# 1.5 years old Horsefield Tortoise not eating



## Cristina Zappa

Hello, 

In June, we purchased a 1 year old Horsefiled Tortoise from the local reptile store.
At the beginning she was very active and happy, she was walking around her enclosure and exploring loads.
It has been about 3 weeks that it has lost interest in food and water and hardly ever comes out from the shady bit of its enclosure. 
I change its water and food daily but it either remains untouched or barely so. 
I have called the store we purchased it from but the only thing that they advised us was that it's probably trying to hibernate (even though it's not supposed to until it turns 5) and to try and stimulate it. 

I have tried to put it underneath its heat lamp, which I have lowered so that the temperature remains between 32 and 35 degrees and we have even tried to take it out the enclosure to interact with it. Only it doesn't want to be touched and is very wary of who is around her. I tried to feed it food, as it usually used to come to my hand and eat but no longer does that. 

Any tips?


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## wizzasmum70

I would be asking your reptile store if it’s them who collects all the baby tortoises in the wild to save them from hibernating. They should hibernate from the first year, especially a horsfield tortoise which in nature is only above ground for a few months of the year. Feeding year round causes deformity. 
This is how I keep them
www.tortsmad.com/russians.htm
www.tortsmad.com/hibernation.htm


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## purplepixie

Cristina Zappa said:


> Hello,
> 
> In June, we purchased a 1 year old Horsefiled Tortoise from the local reptile store.
> At the beginning she was very active and happy, she was walking around her enclosure and exploring loads.
> It has been about 3 weeks that it has lost interest in food and water and hardly ever comes out from the shady bit of its enclosure.
> I change its water and food daily but it either remains untouched or barely so.
> I have called the store we purchased it from but the only thing that they advised us was that it's probably trying to hibernate (even though it's not supposed to until it turns 5) and to try and stimulate it.
> 
> I have tried to put it underneath its heat lamp, which I have lowered so that the temperature remains between 32 and 35 degrees and we have even tried to take it out the enclosure to interact with it. Only it doesn't want to be touched and is very wary of who is around her. I tried to feed it food, as it usually used to come to my hand and eat but no longer does that.
> 
> Any tips?



Buying from most shops is not a good idea, as they are trying to sell you things you dont need or want. And they sell the wrong things for tortoises. Horsfields are the first to slow down when temps drop. If your tortoise has been eating normally through the year, then it is getting ready for hibernation. Once they have decided to do this, its hard near impossible to stop them. 
Has your tortoise got a dry nose and clear bright eyes?
Are you sure your tortoise is only a year old?
A picture will help us to help you:0)


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## Cristina Zappa

Hi, really sorry about my late reply. 

I didn't get a notification, somehow. Today she came out for the first time in weeks and ate a bit, we are giving her a bath. This is what she looks like.


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## Cristina Zappa

wizzasmum70 said:


> I would be asking your reptile store if it’s them who collects all the baby tortoises in the wild to save them from hibernating. They should hibernate from the first year, especially a horsfield tortoise which in nature is only above ground for a few months of the year. Feeding year round causes deformity.
> 
> This is how I keep them
> 
> www.tortsmad.com/russians.htm
> 
> www.tortsmad.com/hibernation.htm


Sorry for my late reply, I've only just seen this as for some reason all the notifications went into my spam folder. Thank you very much for sharing this.


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