Reptile & Amphibian Forums

All of my babies are out (for the past month or so) and I've finished the enclosure renovation/enlargement. Some are more active than others, but guess that's normal? Now that they have so much more space to roam (and hide), it's not been as easy as in the past to monitor their eating. Seems like food is going untouched, though have witnessed some eating going on. I'm used to hungry little critters in the spring, so I'm a little concerned. Wondering if, with all the extra space, they might be feeding more on worms, bugs & plants than on the food I put out for them? That's something I wouldn't be able to monitor short of finding eaten plants (which I'm not). I'm going to get them all in soon for their "exams" and weights. So far, though, they all look healthy, post brumation.

My experience has been that early on they're not all that interested in food. They might eat very small amounts but thats about it. I seems like it's not until the night time temps are about 50 degrees and above that they start to develop a good appetite. I wouldn't concern yourself to much yet.
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Thanks! Our temps. here have already been in the 70's-80's (daytime) and I guess 60's low at night [except for the past few days where it's been unseasonably cool].

I guess the only reason I'm really concerned is that I just enlarged (by maybe, 4 times) their enclosure which means I can't monitor them as easily as I could when they were in the smaller space. They have free-growing munchies all throughout their new space, plus I'm seeding it with worms, pill bugs, and grubs, so there's plenty there for them. It's just the "Mom" in me that recalls/misses the feeding sessions where they all gathered 'round the food dish as soon as I'd put food out. For now I've picked one spot as the feeding area and whenever I put food out (every 2 days), I'll gather up whoever I can find and show them the food just so they'll get used to that location.

I have them inside right now: it's the first-of-the-season soaking & exam session! Haven't weighed them yet, but they all look healthy and are active. They've all had an opportunity to poop where I can see, and that looks normal.

I'm in NY and all of mine are up too. I have a feeding slate that I put their food on. Right now most are eating small plant sprouts or little bugs they are catching. In the wild when then come out of hibernation and the bugs are still scarce, they would be eating little plant sprouts, so this is normal. As the weather warms up they'll start to eat more vigorously.

Terry -- We are in Louisiana, so my babies have been out for a while. See, what I've done is increased the size of their enclosure by A LOT (maybe 4-5 times what they're used to). Plants are still getting established, and they have lots of "hides," but noticed that they seemed uncomfortable with so much open space and getting to & from their hides. I was lucky to come by a bunch of HUGE pieces of tree bark a couple of weeks ago (results from recent tornados & storms which devastated many trees) and have placed them around in strategic places, offering more cover as well as giving them cover over their travel spots.

From there, I wondered if they were afraid to approach their food dishes... So I found a little short stepstool and placed it over the food to give them cover while they eat. I did this last week. I'm still having to find each one and show him/her the food, but most of them are eating where I can see and monitor! I was glad to see them eat with gusto, but also amazed that it took such a simple solution. Oh no, does that mean I'm starting to THINK like a turtle? Hope so, for their sake