tortoise owner looking for a smart person =]

[alicia]

my temps are 30-33c under the basking light and 24-26c in the cooler side, it normally drops to 22c at night and had never falled below 21c. hes CB.

What are your temperatures? Do you drop the temps at night?

Is it a WC tortoise?

[molbags]

Hi,

I've got a tort that dose not like nutrobal but i found if i sprinkle it underneath the leaf she will eat it!!

[nina]

Originally Posted by molbags

Hi,

I've got a tort that dose not like nutrobal but i found if i sprinkle it underneath the leaf she will eat it!!

I've found exactly the same! If the Nutrobal is on the top of the leaf he often won't touch it, but if I take that same leaf and turn it over so the Nutrobal is under the underside (I wet the leaf so it sticks), he'll take it every time.

[EJ]

Check the temperatures right on the substrate especially if the tortoise table is on the floor.

Originally Posted by alice

my temps are 30-33c under the basking light and 24-26c in the cooler side, it normally drops to 22c at night and had never falled below 21c. hes CB.

[alicia]

i have 3 thermometers, on on the substrate in the cool side, on the side of the inclosure about 2 inces off the substrate in the basking area and a general one for my bedroom on top of the enclousure, they all tell you the lowest temp it has ben, the current temp, and the highest its been. i think there pretty 8) cool, my sister gave them to me as she had them when she had her baby for some reason haha.

[/quote]Check the temperatures right on the substrate especially if the tortoise table is on the floor

[EJ]

There are usually 2 reasons they go off feed... the temperatures are not right or there is something upsetting it's innards. I don't think the supplements have anything to do with it because if something a tortoise ingests upsets it they tend not to eat it again.

I know I've said it before but if the temperatures are right you should look into antiparasitics... Flagyl/Metronidozole.

I hate saying this but it is just a feeling based on 35 years of experience with hundreds of Leopards.

Yes, I could be wrong but treatment would do no harm and on the off chance I'm right the decline will stop.

Originally Posted by alice

i have 3 thermometers, on on the substrate in the cool side, on the side of the inclosure about 2 inces off the substrate in the basking area and a general one for my bedroom on top of the enclousure, they all tell you the lowest temp it has ben, the current temp, and the highest its been. i think there pretty 8) cool, my sister gave them to me as she had them when she had her baby for some reason haha.

Check the temperatures right on the substrate especially if the tortoise table is on the floor[/quote]

[sarah]

Ed i totally agree Protazoa is always over looked in tortoises expecially WC tortoises. I have brought myself a microscope since i know what i am looking for. I was shocked to see a very small count in my pancakes.

[alicia]

okay ed, thankyou. i need to find a good vet as i took bobby to a vet before and the vet asked what type of tortoise i had... i said leopard tortoise, and then he asked me why wasnt he hibernating yet , for me to tell him they dont hibernate...

o well il go and get him checked out. what do i ask the vet also, (just to make sure i get excatly what i go there for)
is it worms??

[sarah]

Where are you Alice?

[EJ]

This is another point that I know I'm going to get slammed for...

Leopards do have a winter slow down... There are no tortoises that actually hibernates in the true sense of the word as mammals do.

This is an extremely controversial and not very well understood issue.

If your Leopard tortoise is of good weight you could drop the temperatures to where it's metabolism will slow down. It will be less active and require less energy. The cooler it is the slower the metabolism and the less energy/food/fat required. This is what many tortoise keepers call hibernation. There is a limit as to what is too cool... freezing. In tortoises and most reptiles freezing will lead to cell damage and death. Another important factor with leopards and similar animals is that it has to be low ambient humidity to avoid respiratory problems.

I don't recommend this at this point of your learning in how to care for a Leopard but it is something you do need to know.

You are not worried about worms... protozoa is the greatest suspect for the condition you describe PROVIDED your temperature gradient is good. Might I suggest raising the temperatures in the lower and the upper ends first and see what happens? If you don't see a result with a change in the temperatures I'd suggest a full regime of metronidozole.

Originally Posted by alice

okay ed, thankyou. i need to find a good vet as i took bobby to a vet before and the vet asked what type of tortoise i had... i said leopard tortoise, and then he asked me why wasnt he hibernating yet , for me to tell him they dont hibernate...

o well il go and get him checked out. what do i ask the vet also, (just to make sure i get excatly what i go there for)
is it worms??