Is my horsfield okay?

[emskyxx]

Hi there.

I'm new to this forum, so please bear with me.

In July I bought a horsfield tortoise (around 18 months old), I bought her with a viv and kept her in that for a while. Having had a look around on the internet I realised a tortoise table would be more appropriate so she is now on one with top soil/sand.

The last few days she's been very quiet. I know at this time of year they normally go into hibernation but as I only got her in July I didn't feel confident enough to do it this year. The last few days she's been sleeping a lot. She hasn't eaten much and doesn't seem to have gone to the toilet. The last couple of times I bathed her, she drank but she didn't poo which she doesn't seem to have done on her table (its hard to tell though because she's now on soil)

She hasn't even been to sit under her lamp the past few days, I did put her under the lamp and she just fell asleep under it. I'm worried I've done something wrong or something is the matter with her.

Please help thank you

[ziggy's owner]

What's your set up like, it could be not enough light?
What are your temps like hot cold room?
What lights are you using?

[purplelynn]

What are your night time temps - that was the key with my horsfield two winters ago. I let the nights get a bit chilly and tort get very sluggish and needed a vet visit and some reptoboost

[emskyxx]

Originally Posted by ziggy's owner

What's your set up like, it could be not enough light?
What are your temps like hot cold room?
What lights are you using?

Hi, she is on a table with top soil and sand, she has a 100w heat bulb and a UV bulb. The light is at one end of the table and she seems to be staying at the other end the past few days. The temperature in the day under the heat source is about 28c, it falls to about 20c at night.

[emskyxx]

Originally Posted by purplelynn

What are your night time temps - that was the key with my horsfield two winters ago. I let the nights get a bit chilly and tort get very sluggish and needed a vet visit and some reptoboost

The night time temperature drops to about 20c. Do you think I'm going to have to take her to the vet? Apart from the sleeping alot and not eating much, nothing else has changed that I have noticed in her.

[egyptiandan64]

20C at night should be fine. Under the basking light could be higher, like 32 to 34C. How long are your lights on for?

Danny

[Horace2]

Originally Posted by emskyxx

Hi there.

I'm new to this forum, so please bear with me.

In July I bought a horsfield tortoise (around 18 months old), I bought her with a viv and kept her in that for a while. Having had a look around on the internet I realised a tortoise table would be more appropriate so she is now on one with top soil/sand.

The last few days she's been very quiet. I know at this time of year they normally go into hibernation but as I only got her in July I didn't feel confident enough to do it this year. The last few days she's been sleeping a lot. She hasn't eaten much and doesn't seem to have gone to the toilet. The last couple of times I bathed her, she drank but she didn't poo which she doesn't seem to have done on her table (its hard to tell though because she's now on soil)

She hasn't even been to sit under her lamp the past few days, I did put her under the lamp and she just fell asleep under it. I'm worried I've done something wrong or something is the matter with her.

Please help thank you

I understand your worry, my "sod" Horace was just like your tort, now Horace is more active then he was in the summer. He is getting on my nerves
You seem to be doing everything right so my advice is Don't worry like I did.
PS YOU DON'T NEED to Hibernate

[nooddle]

Yep I had this problem with my horsfield too when it first started getting colder here. I adjusted the lights to make it a little brighter and warmer and she came round eventually. Now she is the most active I have ever seen her and eats like a pig. My advice would be to adjust lighting and heat sources until you get the temp up a bit. Also keep bathing and try feeding after a soak in a warm bath, I found with mine she was more likely to eat a little then.