Leopard Tortoise Poo!

[Burgers]

Hi there I have a leopard tortoise called Curley Jefferson I have had him for about 2 years. Recently I took him to the vets for a check up as you do and the vet (who specialised in tortoises) suggested I change his diet because he was having a bit to much protean, she suggested I feed him more weeds from the garden, grass, clover that kind of stuff which I was doing already just not in high enough quantities. I got a long list of edible plants from this wonderful website and have done as she suggested and this originally caused him to have the squits for about a week. I thought that maybe he just needed time to adjust to his new diet and sure enough he did but now about a month on he doesn’t poo at all!! He used to poo roughly once maybe twice a week. I'm worried about him becoming constipated I am bathing him in warm water nearly every day to try and encourage him to go but as yet nothing has emerged!

Anybody out there in tortoise land got any tips or list some plants my tortoise can eat to enable him to poo? any help greatly appreciated!!

[Alistair&Robyn]

I don't know much about Leopards, I'm afraid, but I wanted to say I love the name of your tortoise =D

[16 shells]

Hi, Opuntia cacti despined or, Butternut sqash can make them go, but if this persists they may be a trip back to the vets. Someone may have better advive.
Paul

[Evie]

I would take him back to the vets - he may even go on the journey - mine always poo when they have to go in the car.

Even taking into consideration his change in diet I wouild have expected him to have gone before now.

Let us know how he gets on.

[EJ]

By any chance did you ask the vet how much protein was enough/not too much???? What were you feeding to make the vet think it was getting too much protein?

Was it a younger vet? Unfortunately many vets who were weaned on a particular mindset are now in practice. It's a shame because a great deal of knowledge has been lost because of this indoctrination.

Originally Posted by Burgers

Hi there I have a leopard tortoise called Curley Jefferson I have had him for about 2 years. Recently I took him to the vets for a check up as you do and the vet (who specialised in tortoises) suggested I change his diet because he was having a bit to much protean, she suggested I feed him more weeds from the garden, grass, clover that kind of stuff which I was doing already just not in high enough quantities. I got a long list of edible plants from this wonderful website and have done as she suggested and this originally caused him to have the squits for about a week. I thought that maybe he just needed time to adjust to his new diet and sure enough he did but now about a month on he doesn’t poo at all!! He used to poo roughly once maybe twice a week. I'm worried about him becoming constipated I am bathing him in warm water nearly every day to try and encourage him to go but as yet nothing has emerged!

Anybody out there in tortoise land got any tips or list some plants my tortoise can eat to enable him to poo? any help greatly appreciated!!

[Burgers]

Well the main reason I took Curley Jefferson (or just Jeff) to the vets was for a check up but also I was concerned because he although his shell is developing properly had very faint lines appearing on his shell I thought this was a calcium problem even though I had been giving him the right amounts. what the vet determined is that it wasn’t a lack of calcium but tortoise stretch marks! lol where he has grown much to quickly then he should have done due mostly to the fact that along side greens and stuff I had been feeding him tortoise food which apparently is not really that good for them . . .what’s the point in selling it if it makes them grow irregularly! he doesn’t have this any more. The vet told me just to feed him weeds and grass and stuff like that. Occasional I will give him a piece of cucumber and he will do anything for a strawberry! I give him one when he goes outside because I like him to associate going outside with something nice. He used to hate going outside he would just hide the hole time but now he loves going outside eating every piece of clover within reach I don’t know where it all goes!! He eats tones of it.

I think I will take him to the vets its going to take about a week for me to get him there though I hope he will be ok for another week. I love him I don’t want him to be in pain!! He is still weeing properly and drinking fine so I am not worried about him dehydrating. I will try some squash for him although I bet you a pound to a pinch of s--t that he wont even look at it lol he’s very fussy when it comes to food. it takes him ages before he will try something new especially if it is good for him!

[DoodleBopper]

Good Luck with him! Just make sure you give him a varied diet and not too much of one weed as that won't be good for him. Well done for not giving him tort food it's rubbish. I love the strawberry thing! Mine ahtes strawberry but also LOVES clovers!!

[Burgers]

I got an appointment for Sandhole vets in Snodland for Friday. In the mean time I am going to give him warm baths every day and give him some squash and hope that he poo's soon! its going to stink when it comes out though!! still I’ll just pretend its the sweet sweet smell of success

[Jennie]

Hahahaha awww poor Curley i am sure he is ok... I know i thought Phoebe's wasn't pooping untill i was checking out her table and she had covered up her poop lol

Let us know how it goes...

COME ON CURLEY POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!

[Burgers]

OH MY GOOD GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! i just went upstairs to give him a bath and guess what was waiting for me the biggest most vast poo every to grace his substrate! and even more good news to celebrate his recent triumph he rather kindly decided to stand in it and drag it around his floor so it stuck to him, the floor, his water bowl, the walls EVERYTHING!!!!

I cant believe it I arrange a vet appointment, arrange people to take me there, stick my problems on forum, buy him squash . .all for naught! lol That’s so Curley!

what was left of his poo was good though kinda squishy firm and well digested didn’t look like he had been constipated at all . .apart from the vastness of the poo that is!! Its going to take me ages to clean him all up . .sigh . . .