Shelled Warriors Forums
 

Go Back   Shelled Warriors Forums > Tortoise Information > Mediterranean Tortoises - Information & Questions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-10-2015, 12:36 AM   #1
carryonsue
Junior Member
Egg
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 22
Default Not eating

Hi,
My horsfield pebbles has not been eating for about a week and a half , he`s never been a big eater anyway he weights 400g is 3 years old is 127mm long, I bathe him every other day so he`s does not get dehydrated he`s been very active and bright eyed, I`m a little worried is this just getting ready for hibernation or is a trip to the vet advisable, I purchased a worm count kit but not had any poops to send off to see if worms is the problem? any advice gladly received thanks Susan.
carryonsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-10-2015, 01:43 PM   #2
Ozric Jonathan
Senior Member
Adult
 
Ozric Jonathan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West of Scotland
Posts: 4,226
Default

Hi Susan. Can you advise us if Pebbles is indoors with artificial heat and light or is he outside? Many of us find that tortoises eat less at this time of year but not eating at all does sound worrying if he's being kept under summer conditions.

Worms mostly don't cause a lack of appetite and as Pebbles has been active and bright-eyed I think worms are probably not the explanation.
__________________
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises
Ozric Jonathan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2015, 12:39 PM   #3
carryonsue
Junior Member
Egg
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 22
Default not eating

Hi,
Thanks for reply Pebbles has had a new bigger tortoise table as his other one was too small and he was climbing the walls trying to get out bless him, He has a UV and heat lamp temps are 30/31, when the weathers been nice he goes outside in his outdoor enclosure,He sleeps well but when he`s awake he is stomping round like normal his eyes are bright and he has lots of baths, last year I hibernated him for the first time and all was Ok but now i`m worried if he is not eating now how will he be for hibernation this year.
Thanks Susan.
carryonsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2015, 07:44 PM   #4
sandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 12,144
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by carryonsue View Post
Hi,
Thanks for reply Pebbles has had a new bigger tortoise table as his other one was too small and he was climbing the walls trying to get out bless him, He has a UV and heat lamp temps are 30/31, when the weathers been nice he goes outside in his outdoor enclosure,He sleeps well but when he`s awake he is stomping round like normal his eyes are bright and he has lots of baths, last year I hibernated him for the first time and all was Ok but now i`m worried if he is not eating now how will he be for hibernation this year.
Thanks Susan.
If you hibernated him last year, then he will know its nearly time to hibernate. This is by the length of the day, they just know. So he might well have started the wind down his self, by eating less. Especially if he has acted normally through out the Summer months.
Most of my tortoises are well and truely ready for hibernation. They slowed down at the beginning of September. By eating far less and not coming out of their GH.
__________________
< > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles
\0/
/_\

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends
sandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 01:51 PM   #5
Ozric Jonathan
Senior Member
Adult
 
Ozric Jonathan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West of Scotland
Posts: 4,226
Default

I'm glad Sandy came in there since I've never kept a Horsfield!

If the tort has stopped eating by itslef I think it would make sense for Sue to take the weight weekly and keep a note of it.

If Sue decides to let the tortoise continue in this way she would be well advised to reduce the heat and daylength over time during the wind down.
__________________
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises
Ozric Jonathan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 05:18 PM   #6
CherryBrandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
CherryBrandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
Default

susan, Horsfields are brilliant for 'just do it'. They should have the Nike tick on their shells. If he has been a mixture of out and in, I agree with Sandy, their senses kick in and they just know. My outdoor lot stopped eating September and all my Horsfields are more or less buried. I get calls saying Tortoise Societies are saying its too early keep them up for a while , but nature can and will take its course - if that's your decision to hibernate so if that is the case I would follow Pebbles lead if you can. (not you hibernate I mean pebbles - though it is tempting sometimes I admit) rule of thumb for me is 1 month stop eating 1 month for purge (must be warmish at times but not warm enough massively active), lock down first week of November. so 1+1 - 11th Month!!
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata
CherryBrandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 05:37 PM   #7
sandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 12,144
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CherryBrandy View Post
susan, Horsfields are brilliant for 'just do it'. They should have the Nike tick on their shells. If he has been a mixture of out and in, I agree with Sandy, their senses kick in and they just know. My outdoor lot stopped eating September and all my Horsfields are more or less buried. I get calls saying Tortoise Societies are saying its too early keep them up for a while , but nature can and will take its course - if that's your decision to hibernate so if that is the case I would follow Pebbles lead if you can. (not you hibernate I mean pebbles - though it is tempting sometimes I admit) rule of thumb for me is 1 month stop eating 1 month for purge (must be warmish at times but not warm enough massively active), lock down first week of November. so 1+1 - 11th Month!!
None of us have to worry to much if this year they have a longer hibernation, as long as it does not happen every year. This is the first time in 20yr my tortoises have gone down this early. I have one down and four on their way. We had a rubbish August, and I think the torts though it was the Autumn.
I am not worrying this year if they have four months hibernation. It must happen in the wild. No two years are the same, this year has been particularly bad weather wise for tortoises:0)
__________________
< > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles
\0/
/_\

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends
sandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 05:43 PM   #8
CherryBrandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
CherryBrandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
Default

it has been horrid hasn't it. The only two up are the usual suspects, sat in the rain and still eating, though not much. One of my Spur does go down early Sept time every single year and last up usually. I don't worry unless it is out of the norm. I must admit a few stopped end of August with the downpours and even though I tried to tempt them with food they weren't having any of it. You can take a horse to water....! so I trust in them, always. CB
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata
CherryBrandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 07:49 PM   #9
carryonsue
Junior Member
Egg
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 22
Default not eating

Hi
Thanks for all the replies you have all made me feel so much better, last year pebbles stopped eating around 11th October 4 weeks no food lots of baths then reduced light temps 4 weeks, Hibernated beginning December and woke up 31st January so it was only about 8 weeks, so that was why I was worried it was 3 weeks earlier,so obviously he will go down earlier this time and hibernate longer, it was my first hibernation and was so worried and I still will be this year I love my little Pebbles sooo much lol like we all do thanks for all your help and great advice everyone,
Susan and Pebbles.
carryonsue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2015, 12:53 PM   #10
CherryBrandy
Senior Member
Adult
 
CherryBrandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
Default

indeedy Susan ! yes just keep a check if you have concerns, I would also try and weigh him periodically if can do so with minimal disturbance, this will give you some comfort I think and he may not go down longer ! I like rule of thumb !! soooo if temps in spring or before creep to 12'c for 3 days or longer then time to consider getting him up....just a rule of thumb , nothing concrete. But a reaction in chemicals and (free radicals?!) in the body start responding to warmth and nothing can stop that reaction when it starts. They then need to purge toxins built up over the months...hence sometimes the baths etc, though I have never bathed my naturally hibernated outdoors torts as I think the process takes a natural route. CB
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata
CherryBrandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:47 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.