I have a African spur tortoise that stoped eating?

Question

it is only 8 weeks old he was eating on his own but, he stoped, he is only 1" in lenght i had him wormed but his belly is really soft how and what can i do to keep him alive

Answer 1

African spurred tortoises are a difficult tortoise to care for. Is this your first tortoise? If you live in a cold area, that could be the problem. When you have one of these animals, you need a dehumidifier to suck unwanted moisture from the air, dry, hot air is best for these tortoises. I am hoping you do realize this tortoise is going to be around 130-150 pounds full grown. They should be kept in an outdoor or indoor pen suited to their environment. Are you soaking him daily? They need to be soaked daily until they are about 4 inches. What are you feeding him? He should have timothy hay, or some other kind of hay, regular grass (Do not take the stuff from your yard as it could be contaminated, grow grass indoors) Cactus pads..etc. If he is not eating try tempting him with a dandelion. Or you can buy him Mazuri Tortoise Diet which is made by Purina. Soak it until it is soft and mash it for him. If nothing else works, see a vet who has treated this type of tortoise. Best of luck.

Answer 2

Any signs of respiratory problems? Keep his tank at about 90 degrees with a cool place to hide. Humidity as low as possible (keep it dry dry dry). Line the cage with something like paper towel or paper rather than using bedding of some type. It will keep the cage much more sanitary and reduce dust. Use a good light. You can get a good reptile light at the pet store "UB-B". Keep the cage clean and always have fresh clean drinking water available. Call the vet.