Not eating

LUVLEE · 20-01-2012, 11:40 AM

Saffron is being a real pain with her diet at present. She will only eat the komodo complete fruit and flower pellets and if offered anything else refuses to eat it. Seeing as i only want to give her these no more than twice weekly its a nightmare.
All she wants to do is sleep in her hide.
She is now eighteen months old and i have had her only since April so was trying to over winter her.
What can I do ?
or do you think shes trying to hibernate?
My other tortoise Nutmeg is eating everything and very active even though she is only 6 months old.
Any suggestions please

pagan queen · 20-01-2012, 12:07 PM

I wouldn't worry, she's just slowed down for the winter. My 16 month old is the same right now. She isn't waking up unless I get her up, and she's not eating as much as before. Just give her a warm bath everyday and offer her food. She will come out of it soon. My adult slowed down in November and is now back to himself. Cameo has taken his place and dong what he did but just a bit later. Last year when she was only 3/4 months old she didn't slow down at all. Cameo is the opposite to yours though, she wont eat pellets but will eat weeds which are not easy to find right now. Oh and weigh her now and then to see if she is losing weight, she may lose some but as long as it's not vast amounts she will be fine.

JoesMum · 20-01-2012, 12:38 PM

Joe is much the same at the moment. He eats well straight after his bath, but can't be bothered to do much else. That said, I've just checked on him and he's currently attempting escape... for the first time in a couple of weeks!

Tortoises are experts at being picky eaters. They will eat if they're hungry. So if you want to wean her off pellets, don't feed them and just feed the green leafy stuff. A healthy tortoise can survive 3 weeks easily without eating (soak daily to ensure hydration). Think picky child, grit your teeth and stand firm... you're in charge!

LUVLEE · 20-01-2012, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stells

If the temps are right... and good light levels the tortoise should stay awake... and wouldn't know to hibernate...

What are your temps like... including night time temps?

Under basking lamp 35c cool end 22c. At night around 17c
Lights are on 12hrs 7am while 7pm

LUVLEE · 20-01-2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagan queen

I wouldn't worry, she's just slowed down for the winter. My 16 month old is the same right now. She isn't waking up unless I get her up, and she's not eating as much as before. Just give her a warm bath everyday and offer her food. She will come out of it soon. My adult slowed down in November and is now back to himself. Cameo has taken his place and dong what he did but just a bit later. Last year when she was only 3/4 months old she didn't slow down at all. Cameo is the opposite to yours though, she wont eat pellets but will eat weeds which are not easy to find right now. Oh and weigh her now and then to see if she is losing weight, she may lose some but as long as it's not vast amounts she will be fine.

I've just weighed her and i'm pleased to say she is still gaining weight she is now 67g which surprised me as the only food i've seen her take is the pellets on the occasional days ive offered them. On saying that this morning was one of those feeds.

**16 shells** · 20-01-2012, 02:30 PM

It's a common post along with, my Tort will only eat Dandelion and Strawberries. If your happy with feeding one of the comercial diet's, once accepted these could be withdrawed for a while and other fresh food's offered/fed, to be able to feed both diet's in a weekly diet throughout the year is a doddle. Can take a bit of toughness, but an eye on weight,s/lengh

.

gwenq · 20-01-2012, 05:00 PM

Has she been wormed? This can affect their eating. If she hasn't been wormed put her in a shallow bath under the spotlight for 15-20 minutes. This encourages her to expel. Check the water for worms, you might need a magnifying glass as they can be tiny. This was a trick told to me by TLady years ago, it worked a treat for my tort. He expelled hundreds of tiny worms I could only see with a magnifying glass.

If she has been wormed I will tell you another way to change her eating habit, also told to me by TLady years ago when my tort would only eat fruit and nothing else.

Let me know how you get on.

Gwen

20-01-2012, 11:40 AM	#1
LUVLEE Member Incubating Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sheffield Posts: 210	Not eating Saffron is being a real pain with her diet at present. She will only eat the komodo complete fruit and flower pellets and if offered anything else refuses to eat it. Seeing as i only want to give her these no more than twice weekly its a nightmare. All she wants to do is sleep in her hide. She is now eighteen months old and i have had her only since April so was trying to over winter her. What can I do ? or do you think shes trying to hibernate? My other tortoise Nutmeg is eating everything and very active even though she is only 6 months old. Any suggestions please __________________ Julie 1 Husband 2.0.0 children 1.1.0 Grandchildren 1.1.0THB (Saffron and Nutmeg) 2.0.0 Guinea pigs (Buddy and Beau) [URL=http://s1083.photobucket.com/albums/j400/LUVLEEJU/?action=view&current=DSCF0137.jpg][IMG]http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j400/LUVLEEJU

20-01-2012, 12:07 PM	#2
pagan queen Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 6,073	I wouldn't worry, she's just slowed down for the winter. My 16 month old is the same right now. She isn't waking up unless I get her up, and she's not eating as much as before. Just give her a warm bath everyday and offer her food. She will come out of it soon. My adult slowed down in November and is now back to himself. Cameo has taken his place and dong what he did but just a bit later. Last year when she was only 3/4 months old she didn't slow down at all. Cameo is the opposite to yours though, she wont eat pellets but will eat weeds which are not easy to find right now. Oh and weigh her now and then to see if she is losing weight, she may lose some but as long as it's not vast amounts she will be fine. __________________ 1.0.1 TG Ibera 1.0.0 Chinese Frise dog 0.1.0 African Grey Parrot 0.1.0 Hahns Macaw 0.1.0 Pearly Conure 0.2.0 Guinea Pigs 0.2.0 Chickens 1.0.0 Bearded Dragon 7.4.0 Budgies 1.1.0 Cockatiels 1.3 Kids 1 Husband

20-01-2012, 12:38 PM	#3
JoesMum Member Hatchling Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Kent Posts: 717	Joe is much the same at the moment. He eats well straight after his bath, but can't be bothered to do much else. That said, I've just checked on him and he's currently attempting escape... for the first time in a couple of weeks! Tortoises are experts at being picky eaters. They will eat if they're hungry. So if you want to wean her off pellets, don't feed them and just feed the green leafy stuff. A healthy tortoise can survive 3 weeks easily without eating (soak daily to ensure hydration). Think picky child, grit your teeth and stand firm... you're in charge! __________________ 1.0.0 Testudo Graeca Graeca (Mediterranean Spur Thigh) raised from very small and approximately 50 years old.

20-01-2012, 02:30 PM	#6
16 shells Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hull Posts: 7,286	It's a common post along with, my Tort will only eat Dandelion and Strawberries. If your happy with feeding one of the comercial diet's, once accepted these could be withdrawed for a while and other fresh food's offered/fed, to be able to feed both diet's in a weekly diet throughout the year is a doddle. Can take a bit of toughness, but an eye on weight,s/lengh . __________________ Paul.

20-01-2012, 05:00 PM	#7
gwenq Member Hatchling Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 507	Has she been wormed? This can affect their eating. If she hasn't been wormed put her in a shallow bath under the spotlight for 15-20 minutes. This encourages her to expel. Check the water for worms, you might need a magnifying glass as they can be tiny. This was a trick told to me by TLady years ago, it worked a treat for my tort. He expelled hundreds of tiny worms I could only see with a magnifying glass. If she has been wormed I will tell you another way to change her eating habit, also told to me by TLady years ago when my tort would only eat fruit and nothing else. Let me know how you get on. Gwen

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