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Old 14-08-2018, 09:03 AM   #1
TessaRuth
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We rehomed a Horsefield tortoise from a friend last week. He doesn't seem to be eating much. His previous owner fed him on tortoise pellets which we have also given him, along with lots of greens/weeds, but he only seems to eat about ten pellets a day. Is this enough? What weight of pellets should they eat? He is very active and spends about an hour a day walking around our terrace and looks healthy. I weighed him when he arrived and then yesterday when I found he'd lost 5g. This worried me as I have no idea what he should weigh so I the Donohue method which I believe is suitable for Horsefields, I measured his carapace length in cm at 14.5, then cubed it and multiplied by 0.191. This gave a target weight of 582g but he weighs 815g. Have I used the wrong method or is he just overweight? I don't know what a fat tortoise looks like. But my main worry is whether he is eating enough. Very appreciative for any help.
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Old 16-08-2018, 12:30 PM   #2
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I don't know anything about Horsfields but it will eat if it's hungry but make sure it has water available or better still sit it in a basin of luke warm or room temp water about an inch deep for 15 minutes. A change of scenery for them takes a bit of time to get used to so they may not eat or drink much to begin with
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Old 16-08-2018, 12:58 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TessaRuth View Post
We rehomed a Horsefield tortoise from a friend last week. He doesn't seem to be eating much. His previous owner fed him on tortoise pellets which we have also given him, along with lots of greens/weeds, but he only seems to eat about ten pellets a day. Is this enough? What weight of pellets should they eat? He is very active and spends about an hour a day walking around our terrace and looks healthy. I weighed him when he arrived and then yesterday when I found he'd lost 5g. This worried me as I have no idea what he should weigh so I the Donohue method which I believe is suitable for Horsefields, I measured his carapace length in cm at 14.5, then cubed it and multiplied by 0.191. This gave a target weight of 582g but he weighs 815g. Have I used the wrong method or is he just overweight? I don't know what a fat tortoise looks like. But my main worry is whether he is eating enough. Very appreciative for any help.
When a tortoise changes homes, it can take them quite a long time to get used to a new setup. Just like us they dont like change.
You are lucky he/she is eating, as most can take a week or two to get used to a new home.
Horsfields are one of the species that can easily over eat, especially on pelleted foods. Weeds and flowers are far better for them.
If he/she is eating then dont worry about intake:0)
If you weigh to often, then you can easily get a wrong pattern of weight, as one poo can make a lot of difference.
Weighing once a month, and keeping a record is the way to go. You can then see what it really happening to the weight.
If you can post a picture it might help us to help you more:0)
If you can see white lines around each scute, then he/she is over weight and growing too fast:0)
But if he/she is eating then just dont worry:0)
Clear bright eyes, a dry nose and no gaping is a good sign:0)
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Old 16-08-2018, 05:20 PM   #4
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Sandy has covered most things very well.
It can take a tortoise weeks and even up to two months to be weaned off of pellets so don't go cold turkey with them just cut down a bit each feed and even make them like mush and rub them over good food and then cut back to zero pellets.
Going by the weight it sounds like it could be a female horsfields are easy to sex if male it will have a long tail that will touch it's hind legs when it's to the side but a picture will sort that out.
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Old 16-08-2018, 05:24 PM   #5
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Thank you both very much for your advice. I guess I'm just nervous as I take animal care very seriously and this is all new to me. You have reassured me and I feel more confident now. I have tried to upload a photo but cannot find the 'photos' button to do so. I've had a look at his shell and there's a quite large, 2mm, white line just above the bottom line of scutes. There are finer lines around the others further up his body. Other than that, his eyes are bright and he's very active. I don't think he got much exercise in his previous home but we put him in the garden for an hour a day, which I think he likes. He ate part of a dandelion leaf for the first time today. I've been weighing him daily as I've been so worried and he lost 5g in the first week but has now put this back on so that's encouraging. Sandy, I see you're in Kent. I'm in East Sussex. Do you know a good specialist reptile vet? I want to get him checked out before he hibernates. Also, roughly which month do you hibernate yours? I'm just trying t plan ahead! Thank you both so much again and I'll try to figure out the photo! Tessa
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Old 17-08-2018, 09:49 AM   #6
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Totally agree with everything said above , just give him time.
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Old 17-08-2018, 11:18 AM   #7
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You need to use a third party image host like this one https://imgur.com/upload

Incidentally, I have Hermanns not Horsfields but I provide pellets (T-Rex Dry Formula) and they have the freedom to eat weeds and flowers too which they do

Last edited by Alan1; 17-08-2018 at 11:21 AM.
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Old 17-08-2018, 12:23 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TessaRuth View Post
Thank you both very much for your advice. I guess I'm just nervous as I take animal care very seriously and this is all new to me. You have reassured me and I feel more confident now. I have tried to upload a photo but cannot find the 'photos' button to do so. I've had a look at his shell and there's a quite large, 2mm, white line just above the bottom line of scutes. There are finer lines around the others further up his body. Other than that, his eyes are bright and he's very active. I don't think he got much exercise in his previous home but we put him in the garden for an hour a day, which I think he likes. He ate part of a dandelion leaf for the first time today. I've been weighing him daily as I've been so worried and he lost 5g in the first week but has now put this back on so that's encouraging. Sandy, I see you're in Kent. I'm in East Sussex. Do you know a good specialist reptile vet? I want to get him checked out before he hibernates. Also, roughly which month do you hibernate yours? I'm just trying t plan ahead! Thank you both so much again and I'll try to figure out the photo! Tessa
I have a good tortoise vet in Maidstone Mark Rowlands.
Hibernation is down to the tortoise, I have kept tortoises for over 37yrs and each year is different, because of the weather. And each tortoise is different.
I now have only five iberas, but they all go down at different times. Mine live outside all year round, as I have a greenhouse for them, which is heated when it needs to be. They also hibernate in the GH in the soil. I have one female that always goes down first, then over the next month they will go down one by one. I have one stubbon female who last year escaped the GH and buried down outside, and I didnt know where she was. But she came up in the Spring.
Usually when the threat of frosts is happening then the tortoises slow right down, thats when I put a brick in the hole (my tortoises come and go as they please) so they dont escape. And lessen feeding around the end of September (again depending on the weather) or when temps drop drastically.
You will find Horsfields will bury down as soon as the first temp drop, as in the wild they are only active for six months of the year as their normal temps are really cold. So they react very quickly. And they can bury down a long way, where as med tortoises dont bury down so far.
Sorry for the long post, but tortoises can be complicated until you get used to their routine and husbandry. Once you have a good idea it gets easier:0)
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Old 17-08-2018, 06:12 PM   #9
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815g is good weight , nice solid so don't worry too much. 5g as others have said is nothing. Sounds all ok, just make sure hydrated and well fed. ditch pellets as natural much better and less compaction, they do have a place but when weeds are abundant make good use of this season. Some of my Horsfields go down in August, don't get up til March....others walk around in December in the greenhouse unheated. just get to know his likes dislikes but be firm with it. rule of thumb pack away first week of November unless exceptionally warm....CB
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Old 17-08-2018, 10:12 PM   #10
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Perhaps just to mention shallow baths, only because a neighbour had a tort and didn't know was supposed to bath/always have water available. Sorry if you know all this.
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