Whats wrong with my tortoise

Question
QUESTION: My tortoise hasn't been eating or drinking for a while. she also hasn't gone to the bathroom and she sleeps most of the day. We did just make her a new cage. Although she wasn't eating in the old tank either. is there anything that i can do? Please help. i am terribly worried.

ANSWER: Hi Brittany,

I can help, but I need a lot more information.  First, what species is your tortoise, and how old/big?  Second, I need to know *exactly* how you're keeping it--enclosure type/size, substrate, brand of bulbs (basking and UVB), temperatures on warm and cool side, and exactly what you're feeding.  The more detail you give me, the better I can help you to pinpoint what's wrong.

Generally, lack of appetite is due to being too warm, too cold, or too dry, and sometimes also due to a parasite load.  It's often easily correctable, but I need to figure out what's wrong first.  Please post back with more information and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It is a sulcata tortoise. i am not sure how old it is but we have had it for a year and a half now. I do not think its any older than 3. I sent you an attachment of the cage. My parents buy the bulbs and i know that they are at least 90* but i am not sure what brand they are. We feed it Kale we have tried other things but she seems to like kale the most.

Answer
Hi Brittany,

The pics didn't go through.  If you post back and set it to *private*, I'll give you my email and you can send the pics there.

If you have a sulcata and live in AZ, I strongly recommend building an outdoor pen.  You may need a heated enclosure (in AZ, a large dog house will work), but living outside is much better for a tortoise, and your sulcata will get very large (up to 200 lbs.)  and will need to be outside eventually.  

For now, you need to know exactly what your temperatures are.  This is vital.  If the tortoise can't cool itself off (cool temps too high) or warm itself up (warm temps too low), it won't eat.  If the substrate is too dry, it'll be dehydrated and won't eat.  If it doesn't have a good source of UVB (which is one reason why outdoors is best), it won't eat and will develop a deformed shell.  If it has improper conditions overall, it'll eventually die.  

The sulcata diet should be about 70% grasses/hay and the rest leafy greens/weeds. For now, you can get your tortoise on greens and then start adding in hay and grass.  Good greens are turnip, dandelion, collards, mustard, kale, endive, raddichio; weeds such as clover, chicory, plantain, mallow, chickweed, sow thistle, hawkbit; prickly pear cactus (pads; fruit only occasionally); hibiscus flowers; grape leaves; mulberry leaves.  But you'll need to correct whatever the enclosure problems are first.  

Post back privately as soon as you can and I'll take a look at your pictures.