Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a redfoot 3 days ago, about 4 inchs long.
Temp high end 90, low end 80, humdity holds at 60%. UV light, Heat light, under tank heater, all hooked up. Bark much type of bedding.
He is currently in a 40 gallon Long tank with food and water.
eyes clear, no drainage.
He is very lathargic moving if picked up but not really on his own. He has not eaten for 3 days- I have tried butter lettce, clover, apples, peaches- nothing. He looks healthy just not eating. He stays in cover and buries himself in the mulch and stays there, sleeping all day and night.

Any ideas? Please help.

Thanks in advance,
James

If your redfoot was shipped he might be dehydrated. Give him regular baths in lukewarm water maybe once or better twice a day to start with.
He might have parasites,- so bring a sample to the vet if your tortoise produces one.
He also might still be shocked from the shipping, so make sure he has a nice hiding place, where he can feel secure (half flower pot or any other type of hide) and keep trying to feed him (put him right in front of the food and chop it up, so it it easy to eat). Dandelion, endive and escarole and a ripe mango are good choices, but to trigger feeding you might want to try even foods that should only be fed on occasion, but are usually taken very eagerly. These would be banana, strawberries or a protein food like rehydrated low-fat cat food or Mazuri.
Have him vet checked, even if you can't get a sample, if things don't change quickly.
B.t.w. you might want to rely on heat from top only as opposed to an undertank heating. It is generally considered more natural for a tortoise.

Good luck,
Gaby

Once he settles in, he'll start eating. I got a hatchling a couple of months ago that didn't eat for a couple of days. When I contacted the breeder & told her about it she said if it wasn't dead, not to worry, it WILL eat after settling in to its new environment. That afternoon it devoured 3 or 4 endive leaves & hasn't stopped eating since.
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