Help Needed!!

[Kristy G]

Hello All!

I'm new to the forum I recently bought a Horsefield, he was sadly an unwanted childrens pet. I've wanted one for years so he's come to a loving home. He's just turned 4 I think and I was told he was male but I'm not 100% sure yet.
He's was kept in a tank for 18 months with no uvb light, no calcium supplement and fed on any salad items, lots of fruit and t-rex pellets. He's not had much exercise in his past home as no-one paid him any attention. I've had him for 6 weeks and took him to a local vet for an emergency claw clip, where the vet said his shell was a bit soft.
As soon as I got him I changed his diet, no fruit, no pellets I gave him a mixture of watercress, chicory, kale, romain lettuce, rocket with nutrobol and calcium, which he ate quite well. I'm growing weeds for him which will be ready soon. He now has a uvb light and I can see a difference in the colour and firmness of his shell, I changed his wood chippings to a sand and soil mix. I leave the doors of the glass open I tank as much a possible, and my other half is just in the middle of building a tortoise table! When he's looking quite active I let him roam around the living room so he can get some exercise.

I'm just worried about his recent loss of appetite as over the last week he seems off his food, he has had a few bouts of constpation, which I've upped his baths from once a day to two or three depending, and added butternut squash to his food. He still seems to struggle a little and I've put his loss of appetite down to being constipated due to the change in his diet and maybe slight dehydration.

Can anyone offer any advice or comments? I'm just worried that I maybe doing something very wrong and causing him some harm!!! Thanks!

[angels1531]

Originally Posted by Kristy G

Hello All!

I'm new to the forum I recently bought a Horsefield, he was sadly an unwanted childrens pet. I've wanted one for years so he's come to a loving home. He's just turned 4 I think and I was told he was male but I'm not 100% sure yet.
He's was kept in a tank for 18 months with no uvb light, no calcium supplement and fed on any salad items, lots of fruit and t-rex pellets. He's not had much exercise in his past home as no-one paid him any attention. I've had him for 6 weeks and took him to a local vet for an emergency claw clip, where the vet said his shell was a bit soft.
As soon as I got him I changed his diet, no fruit, no pellets I gave him a mixture of watercress, chicory, kale, romain lettuce, rocket with nutrobol and calcium, which he ate quite well. I'm growing weeds for him which will be ready soon. He now has a uvb light and I can see a difference in the colour and firmness of his shell, I changed his wood chippings to a sand and soil mix. I leave the doors of the glass open I tank as much a possible, and my other half is just in the middle of building a tortoise table! When he's looking quite active I let him roam around the living room so he can get some exercise.

I'm just worried about his recent loss of appetite as over the last week he seems off his food, he has had a few bouts of constpation, which I've upped his baths from once a day to two or three depending, and added butternut squash to his food. He still seems to struggle a little and I've put his loss of appetite down to being constipated due to the change in his diet and maybe slight dehydration.

Can anyone offer any advice or comments? I'm just worried that I maybe doing something very wrong and causing him some harm!!! Thanks!

Id suggest that rather than doing him any harm, you've saved him from a miserable life! I think with good diet, plenty of exercise and lots of baths he will soon be on the road to recovery. Maybe try a little cucumber as it is very useful to rehydrate?

[Kristy G]

Thanks that's great, I will try him with some cucumber. Hope he likes it!!

[alberts mamma]

Good luck im sure the torts much happier already x

[Kristy G]

Thanks i hope so, I'm in his face fussing a lot tho,I think I need to calm down!
His new table is almost ready so I'm sure he will love it!

[purplepixie]

Make sure you bathe him regularly, and give calciumcarbonate to him.