Worried about my tortoise!

[olprotano]

Hii
So I have a 3 year old horse field tortoise named Lawrence 🤣
We got him a few months back. He used to come out of his pen and eat etc but for the last few weeks he just hides/sleeps under his “box” and we have to drag him out so he eats (if he eats!) and place him under his lamp…’m not sure on what to do! We’ve tried him with lettuce and tortoise foods and he isn’t interested… just sleeps… all day
In his pen we use the “mud” from pets at home and his lamp is from there too

 

[wellington]

Post pictures of the enclosure, tell us the temps under basking, all over and night. What lights and heat are you using? Size of enclosure and the substrate which should not be mud.

 

[olprotano]

Post pictures of the enclosure, tell us the temps under basking, all over and night. What lights and heat are you using? Size of enclosure and the substrate which should not be mud.

Post pictures of the enclosure, tell us the temps under basking, all over and night. What lights and heat are you using? Size of enclosure and the substrate which should not be mud.

Post pictures of the enclosure, tell us the temps under basking, all over and night. What lights and heat are you using? Size of enclosure and the substrate which should not be mud.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Post pictures of the enclosure, tell us the temps under basking, all over and night. What lights and heat are you using? Size of enclosure and the substrate which should not be mud.

It sounds like he's trying to hibernate...(?)

 

[olprotano]

Do you think? How do I stop this, isn’t it too early? X

 

[TammyJ]

@Markw84 @Tom

 

[wellington]

Do you think? How do I stop this, isn’t it too early? X

A lot of them are slowing down right now. Make the enclosure brighter and don't let the night temps go below 70.

 

[wellington]

That enclosure is way too small. Needs a 4x8 foot minimum. Needs a low sided clay saucer water dish big enough he can get in it. Needs orchid bark or coconut coir for substrate and some plants for cover. Also what are you using for uvb and added heat if needed?

 

[TammyJ]

Why did you name him Lawrence? I am thinking "Lawrence of Arabia"?

 

[olprotano]

Why did you name him Lawrence? I am thinking "Lawrence of Arabia"?

Haha I just liked it!

 

[TammyJ]

Haha I just liked it!

Good! Because sand is the worst substrate for any tortoise.

 

[zolasmum]

Welcome from Devon - I see you are in the UK too. It does seem like he wants to hibernate, and if you want him to do so, don't try to make him eat - his gut needs to be empty before he goes into hibernation mode . We have a Hermann's tortoise, who is now 23 - we've had him since he was a baby, and he doesn't hibernate at all. His shell was damaged when we got him, and he wasn't very well, so we didn't hibernate him - then discovered it wasn't essential, as long as he was warm, etc, - and by then adored him too much not to have him with us over the winter!
He has a large warm conservatory, with lots of space to climb about and destroy things !
Best wishes to you and Lawrence from Angie x