Hi
I have had my horsefield tortoise for 6 months now. She is 5+ years
For about 2 weeks she has not eating. I have took her to the vets and he said it could be a calcium problem and her shell is soft on the back. I have noticed the edging of her shell it has gone discoloured which the vet also said was due to this. I have given her since I have had her the calcium powder on her food everyday.
The vet gave her two injections and also some powder to bath in twice a day.
I have seen no change and all she wants to do is sleep under her log, where she remains.
A friend at work who has another breed of tortoise says she might want to hibernate and due to the heat being left on this is why her shell is going soft. And this is why she hasn't eaten
I am ve

Sorry submitted before I finished.

Continued

Aim very confused to all the information and would like other people's opinions who have horse fields. I am very worried about her and worried I'm doing something wrong. Her diet is mainly greens and she gets a bath three times a week.
Her viv that I got with her temp at the moment is between 24 and 28 c. There is no way to turn the heat up due to it being a bulb. In September heat was higher at 31c.

If anyone can help I would really appreciate the advice

Thankyou

Hi
Firstly I would get him out of the viv straight away, even if you put him in an old drawer for temporary measures until you can make him one. The substrate should be 50-50 sand soil and about 2-3 inches deep as horsfield's love to dig. He should have UVB and heat and the basking area should be 30-32c and the cool area 22c. Is the vet you took him to a tortoise specialist vet and what was in the injection that he gave your tort.Did he take a blood test before administering the injection?
Sorry so many questions just trying to understand what is happening. Keeping the heat on will not cause his shell to go soft, but lack of calcium will. Get some nutrobal and some lime flour, you could also put a cuttlefish in the pen. What greens are you feeding him on? To get a better understanding of what sort of environment your tort needs have a read of the fact sheets on the left hand side under "The Tortoise".
Don't worry, you just need to get the correct advice and quickly
Jane

Hi i am working on getting a tortoise table asap. There is a UV bulb in and a basking bulb. Vet gave her an injection for calcium but no bloods were taking and vet is owner of a different sort of tortoise. Her shell is see through yellow on parts and he said this is a sign of low calcium. He gave me calcium powder for bathing and told me to bath her 2 times a day with the powder. I have used calci- sand before but as soon as she went in she started to eat it, so vet recommended wood chips which have been specially treated. She has been fine with them and digs them as i usually hear scratching. She enjoys eating different types of cabbages, Broccoli, Kale, Corgette, Cucumber (little that she has). and she likes carrots and she gets as a treat strawberries and apples. Strawberries are her favourite.

I have just got in from work and checked on her and she has not eaten again but she is hissing at me and my dad who has popped in to check on her said she has walked around for a bit which she hasn't been doing for a few days. when i picked her up she popped her head out.

She has also not pasted any poo for few days but has wee'd but i am taking since she has not eaten that is why?

Hi
Sorry but he is not tortoise specialist, you need to find one that specializes in tortoises (see vets on the left hand side), even if there is not one in your area contact one of the listed ones and ask if they can help you to find one. I would not put the calcium powder in the bath just plain water and bath twice a day. Remove the woodchips this is the most unnatural substrate, could also be dangerous if digested, soil/sand really is the best you can give him. Sorry to sound so negative on everything but you have really been given bad advice, so well done you for looking further. The diet is not good. You are giving foods that are high in oxulates, which means they inhibit calcium being absorbed. you need to give a diet of weeds dandelion, plantain etc a very good site to help you with this is

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp
In the meantime you can give Florette salad dusted in nutrobal and lime flour, the slad can be found at all super markets, this is temporary measure but luckily now the weather is picking up you should be able to find some weeds, I am picking already for my two.
When she has wee'd what are the urates like?
For the poo, if she is not eating then she won't pass any poo, hopefully when you start the good foods she will eat abit more, the baths really are important and help with hydration which could be another problem if she has been in a viv
Alot to take on board but get torty sorted out firt with the basics and vet care and the rest you can have fun learning. Remember, please keep asking a silly question is the one you don't ask.
Jane