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| Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 08/01/2017 by Will cole |
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Please can you help. We puchased a baby male Hermann tortoise two weeks ago. All he has eaten over the last two weeks is a few mouth fulls of strawberry ( I know these should only be fed as a treat) but it is the only food he will eat, not even the pellets he was fed on before we had him. Over the last couple of days he seems to want to climb more and more in the same corner until he flips over below the basking lamp. In himself he is very active and bright eyed and loves his bath every morning. He lives in a tortoise table with a substrate of a mixture of top soil and sand. The temp under the lamp is about 32 and at the other end around 20 degrees. Can anyone give us any tips or suggestions of what to do with him before we pull our hair out Thanks | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 08/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Hello, Where did you get it ? How old is it ? (see A10 Cert..) Fruit should not be fed even as a treat. What other food are you offering ? Be very careful it doesn't get stranded upturned below the lamp. How many hours a day is the light on ? Tom | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 09/01/2017 by Will cole |
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We got him from a dealer/ pet shop in Essex. He was hatched in may 2016, we have put a few things in the corners so it stops him from climbing so much. We have tried alsorts from dandelions, kale, different sorts of lettuce and even the pellets he was used to, but I really don't want him on these at all. The light is on for around 13 hours a day. Cheers will | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 10/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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What does the dealer have to say about it's failure to feed ? I can guess who it is !! Has the dealer said it is male ? Where was it bred ? [See Box 10] Where are you taking the hot end temp. ? Tom | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 10/01/2017 by Will cole |
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They have said to be patient and keep trying to feed him after we have bathed him and take the food away after an hour or so to try and get him in a routine. As they think he just needs more time to settle in because he is still very active and bright eyed. He finally had a few mouth fulls of pansy yesterday but nothing today. He just seems to go up to the food and sniff it and then walk over it. He thought it was a male but wasn't 100% In section 10 it says bred in the U.K. I am taking the temp at the hot end under the lamp about an inch above the level of the substrate. I've also been weighting him he has stayed the same since we have got him at 62g Cheers will | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 11/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Was it Whilton ? After a bath is stupid advice. Equally stupid was to say it's male. See what happens in the next week. Avoid lettuce & kale (cabbage family). So who is in Box 1 ? Correct place to take temp - well done & ditto for weighings [keep records.] Let us know please. Tom | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 12/01/2017 by Will cole |
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Unfortunately is was. I wish I did a bit more research before we got him now!! The last couple of days when he's having a bath I try and feed him. And he's took a few bits, so hopefully things are looking up. It says on his cert zoological international Thank you for your help, il keep you posted Cheers will | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 12/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Hindsight is great, you are not alone - hopefully it will be ok. Re. Zoo Int. it's one of Whilton's several pseudonyms. I'd put them on Notice that if it doesn't start to feed vigorously daily by Jan 31st you will expect a full refund ( & collection if it was delivered) plus veterinary costs should they arise. If you need help with the letter Citizens Advice will help. Keep copies of all letters. So were you told they feed solely pellets ? Either feed well b4 or well after a bath. Yes keep in touch, Tom | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 13/01/2017 by Will cole |
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It is, I've already emailed them about him not eating so it is in writing. But I'm probably best to send another saying about returning him ect. They did tell me to feed him just on pellets. Before we got him we found out it was wrong to do so. This is probably a silly question but how much should a healthy 8 month old eat? I've been reading about a water bowl sum say to leave one in and some say don't. What is your opinion? It's just that its changed twice a day and within an hour or so it full off mud to the point there is more mud than water. all he seems todo is just keep walking through it. Cheers will | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 13/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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You need to link a formal letter to to your email & send it recorded delivery. Keep copies. They don't argue as it's bad publicity. Don't accept a replacement. Feed pellets !! - typical, it's another sale ! It's not poss' to quantify the amount of food p. day, but the first feed should be vigorous. Don't mess it around with a bath b4 food. Minimise stress at all times. A small water bowl with a stone almost filling it is best, (just room to get head in to drink). | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 25/01/2017 by Will cole |
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Morning Tom Just thought I would keep you informed. George has been eating us out of house and home for the last week. Thank you for your help Will | |
| Re: Baby Hermann won't eat and climbing walls HELP Posted: 27/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Good to hear Will, It seems you've been lucky. Let's hope it continues long term. Use wild food wherever poss.. Google "tortoises.net" for a great book on suitable plants. Tom | |