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Why is my tortoise not eating? Is a sudden loss of appetite normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Reptile | Tortoise | Male | unneutered | 11 months and 14 days old | 0.496 lbs

My 11 month old horsefeild tortoise has lost his appetite and doesn't eat as much as he normally does, is this normal?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 2nd, 2019

He could be going into hibernation or he could be getting ill. It is hard to say just based on your description. His symptoms are very vague. I suggest you refer to this article on husbandry and be sure you are doing everything absolutely 100% correct for him - from diet and lighting to temperature and housing. If everything is right, then I suggest you get him to a reptile veterinarian for an exam. ( https://www.horsefieldtortoise.co.uk/ )

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