advice please

[Bindi]

the things is, all torts are different. I had a 4 year old in with a 7 year old and they were fine one year, but the following year when the 7 year old found his mo-jo the younger tort became very withdrawn. This didn't get any better until I separated them permanently. Even now the smaller tort is quite a subdued little thing, or at least he was before he went into hibernation.

Another little guy I had wasn't fazed in the slightest by a bigger tort, he was a tough little fella

As I said, thery're all different

[not-short-of-a-tort]

thanks....i just wanted to question as they came from the same batch and same breeder and they both seem to be the same lethargic lazy small (tiny!) where as others are fine...

should i be worried ..? should i be doing anything??

[ziggy's owner]

I own 5. All diff ages and my one sleeps moves and sleeps all about the same size I do think temps vary via tortoise other can stand cooler temps while others like if hotter

[tort-a-lot]

I would like to add to this thread if you dont mind, not-short!!!
I bought both these torts last year. when i got them i took them once a month (every month) to the chelonian clinic`s run by the sussex chelonian society for a health check, where it was discovered they were "underweight" and did not gain month after month.
I was advised to feed a pellet diet to try and boost them up,at the time she weighed 79g i did this, however it was proving harder and harder getting them to eat (we are still in the same situation ) my tort is in with 6 others 3 of which are hatchlings (9months) and they are so active, eating, basking etc...normal behavior!! but the torts in question will not get up on their own, eat, anything really.....i bathe her twice a day and have been using reptoboost for some weeks now, this week i have seperated her for a while after her bath and hand fed her pelletts (she will not touch weeds at the mo)she has gained a few grams this week, but as i know all too well she may well lose this next week, she nows weighs 100g, please can someone explain the lethargy and non existant appetite of these 2 torts as i have been trying for almost a year now......and not getting very far!!!! Temps are 30-34 hot end 20-22 cool end with night time approx 18, top soil substrate.
6 torts flourishing 1 not..............why????

[not-short-of-a-tort]

no prob tort .........in it together...just would kinda like to get to the bottom of it, or get an understanding!! someone give us a hand leeasseeee xxx

[egyptiandan64]

All tortoises of the same species don't react the same to low temperature. It seems every individual has their own low temperature where they will stop eating and being active. Those low temperatures are a bit to low and it won't hurt either one to get no lower than 20C at night (this advice pertains to both of you ). If though when you do this, you get activity but no eating with the one tortoise than might think about seperating them.

Danny

[not-short-of-a-tort]

weighed tort this morn he has lost roughly about 14g within about a month......WHAT am i doing with my other tort that im not doing with this one!!!!! have hand fed him today after a bath he ate should i persist and try this for a while until he build up a bit

[shellonia]

Only you really know your torts not-short and as Dan has said they are all different.I've had one or two who have needed loads of input to pull them through from a failure to thrive state into healthy though smaller adults.There are things like reptoboost or even Critical Care that you can try but it may be a long road-that's just the way some tortoises are.In the wild they may well not make it,so lots of TLC and patience are needed.Good luck