Tortoise not himself since dog died
 

Ok bear with me, but is it possible my tort could be pining for the dog??

We’ve had him (horsfield) coming up 14years, since he was around 6-12months old.

We already had the dog, she was 18months old.

They lived in harmony in our kitchen from day 1, vivarium on the floor beside the dogs bed, sliding door left open and both had free roam of the kitchen.

Tortoise has always been a lively one, charging around, sharpening his beak on the hard plastic of the dogs bed, chasing husband out of the kitchen and sitting on my feet for treats and his shell rubbed! But neither the dog nor the tortoise ever bothered each other.

We had to have our beloved dog PTS a couple of months ago and the tortoise has completely changed🙁

He is quiet and subdued, no more charging around although he does come out and sit between my feet as soon as I come home (you would honestly think he just wanted to be near me as opposed to wants treats/fussed over).

He’s weeing and pooping fine so we thought maybe he’s just chilled because he no longer needs to prove he’s alpha dog so to speak. But he is barely eating, over the time the quantity has gradually gone down to the point where the last week/10 days he has barely eaten anything.

I went out at 8am today and put fresh food out for him, got home about an hour ago and he hasn’t touched it 🙁

Is it possible he is pining and if so what do I do??? Or is it more likely he’s sick or could it be the heat/muggy weather we’re having in the UK?

Personally I think it could be either, he may well have noticed the sudden change, and tortoise don’t like change, it might take time for him to get used to change in the dinamics of the house ( his environment) or he might be ill and it’s just a coincidence. You try some naughty food, what’s his favourite, mine can’t resist a strawberry. Keep him well hydrated with regular warm baths, has he got a basking light to go to while he’s free in the kitchen. Does he have an outside enclosure.
If he is weeing and pooing fine that’s always a good sign.

He has a basking lamp in the viv I think he’s sat under it all day, he nibbled some leaves tonight but I’m going to try grapes and strawberries tomorrow.

He just looks so forlorn ��

I’m also going to put him out in the garden tomorrow as I’ll be home all day so maybe real sunlight might cheer him up!

sunlight definitely helps. I had the other way round when one of my old torts died around 5 years ago now and whether it was me being so upset for nearly two years or whether the dog missed her I don't know , but it is a sad time and all pets (wild animals) need time to adjust. keep off grapes and strawberries with Horsfields as they have massive upset stomachs with fruit or can have. CB

We’ve had him to the vet Friday, she said he is strong enough, heavy enough and reactive to stimulus, but his behaviour and lack of eating, pooping etc is a worry (more or less has done none of these for a week!).

Vet managed to get him to poop, that’s been tested and all normal, and she took bloods off him, we’ve just got to wait for results.

He ate a bit Saturday but hasn’t since and has laid in his viv for the last 48hrs. When we put him out in the garden rather than bask in the sun he just goes and hides.

Gave him a bath tonight and it just made him really aggressive, started charging at us and shell butting, so we’ve come out of the room and left him to calm down.

Outside is far better for your tortoise than the viv:0)
Of course he will hide when put outside, its strange to him, and tortoises dont like change. My tortoises are outside 24/7 with no extra heat, and have been since May. They do take a while to adjust to a new environment, so give him time to adjust, he will thank you for it in the end:0)
Tortoises dont have human feelings, but he could well be aware of the changes in your house now:0)

I probably should’ve been a clearer, he’s been going outside during the daytime in summer months for the 14yrs we’ve had him, he usually sits in patches of sunshine and only hides later in the day - the constant hiding as soon as he goes out is a new thing!

If we leave the back door open he will go out of his own accord (sometimes sits beside the door waiting for it to be opened).

Is there a reason for not leaving him outside all the time?
Does he disappear when its hot?

My tortoises wake, find where its warm (slabs, concrete etc) to bask, then eat, then bask on the soil somewhere. Around 12 oclock they disappear and hide for a couple of hours, then eat and bask again. Then unless its really hot, they disappear into their housing around 4 oclock. They get up and go to sleep with the light:0)
If its a duller day, they get up later feed and then go back into their housing.

I suspect he just needs time outside where he belongs. Sounds like he is doing the right things and if vet given clean bill of health then possibly nothing to worry about.