My tortoise is being incredibly fussy as she has a tendency to be. 2 weeks ago the shop we were getting her food from has stopped getting it any more. They still have some stock but no more will be coming in and they have already run out of the cucumber flavour pellets (she is on pellets for a good reason and hopefully we'll one day get her off them) she is used to. She has plenty of dandelion pellets there now but barely touches them. As I say, she does tend to do this and normally I wouldn't worry about it but she has visibly lost weight and vigour. Also her conjunctivitis seems to be becoming a problem as she doesn't eat. Everything else is the same as it has been for 2/3 years, not sure how long I've had her now XD So it is just needing help with her being fussy.

We have just bought a horse field. its our first tortoise. Im worried as he isn't eating anything I offer. rocket, kale, carrot, watercress. Getting a bit worried now. Only picked him up yesterday, tried not to handle him much until he settles

Erm you need to give more info and preferably in your own post. No offense. Just will get better results for both of us.

Hello,

I shall provide the full information tomorrow but she finally appears to be conceding. She isn't eating nearly as much as she should be as evident by her bowel movements but it is nice to see something is moving through her system. I must forewarn you on dietary advice though since it is quick and easy to do. She is on pellets because she cannot physically eat leaves at this moment. A year ago we took her to a tortoise expert, the vets employs 2 specialists, to have her beak trim. Our usual specialist had left to continue research in the field and I made the mistake of trusting the replacement. Her beak was trimmed to bleeding, jagged edges left and gouges were out in places. So even now she has a large hole where the front of her beak should be. Pellets are the only thing she can pick up and eat unless finely chopped leaves are on top. She cannot grip and she cannot pick leaves up off surfaces. We are aware of the downsides of the pellets but unfortunately it is our best option until she regrows enough beak. There is no risk of her beak overgrowing right now as she is getting trims every 4 months to gradually allow the bottom to grow back in. The expert also gave us some tortoise safe antibiotic to apply to the mouth if she gets mouth rot since it is soft.

Thank you for the reply.

Oh right, thank you. I have had her for 3 years and have a degree in animal management so I learnt the basics already. She hasn't been the easiest due to her start in life. She came to me with MBD and has permanent problems from it including a deformed beak at the back though the front WAS good, thanks to the vet she's now bulldogging. She lives in a viv (I know it's not ideal but even in summer a strong heat lamp was struggling to give a hot end of 30), we will be building an indoor pen around the viv so during summer and late spring she can get out in a safe environment. At the moment she does not have an outdoor enclosure because she is so scared outside she didn't eat for 3 weeks until we had to bring her in for the cold. Her viv is 6ft x 4ft, takes 2 long UV bulbs but worth it. UVB 6% desert bulb and the temperatures are 30 at the hot and 24.2 at the cold. Has tortoise bath filled at least once a day and still has her 2 slates in for food when she regrows enough beak. Also plants, rocks and a log for hiding and climbing, climbing seems to be her favourite pastime for some strange reason. She doesn't get soil everywhere, just in a container in her favourite sleeping spot as she eats it in dangerous quantities if everywhere. Very sad I know but we were warned at the rate she was going she'd have months to go before needing treatment to prevent impaction. Thus far I haven't even had an opportunity to hibernate her and I wouldn't be comfortable with that yet as I want to be sure how to do it safely. First winter I got her, second she was still weakened by vitamin A deficiency and this winter it's too dangerous thanks to the pellets.

I regret the delay,

Delays are fine. She is finally eating better, still not as well as I'd like her to but we're getting there. She went for her corrective trim yesterday and they think it will take another 3 years to grow back. While there the vet commented on her low weight but it is promising that she is becoming a lot more active and alert again. She absolutely refuses to eat the dandelion pellets but they are making it possible for her to eat finely chopped 'salad' placed on top which she is gladly eating so have begun reducing the pellets and increasing the salad. Sorry I saw the home made pellets suggestion too late but it's a great idea to keep noted for future. Hopefully I won't need to use it on my own tortoise but you never know what they'll bring you next.