past week. But he will not eat! Ive been trying to give him all kinds of goodies but he won't touch em. Is this normal?
Today it is about 65F and sunny so we decided to let him out for some fresh air, freedom and most importantly to eat! But all he's done the past few hours is sit at his blocked off burrow entrance, trying to find a way in.
I really want him to eat. Is a slowing appetite normal? We've been keeping him warm, minimum 75F in his indoor house. Could he be depressed? How long can he go without eating?
I don't know how you guys up North do this!!! Any suggestions???

 

[Yvonne G]

He might be "sulking." They really don't like change, and if he's used to being outside and all of a sudden now he's contained in the garage, that might be the problem.

Double check the temperatures all over his habitat, down at tortoise level, to be sure its as warm as you think it is. He needs to be able to warm up his core temperature to at LEAST 80F degrees. I know that my garage is not warm, and if I set up a habitat on the floor of the garage, I'd have a pretty hard time keeping the whole habitat warm enough for a tortoise.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Sounds like he is going through one of those adjustment periods like when they are moved to a new home. Doesn't want to eat or drink, won't pee or poop. He wants his old home back. That's my guess. I would bump the temp in his garage enclosure up a bit.
Was Tank coming out and eating okay before this cold spell?

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

I had the very same thing happen to my largest male about 2-3 years ago. He didn't really move, eat, or drink for months. I kept him warm and would put food and water right by his nose. After a while he finally came around and everything was normal.

 

[wellington]

Don't forget, if he can't warm his body up high enough he can't properly digest his food and that could be dangerous. Do you still have a heat light for him to bask under and warm up past the 80 temp. Also like mentioned, a garage floor is hard to get an area heated. I had a hard time getting temps at their level correct on a basement cement floor. The torts shed I have now is on a cement floor, that I covered with a double layer of insulation and plywood because of the dampness of cement and how hard it can be to warm.

 

[Dizisdalife]

I had the very same thing happen to my largest male about 2-3 years ago. He didn't really move, eat, or drink for months. I kept him warm and would put food and water right by his nose. After a while he finally came around and everything was normal.

That's the longest "sulking" period I have heard of. Sometimes I guess you have to be more stubborn than the sulcata. They don't always know what is best for them.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

That's the longest "sulking" period I have heard of. Sometimes I guess you have to be more stubborn than the sulcata. They don't always know what is best for them.

It wasn't a sulking period. The storm caught him off guard and he was ill because of it. Hard to be stubborn against a 150 lb male Sulcata. Also I couldn't force him to eat or drink.

 

[Tijjer]

Having the same problem as well. She just got a bigger terrarium past November and ever since she wouldn't eat (even strawberries her favorite!). I've been making sure to put her in her water dish to soak which when I do she enjoys, after that she goes back to her hut and keeping her warm. The one day she went to her water dish by herself and recently today I got her to eat some, wasn't a lot but it was a start. But overall I agree all turtles/tortoises are stubborn.

 

[Len B]

I would provide some heat from below, especially if he is on concrete or soil. A large tortoise like you have will have a very hard time reaching a proper core temperature with just heat from above while setting on a cool surface. I have sulcatas in a very cold winter area (for sulcatas) and they do fine if they can warm their whole body up using gentle heat from all around. Mine will come out to eat and drink even when the outside temps are below freezing and then go back inside to warm up when finished. Good Luck.

 

[Tank'sMom]

Thanks Everyone! I have been able to put him back outside, back "home" recently and everything went right back to normal! I haven't been on here for a bit.
The area in the garage is actually a separate section that is boxed in. Hard to describe. I did have an old rug in there so he wouldn't have so be on cold cement. With the heater in there it was very warm. 75-80 or more. We hung a thick blanket across the front opening to hold in the heat.
Maybe I should get get a pig blanket or some other form of "under-belly" warmth as I am sure he will need to go in there again soon!
You can see how much he enjoys it in there! Lol.

 

[Tank'sMom]

Oops! Yeah. Trying to get over the barrier..

 

[Tank'sMom]

Today, happily grazing with his "friend"

 

[Tijjer]

Cute! Love the picture ^^