The Tortoise Table

I took my Mediterranean spur thigh to a reptile vet yesterday because she hadn’t been eating very much at all and has lost a lot of weight. He forcefully opened her mouth which was expected but unpleasant to see. I can understand why he did that but during a physical exam the vet held her unsupported by the neck! He had her with one finger and thumb on either side of her neck and dangled her there for around five seconds. Surely this isn’t right is it? I was shocked and I am upset about it. She seems ok but surely he could have really hurt her? She is only a year old and smaller than your palm. What on Earth was he doing? Is this a vet technique does anyone know? I wouldn’t take her back but he wants to do an X-ray and other tests to see why she’s not eating. I don’t feel safe leaving her there as I’m worried he may hurt her by being so rough but also I feel like if I don’t take her and she dies from lack of eating that I could have done more by letting her be xrayed by him. I really need some help/advice as to what to do.

What a traumatic experience for you and for your tortoise. Putting fingers on each side of a tortoise's jaw and gently pressing is the way to open the mouth, but the tortoise should be sitting on you lap when doing this, or supported in some way -- not dangling! Can you tell me if your vet has 'exotics' qualifications -- i.e. is he trained to treat reptiles? If you send me his name and the name of his practice to nina@thetortoisetable.org.uk I'll try and check him out.

We have a list of recommended vets here: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tor ... s-by-area/ Do ring first to see if they still have an 'exotics' vet, and if you can't find one on the list, let us know and we'll try to find you one nearby.

I am very surprised that he wants to take an x-ray before testing a poo sample (worms are common in tortoises and can cause lack of appetite, and are easily treated). But the most common reason for losing appetite is temperature in the tortoise's enclosure. Tortoise's are ectothermic, meaning they don't make their own body heat like mammals do, and they rely entirely on the temperature around them for their body systems to function.

I'm sorry to ask a lot of questions here, but we get lots of people who have tortoises with appetite problems -- especially at this time of year -- and we can usually find an environmental reason for it. For example in this thread (which unfortunately contains some long posts, you can see from the 5th post down that the tortoise who had stopped eating quickly resumed eating when the temperature was adjusted https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/sit ... =12&t=3236 If they are too cold they stop eating and if they are too hot they also stop eating. You need to be able to raise your lamp up, higher away, when the temperature is too high and to lower it to increase the temperature when it's too low.

So here are some questions:
1. What is your set-up like? Are you keeping him in a glass and wood enclosed vivarium or in an open-topped tortoise table?
2. What is the temperature directly below your heat/light source. This temperature must be measured directly below the light and at the height of the tortoise's shell (a thermometer mounted on a nearby wall will give a very different reading).
3. What is the temperature at the cooler end of the enclosure?
If you want to send us a photo of your enclosure, sometimes it takes only a tweak to get it right.

While he is not eating, do be sure to bathe him frequently (in warm water, in a container that he can't see out of -- like an old washing up bowl), in water that comes just up to his chin, or where the top shell meets the bottom shell, for about 15 minutes. I would do this every day or every other day to keep him well hydrated. You can also wet any food that you give him, to get a bit more water into him. Tortoises can go a long time without eating but can dehydrate quickly under lights indoors.

Sorry for a long post, but I really thing we can get to the root of the problem if we have some additional information.

Nina

If you’re not comfortable with him, trust that instinct. There are other reptile vets out there who’ll be gentler and still thorough. Maybe get a second opinion before going ahead with the X-rays — you’ll feel better knowing she’s in safe hands.

Your concern is completely valid! A vet holding a young tortoise by the neck without supporting its body is not standard practice—especially for a small, fragile juvenile. This could risk spinal or tracheal injury.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Find a reptile-specialized vet—ask local tortoise communities or check reviews for recommendations.

2. If you must return to the same clinic, demand gentler handling (full-body support during exams) and clarify their techniques.

Don’t blame yourself—you’re doing great by seeking help!

Note: If she’s still not eating, try soaking her in warm water (30-32°C) with diluted carrot puree for temporary nutrition while arranging a new vet visit.