My new 5 year old Horsefield is not eating yet. we got him 5 days ago and I think we are doing everything right:
-toroise table with uv and heat lamp on 12 hours a day
-bathing daily in tepid water
-permanent water bath available: he has definitely been in this himself the last two days, and peed twice
-keeping the room as warm as possible for him during the day as he came from a viv in the pet shop
He has had a couple of quite active days, but the last two he has been sleeping a lot. Have offered him dandelion, pansy and all sorts of salad but I think he has had only a little nibble. Any ideas? Should I be worried? He has not defaecated at all. There are no signs of active disease.

whats the temps both hot end an cool end ???
how long do you bath him for ?????

you got him 5 days a go tortoise need time to settle down this could takes weeks that may be why hes not eating much tortoises all so dont like changes mine didnt eat that much for a couple of days
the only thing is if he hasnt had a number 2 ????? thats not right
whats down for bedding ?

Hi,

Horsfields are hardy little torts so there should be nothing to worry about and its just a case of him settling down. Pet shop tortoises can be prone to dehydration so make sure you keep on with the baths, if he continues to be sluggish it might be an idea to take him to the vets for a check up and a faeces sample for worms.

Ali

Many thanks for reassurance. Don't know the temperatures of the environment. He is in the sitting room which is the warmest room in the house, so it must be 18 degrees in the shade...Though with these nights being so cold I am not sure what happens overnight...
Bath-time is about 10 minutes...
Stomp on, tort friends...!

Oh and as to bedding, he is on a shop-bought bed for reptiles of soil and sand.
I will get him tested for worms when he poops!

Hi,

There's an opporunity for free screening here:-

http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/174.asp

HTH
Darren

Thank you. Actually was going to post update today, as he started eating today. Have started to get him out of bed and under the heat lamp and that seems to have revved up his metabolism. Can hear him banging around the kitchen as I type!

Almost:-)

No really! He was trying to get under the work surfaces!