Redfooted tortoise

Question
6 days ago I purchased a redfooted tortoise from my local pet store and brought it home.  I am concerned that she is not eating enough and is quite lethargic.  She is about 5 inches so I am guessing she's about 18 months old.  

 In the time I've had her she has eaten only every third day, one day eating a piece of cantaloupe the other eating some banana.  Each day I offered her carrot, mixed greens, grapes, melon and banana.  I have only noticed 2 bowel movements in the time I've had her, once in the box on the ride home from the store, the other about 3 days later while she was soaking in a bath.

She seems to like to sleep most of the time and at some points when she is awake it appears that she only opens her right eye and keeps her left eye closed.  When her eyes are open they look clear to me with no notice of any discharge.

Although she looks healthy to me, I am nervous about her lack of eating and sleepy behavior.  I am hoping its just that she hasnt gotten acclimated to her new surroundings yet. When I give her time to soak in a warm bath it wakes her up and she is fairly active for a period after that.  I hope there is no harm in giving her a daily 20 minute soak?

 I believe I am doing things correctly with respect to her environment.  She is housed indoors in a 30 gallon long aquarium with cyprus flooring that I mist twice daily.  The basking light is a 150 watt uvb bulb which makes the basking area about 90 degrees with the help of an under tank heating pad.  The cooler end of the aquarium is about 70 degrees which may dip down to 65 degrees at night.  I also use a 24 inch full spectrum fluorescent bulb for lighting.  She has a water bowl and a hiding area.  She typically likes to stay near the basking area.

Do you think I have a healthy tortoise or should I be looking to do things differently?  Thanks for your help.

Answer
The mild symptoms you describe (off food, no BM's, 'sleepy'/lethargic) are common for many things, mostly stress-related. The move to a new home would be enough to justify these symptoms. As long as things don't really get any worse, I'd not worry much. By the way, BMs during baths are pretty common.

Just FYI: general 'stress reduction care' involves- minimal handling or 'looming' ("there's a giant staring at me" syndrome); avoiding noise and vibrations; warmer than usual temps; shade and/or places to hide/burrow in; special attention to cleanliness and food quality; and periodic soaks in warm water.

To make your life simpler, I'd cut down on food- maybe 1/2 a banana or a strawberry, etc. at a time. If she eats it quickly, offer more food. If she ignores it, remove it after about 15-30 minutes.

The diet you describe is a decent starter, but for long-term I'd like to see more fiber (apples, for example) and a little protein once in a while (chicken, monkey chow, etc.).

The other cares sound good. If she is lingering near the basking area, you might want to boost heat a bit overall. Moistened wood litter can be a lot cooler than the thermometer indicates. You may also want to think about providing humidity some other way than wetted wood- a plant in a well-secured pot, for example, not only offers humidity but 'air conditioning' as well.

A big challenge, and one not mentioned in many places, is fresh air. The air quality in a terrarium can get rather nasty- we try to trap in the heat and humidity, which also traps in smells, germs, fungi, etc. Eye, nose, and respiratory problems are one common result.

My own test is a big whiff. If the cage air smells clean and fresh, I'm happy. If it smells funky at all, I try to let it change more often. Tortoises DO have at least some sense of smell.




Good luck!