Is Your Med Tort Slowing Down?

[Bindi]

There can be many reasons for this, especially when Autumn is getting close, but it can happen at any time of the year.



For those of you whoe torts don't seem to want to get out of bed in the morning, here is a basic check list for you to see what might be going on.



Temperatures:

Temps that are too high or too low during the daytime and and night can have a huge bearing on a tortoise. A few degrees can make alot of difference.


A guideline to temperatures:

Under basking: 32-35 degrees C
Cool end: 20-25 degrees C
Ambient room temperature: 20-25 degrees C
Night time temps: 18-20 degrees C


Although Med torts can take temperatures as low as 10 degrees at night, it will take them longer to wake in the morning and to get their core temperature up.



How light is your table?

Is your table nice an bright and well lit?



Is your tort new?

He could just be setting in. Tortoises hate change and can take weeks, sometimes months to settle.



Have you had your tort tested for worms?

A high worm burden and or protozoa can make your tort lethargic and listless and should be checked for parasites.



Is he being bullied?

If torty is in with another tortoise/tortoises he may be getting stressed or bullied. Stress in tortoises can lead to illness. Try separating for a time to see if things improve



Is he Ill?

If you have looked at all these things and you decide that you have checked all the boxes, it may well be time to take him to a vet. Tortoises can mask illness for a long time and if you have any doubts at all then you should take him to an experienced specialist vet to be checked over

[crazyhorses]

My Hermann is slowing down! Not hibernating him as concerned weight not up enough!
He has a large 6 by 4 insulated greenhouse with basking light uv strip. Much larger than the t table he was used to last year. But dont see him up and about much. When i bath and weigh him he has a good feed then burys himself again. Have heater to take edge off at night. keeps it at about 60f is this too cold? Also have had trouble regulating day time temp if too hot will this stop him coming out? He has plenty of cool space though!
not eating as much as i would like. He is 145 long and weight hangs around 585g.
Any suggestions anyone. ? xx

[BirdieF18]

Thanks for this my tort is slowing down quite a bit and i now think its just because she is trying to settle in.

[egyptiandan64]

Two things to add to Bindi's list

Length of time lights are on: Your lights should be on 12 to 14 hours a day, with 14 hours being better than 12 hours.

To much vitamin D3: To much of this vitamin stored in the body will cause a tortoise to slow down and want to hide all the time. If all other conditions are good, this could be the problem. A blood test at the vet's would determine this for sure.

Crazyhorses your Hermanns weight is very good, so no problems there. Do you have your lights on for 12 to 14 hours a day? Temperatures at night that don't make a tortoise want to slow down are different for each individual animal. For your male 16C might be to low at night. He may want no less than 20C to be active during the day. So if all other factors are good than upping the night time temperatures may do the trick for your male.

Danny