A little worried about Vince...

[ChristyJade]

Hi

I'm a bit worried about Vince, he isn't eating, for a few days I thought it was okay, cause he sometimes wont eat for a couple of days, then will scoff everything and be back to normal! But he still isn't eating (It's been about 5 or so days now) We have given him loads of variety, including his favourite, dandelion flowers! But he will just have a teeny nibble then not eat anything else.

This morning when I went in to check if he has eaten, there was a pile of white sludge next to his food, looks like urate, but really thick and loads of it! It's just worried me a bit as I don't know what it is!!

The temp seem to be fine, staying at about 27 in the basking area...Any ideas out there?

[TortBabe]

I'm not an expert, but I think 27 seems a little low...try upping the temps to around 32oc, it may make an difference.

[yuna1971]

I agree with Tortbabe. IMO, that is too cold for the basking spot. I think you need to be aiming for about 32-34degrees now with the weather being cold out. I think he knows its a bit cold and is reacting to this. I gather the enclosure itself is well lit? - I am thinking dark mornings now, rubbish light quality in the day (when its not sunshine), and darker afternoons/evenings to follow soon. I think also to aim for a good warm ambient room temp too, so you might need to tweak you CH. I presume you are keeping him up (Overwintered) this year...or do you intend to hibernate him? xx

[ChristyJade]

Originally Posted by TortBabe

I'm not an expert, but I think 27 seems a little low...try upping the temps to around 32oc, it may make an difference.

Hiya TortBabe, Thank you I just checked temps properly, at his basking spot it is about 32.5. I keep the thermometer just outside the basking spot, in the air, but at tortoise level under his lamp its 30+. I should keep it there really... oops

[ChristyJade]

Originally Posted by yuna1971

I agree with Tortbabe. IMO, that is too cold for the basking spot. I think you need to be aiming for about 32-34degrees now with the weather being cold out. I think he knows its a bit cold and is reacting to this. I gather the enclosure itself is well lit? - I am thinking dark mornings now, rubbish light quality in the day (when its not sunshine), and darker afternoons/evenings to follow soon. I think also to aim for a good warm ambient room temp too, so you might need to tweak you CH. I presume you are keeping him up (Overwintered) this year...or do you intend to hibernate him? xx

Hiya Rach! I am keeping him up yes, I am about to move to Birmingham in 3 weeks and so would rather not have the worry of hibernating at the same time! I plan to next year though

Just checked the basking spot and it is actually much warmer than I thought (32.5) I obv haven't been keeping the thermometer in the right spot! (Durrr!)

[yuna1971]

Whats your room temperature like....and your lighting? Does the enclosure look a bit dark???
Keep him bathed daily with a nice warm bath, I find it easier to bathe Lily when he is on the cool side, before he has basked. I do this every evening/sometimes every other evening. You might find the warm baths kick start his appetite. Have noticed this with Lily too.
Hopefully someone will advise about the urates, so long as they are 'toothpastey-creamy' then its probably no real worry but just see if anyone comes back with a firm answer, maybe Danny would know. If they get gritty, then he is a bit dehydrated - just so you know what consistency you are watching for in the urates. xx

[ChristyJade]

The room temperature is 15 (cold house! still no heating on) but at the opposite end of the enclosure to his lamp its 20, and then about 32-33 under the lamp.His home has an over hanging top, so its open in the middle and around the edges there is a slight over hang, which I have found is keeping the warmth in enough over winter. The whole enclosure is lit up, there isn't really anywhere that is dark....

Maybe it is getting too cold at night? As I am still having trouble keeping the warmth in (I cover the table up at night) it still drops to about 11 at night. Would this cause him to stop eating??

I was talking with my mum about the urates, and we were thinking because he hasn't actually released any in such a long time, there might be so much because last time I remember seeing any he was a lot smaller, and I am just not used to seeing so much! It did look like toothpaste!

[STEWIE]

I dont know anhything bout ur tortoise age etc but from uve described to me it sounds loike he`s trying to wind down. Maybe a bit dehydrated aswell, if i were u id give some romaine to make sure and if your overwintering him rather than hibernating him then just let him have lazy days. Ive got a tort who hasnt ate in months and months and months. Every year i panic but she never losses any weight and i know shes ok so i just let her have days of sleeping and not eating because every december she suddenly just decides to eat again.
If you`ve had him along time and you know hes healthy and your not hibernating him then just keep him hydrated keep his lights normal and allow him to slow down a bit.
Ive just bought new lamps but im letting my torts cool and slow to not eating because im not hibernating then in a month or 2 ill put in their new lamps.
I do it every year. x

[shellonia]

Maybe you could get a low wattage ceramic heater to put somewhere near his home or over it.I use a 60watt one with my hatchlings and they are much more lively in the mornings since I started.