Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a younger desert tortoise that seems to be ill....she just lays around all day and doesnt eat. She also seems to just sit with her eyes closed all the time. Ive tried to feed her a puree of Spinach just to get some food in her but ive had no success. Im really starting to worry about her starving. She doesnt seem to have any sort of running nose and her size and weight seem about the same as before this behavior, but shes definitely less lively.

I also have a fully grown Desert tortoise in the same habitat that seems to be doing just fine.

Does anyone have any tips or hints as to what I should do? short of taking her to a Vet?

Thanks for your time.

A lot we don't know about your husbandry. I would be absolutely sure this little tortoise is hydrated, and if you are keeping it in the same pen as a large adult, that might be problematic. Hatchlings in the wild spend time in burrows and relatively humid conditions (not wet!), are you providing for that? Does it have access to a warm basking area? Natural sun light? Is the former diet adequate, not primarily spinach? You might try daily soaking, carefully monitored basking in the sun, and offer it some favorite foods, i.e. yellow dandelion flowers, maybe some grated yellow squash (not as a staple, just to stimulate it) Desert tortoises can be real fun and hardy animals, but they must have basic needs met or problems are likely. I hope you can get it going again. Big tortoises are pretty oblivious and occassionally antagonistic to juveniles, hence my reluctance to keep them together. You may want to check with California Turtle and tortoise club, and/or San Diego Turtle & tortoise Society, they have some real desert tortoise enthusiasts who may give you guidance? Good luck, Vic