Nutritional diseases in tortoises

Nutritional diseases are caused by an incorrect diet. They can occur if fed too much or too little of the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed to maintain good health. A good balanced and varied diet is required. Nutritional disease is commonly seen in tortoises, but it is preventable.

Malnutrition is the result of an incorrect diet.

It is vital your tortoise is kept at the correct temperature to help the stomach and small intestine absorb all the nutrients from his food. The temperature is species dependant. Your tortoise also needs a good source of UV light to help his body absorb calcium from the intestine. The UV light should be placed at 30-45 cm away from the tortoise’s main basking spot. Make sure you feed a varied diet to your tortoise.

Most cases of malnutrition need veterinary attention. A feeding tube may need to be fitted if your tortoise is losing weight or has other conditions affecting his appetite.

Vitamin A is needed to keep the inside of the mouth, the eyes and the kidneys working. Lack of this vitamin can cause thickening of the eyelids and can also lead to kidney failure. You may need to assist feed your tortoise if his eyelids  become thickened and impair vision. If your tortoise is unable to see his food and doesn’t eat this can lead to more nutritionally related problems.

Vitamin D3 and calcium are needed to keep your tortoise’s bones strong and his muscles active. An insufficiency will lead to the bones and shell becoming soft and bendy.

Keeping your tortoise at the correct temperature helps his stomach and small intestine to absorb all the nutrients from his food.  The temperature is species dependant. Your tortoise needs a good source of UV light to help his body absorb calcium from the intestine. The UV light should be placed 30-45 cm away from your tortoises main basking spot. Make sure you feed a varied diet to your tortoise.

Hibernation uses up a lot of vitamins and minerals so if your tortoise has a nutritional disease he may need to visit the veterinarian for appropriate vitamin treatment. If the disease is severe your tortoise may require a feeding tube.

Tortoises that start hibernation in poor health will often not eat when they waken up. Young tortoises should only be hibernated for one month and older tortoises limited to three months. When your tortoise comes out of hibernation it is important to ensure that when he has woken up he is not left in his box unattended. You must offer food straight away and monitor if your tortoise is eating. Keeping your tortoise at the correct temperature will encourage him to eat. The temperature is species dependant. If your tortoise does not eat post hibernation you will need to take him to the veterinary practice.

UV light is essential for calcium absorption, so it is important to make sure that the tortoise eats well and gains weight throughout the year – a good balanced diet is vital. Giving your tortoise time in the garden under natural UV light when the weather is warm will also help.

Prepare well for hibernation; many veterinarians offer a pre-hibernation health check!

Post-hibernation anorexia can be very serious. Your tortoise may need a feeding tube fitted. The tube allows fluids and medicine to be given to help his body. Multivitamins will also help your tortoise return to good health. Take your tortoise to see a veterinarians for a post-hibernation check-up if you are at all concerned.