Is it normal for a new tortoise not to eat?
Also known as ‘Anorexia’ a tortoise not eating is potentially serious. Emerging from hibernation and dehydration: When a tortoise first emerges from hibernation it may well show little interest in food for the first few days, until it has had a drink and is fully rehydrated again.
Why does my tortoise not want to eat?
Tortoises won’t eat if they can’t warm their bodies up past 80F degrees. Are you using a light that gives off UVB? The UV rays from the sun don’t go through glass, so while it’s nice for the tortoise to get the sun through the window, it really isn’t offering the tortoise anything other than light and warmth.
Is it safe to feed a tortoise cuttlebone?
Some people scrape a cuttlebone over tortoise’s food. The things in this list are NOT food for a tortoise. Do NOT feed these to your tortoise. And be sure your tortoise can’t just find them and eat them on his or her own. These are dangerous! Here is a list of many poisonous plants. Be sure your tortoise can’t get any of these.
Are there any reasons not to buy a pet tortoise?
A medium-sized tortoise such as a South American Yellow or a Red Foot requires serious square footage. It can be expensive to provide that in tank form, but don’t think this means they can freely roam your house. Read the next reason to find out why! 2. You Can’t Maintain the Correct Temperature Consistently
What kind of food can a red foot tortoise eat?
People get alarmed when things like dog food are provided as tortoise food, and rightly so. However, again for red foot tortoises a small amount of dog food can provide the protein they require. Citrus fruits are a definite no no, and that goes for all tortoises.
Tortoises won’t eat if they can’t warm their bodies up past 80F degrees. Are you using a light that gives off UVB? The UV rays from the sun don’t go through glass, so while it’s nice for the tortoise to get the sun through the window, it really isn’t offering the tortoise anything other than light and warmth.
When do tortoises Won’t Feed Andy Highfield?
When tortoises won’t feed Andy C. Highfield Animals which refuse to feed are a common complaint of reptile keepers.
When do tortoises start to eat again after hibernation?
While you do want your tortoise to eat as soon as possible after a hibernation don’t be surprised if they don’t show interest in food for two or three days. Ensure that your tortoise has access to plenty of water when they first wakes from his hibernation. Once they are fully hydrated, they should show interest in food again.
What kind of food can I Feed my tortoise?
Mazuri Tortoise Diet and ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food are both good choices. Just soak the pellets in warm water for a few minutes before feeding. You can mix them with the plants you offer him, too. If your guy is used to whole plants, it might take him a while to learn how to eat these, but most do eventually learn.
How long can a hatchling tortoise go without eating?
Tortoises younger than 6 months old will be growing quickly, so they will need a lot of food. That said, hatchlings and juveniles can only survive for a few weeks to just one month without food.
How do I get my tortoise to eat new food?
The smell of a cucumber is often enough to tempt even the most stubborn of tortoises. Juices from a cucumber smeared over the new food or the thinnest of slithers mixed in can encourage many tortoises to eat the new food.
Can you overfeed a tortoise?
AVOID over-feeding your tortoise. Overfeeding is the single biggest mistake that most tortoise keepers make. Reptiles have slower metabolisms than mammals like dogs and cats, so they really do not need to take in as much food as you might think.
What do I do if my tortoise is hibernating?
Once the hibernation period is over, regardless of what method you chose, your tortoise will eventually have to wake up. To do this, all you need to do is gently soak your tortoise in lukewarm water and gradually warm them up. Never take a tortoise out of hibernation and put them right under a heat lamp.
Can a tortoise get off its back?
Depending on the precise circumstances of the situation, tortoises are often able to right themselves (flip back the right way up), so it isn’t always bad news. Evolution has kept tortoises from extinction for this long, so they must have developed at least some features to prevent flipping over from being fatal.
