My New Russian Tortoise Hasn't Eaten Since I Got It 6 Days Ago. What Should I Do?

Answer 1

Tortoises can go longer without eating, and it is more common when they go through a major change. Six days is a little long though. You need to make sure everything about his environment is okay. If there is something upsetting him, he may just not eat.

Firstly, he needs to be warm. The cage needs to be 10 times turtles size in length, and five times his size in width. It should have a basking area with a heat lamp, and it should be about 90º (use a thermometer in his cage). The other end of the cage should be in the 70ºs. This is a major important factor. He needs to be able to regulate his body heat.

He needs to have a couple of hours outside each day in the sunlight. Sunlight is also a very important thing for turtles and tortoises. He needs to be either directly supervised or in an outdoor habitat. Otherwise, he can escape or a predator can take him.

Be sure he is living somewhere that is not overly loud of trafficked. If he is one of the busiest parts of the house, it may stress him. As he gets used to his new home, he will probably get used to a little more noise. For now though, he needs some time to adjust.

Try giving him some leafy greens, like spinach or kale. He is going to prefer fresh food, and will eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. He also needs a shallow dish of water that is cleaned every day.

If everything seems right, and he still isn't wanting to eat in a day or two, he probably needs to go visit the vet.