Y did my tortoise stop moving?

Question

my tortoise was roaming my garden then it just stopped put his head in its shell and and has not moved for 8 hours it looks dead could it be hibernating

Answer 1

Number one - we can't answer this with a "best guess" if we don't have enough information to base one on.

DID you bake your toroise?  How hot was it, and how long was he out there?  100 degrees is more than most creatures can bear?!  Has he burrowed in as a last ditch effort to cool down?  Did he have a soaking pool, or water for drinking?

Or - now that you took him inside, has he stopped moving for 8 hr. and counting?  Did he "pig out" and now has to sleep it off?

What was he grazing/eating, while wandering about?  Is this a flower or vegetable garden, and do you use growing foods for the plants, or insecticides?  Did you dust or spray recently?  Is the next door neighbor?  What's he been inhaling out there for X hr. in the sun?  And for how many years?

IS your garden blocked off entirely from cats?  Cats' fecal matter can carry parasites/disease lethal to your turtle; tortoise; lizard, or snake.  How long has he been 'happily strolling in the garden'?  Years?

Has he slowly been absorbing toxins which have finally reached the "Rut ro... I can't deal with this" stage?

Turtles and tortoise do not "suddenly cease moving" when they enter hibernation.  Have you been hibernating your tortoise outdoors?  They "pig-out," and make sure they have reserves to get them through hibernation.  They eat and eat, until lower temps make them sluggish, and then they start digging a den.

This guestion can't even be guessed at, without more information on the long term care of the tortoise, and what is unusal about this behavior.

I suggest you go back to your 'additional comment' section and elaborate on what the trouble is, so we can more easily help you with the problem.

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 2

It depends the temperature. some tortoises shut down when they can't take the heat and start up again when the temperature is to its liking. That might be happening to your tortoise or it just might be resting.

(It takes a lot of energy for a tortoise to lug that shell around give it some slack!)

It also might be that if you keep it a awake during the night it'll rest during the day.

Tortoises don't die that way. if they die they are limp and don't tuck their head in their shell.

Answer 3

it may have seen something that scared it or it may be dead so the way to find out is try to pull its head out of its shell if it wont let you its alive but if it comes out it could be dead either way take it to the vet just to be sure

Answer 4

hes dead time to make turtle soup

Answer 5

Hmmm..Tortoises don't die like that.  It must have seen something that either scared it or it just may be plain tired.

I would bring it inside and let it rest out of the sun.  Put some food out for it and water and see what it does then.  But don't assume it is dead...it does not sound like he is dead they just don't die like that.

Well, hope I was able to help you.

Answer 6

yep he's dead