not eaten unaided for 2 years,help

[Nefertari]

Thanks again, I will leave light on longer now and I will get back to you with temps, cant put her back in viv as I never got it when I got her.

[Herpard]

That could be the problem, her lights need to be on atleast 12 hours a day not 6 as she will constantly think it's winter time.

[Nefertari]

Her light is on for 12 hours now but I wonder why if this is the case that she does not eat in the summer, she is out early every day when the weather is fine, I dont bring her in at nights if the weather is really nice, I bed them down for the night in thier secure houses. Not sure what do do with her, bless her, I want her to have a quality of life like the other two.

[Nefertari]

Husband is going to get thermometers out of garage tommorrow, been to dark to find them, I have a set of photos of her taken at the end of the summer, try as I might I cant find a way to upload them, can anyone guide me through it please, just as a point yesterday she was sniffing the food I put in front of her, she then walked away but I have never noticed this before maybe because I have put her table up at waist height so I can interact with her more

[egyptiandan64]

Here's how to post pictures http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=29355

How long is she http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ead.php?t=6550 and how much does she weigh?

Danny

[pagan queen]

My torts don't eat as much in the summer/garden as they do in the winter. I say summer/garden as if the weather is not good and they stay inside they eat well or if they have a good warm up before they go out they will eat. The summer in this country rarely reaches the temps they have where they come from or those we can provide with lights. My torts would eat a lot more in the winter than in the summer if I didn't warm them up artificially. We do get the odd day when the temps reach a good level but it's not often.

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Nefertari

Amelia if a spur thigh,, rescued from a life in a vivarium, she was put into hibernation over a very bad winter, I rescued her and she was very confused when I put her in the garden but I was not worried as I have 2 other rescue boys that were the same and over time they have grown to love the freedom and are very healthy but she wont eat unless I physically push it in her mouth. one vet just wanted to give her vitamin injections but she is weed fed with nutrabol ssupplements and has regular warm baths so I said no to that, took her to specilist vet who said it is almost definitely her liver, she now has a drop of milk thistle every day as well. I have been hand feeding her for 2 years now, I have to take her on holiday with me as well. she is in a tortoise table but does not move around much, she does if put her in the garden but that is just to hide, I have moved her to another garden away from the boys, no good, I have starved her for 2 weeks, no good, I am at my wits end, I adore her to bits but I want to go abroad this year but am so worried about leaving her, has anyone got any ideas, I am at the end of my tether.

Try putting the lights on early in the morning, as its lighter then than late afternoon.
My tortoises lights are on from 7clock in the morning (on a timer) and my tortoises are up and about by 7-30, they switch off at around 4-30 as then its starting to get dark (days are now getting longer, so I ajust the turning off time ) you will see mine taking themselves off to bed.
From what you say, your tortoise seems to be perfectly normal in behaviour for this time of the year.
How long have you left your tortoise before hand feeding her?
How long have you left her in the garden for?
As its normal for some tortoises to hide away, until they feel happy enough to roam around. Each tortoise is different.
Two weeks without food is more of a problem to you than the tortoise:0)
They can go weeks without food, but not water, which you say is fine as you are bathing her.
There are a few keepers in your area who might well be able to help, if you go away. Or do you have neighbours who will help with your training. I have two neighbours who will look after my tortoises when I go to visit my daughter in France, which is really useful.

[-Amber-]

Awww bless her! My brother lives in Mildenhall, it's about 40 mins from us! I think it would definitely help to use a thermometer, and let us know the temps at the warm end and cool end.

[Nefertari]

Ok, in answer to all questions, she is 81/2 inches from front of shell to back, she weighs 900grams, she only weighed 700 whan I adopted her. she is in a tort table and her temps are30/34 degrres under light. 27/28 at cooler end and 21 degrees in her bedroom. she has a UV heat lamp 75w which I have recently changed as I felt she was to hot under the other one.

I put her light on at around 9am now, there is not point in putting it on a timer as she will not come out of her bedroom unless I get her up. she sometimes goes to bed on her own but mostly I have to put her away at night, the bungalow is new and very warm so she has no heat at night, she goes in the garden as soon as weather ok but she just does not/will not eat on her own. she has a little roam but on the whole she just sits in one spot either asleep or gazing around. I will uplead photos of her on Monday

thanks again everyone

[egyptiandan64]

I'm kind of hoping you didn't measure right

At that measurement (216mm) she should be 2,172g. 900g is extremely underweight for a tortoise of her size.

The only thing I can say is get to a vet asap and have a feeding tube installed (it will go into her stomach via a small hole in her neck, this way she can still eat if she feels like it). This way you can feed her the food she desperately needs without stressing her very much.

Danny