My Herman's was sick last night

Ewoodpugz · 03-09-2012, 09:39 AM

Hello
My Herman tortoise, Nile, was sick last night. I think. When I went to switch his basking lamp off at 11pm there was a thick yellowy pile in his tank. He only had dandelion leaves in his food bowl so it couldn't have been any of his food.

This morning he seems lethargic but it's early yet and sometimes he takes a while to get going, but obviously I'm concerned.

He had been out in the garden for most of the day. The only thing I can think of is that he had been staying with my Mum for a few days while we had been on holiday and she had given him a small piece of banana. The vomit looked banana-y so I'm wondering if he's brought that back up? He nornally just has weeds and greens with occasional fruit treats but only apple and grapes.

He lives outside during the day and in a vivarium at night though I have removed part of the glass and put a breathable mesh in instead.

He just seems pretty sleep at the moment

Thanks for reading.

Rebecca

**Alan1** · 03-09-2012, 12:43 PM

Isn't it just yelloe pee and urates with eating dandelion?

If you didn't see it being sick it could be that or maybe it's had the sh!ts with eating something, the banana maybe.

Grapes and apples are acidic, not sure what that would do if anything at all.

Other possibility, if it was sick, it could be that it has eaten something toxic in which case plenty of baths required so that it drinks a lot and flushes it out

Easter Bunny · 03-09-2012, 04:01 PM

When my old tort Toby used to have banana, his poo used to be yellow and muscusy.
It was like the banana hadn't been digested properly.

Maybe its the banana you see that had come out the other end x

Shelled Lady · 03-09-2012, 04:06 PM

Banana is easily digested, I wouldn't think for a minute it had been sick. I have never had a tortoise being sick in my life. Tortoises have a cast iron digestion, so it was probably urates.

**Alan1** · 03-09-2012, 06:31 PM

None of mine have ever been sick either but I've seen plenty posts on here from people whose torts have been sick. On one occasion the tort was upside down and had been sick and died.

I don't know about reptiles but banana is bad for humans to digest (well, me

) I get indigestion with bananas

Easter Bunny · 03-09-2012, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shelled Lady

Banana is easily digested, I wouldn't think for a minute it had been sick. I have never had a tortoise being sick in my life. Tortoises have a cast iron digestion, so it was probably urates.

Toby doesn't digest banana well at all, it comes out the other end the way it went in but slimier x

shellonia · 10-09-2012, 10:37 PM

Tortoises certainly can be sick either because the food item never got to the stomach in the first place! or because they have eaten something toxic. I had one who was allergic to baytril and was sick about 5 minutes after the injection.needless to say she is barred from that particular antibiotic now.

Herpard · 11-09-2012, 09:18 AM

I've read that if the tortoise has a high count of worms they can vomit too?

sandy · 11-09-2012, 11:31 AM

Yes they can and do vomit. Usually something they shouldnt have eaten, or worms.

Ozric Jonathan · 11-09-2012, 01:17 PM

One of mine vomitted once after it had medicine administered by a vet. But I believe that vomitting is not very common with tortoises.

03-09-2012, 09:39 AM	#1
Ewoodpugz Junior Member Egg Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 6	My Herman's was sick last night Hello My Herman tortoise, Nile, was sick last night. I think. When I went to switch his basking lamp off at 11pm there was a thick yellowy pile in his tank. He only had dandelion leaves in his food bowl so it couldn't have been any of his food. This morning he seems lethargic but it's early yet and sometimes he takes a while to get going, but obviously I'm concerned. He had been out in the garden for most of the day. The only thing I can think of is that he had been staying with my Mum for a few days while we had been on holiday and she had given him a small piece of banana. The vomit looked banana-y so I'm wondering if he's brought that back up? He nornally just has weeds and greens with occasional fruit treats but only apple and grapes. He lives outside during the day and in a vivarium at night though I have removed part of the glass and put a breathable mesh in instead. He just seems pretty sleep at the moment Thanks for reading. Rebecca

03-09-2012, 04:01 PM	#3
Easter Bunny Senior Member Adult Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Kent Posts: 5,337	When my old tort Toby used to have banana, his poo used to be yellow and muscusy. It was like the banana hadn't been digested properly. Maybe its the banana you see that had come out the other end x __________________ Lynne x

11-09-2012, 11:31 AM	#9
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	Yes they can and do vomit. Usually something they shouldnt have eaten, or worms. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

11-09-2012, 01:17 PM	#10
Ozric Jonathan Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West of Scotland Posts: 4,226	One of mine vomitted once after it had medicine administered by a vet. But I believe that vomitting is not very common with tortoises. __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises

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03-09-2012, 12:43 PM	#2
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	Isn't it just yelloe pee and urates with eating dandelion? If you didn't see it being sick it could be that or maybe it's had the sh!ts with eating something, the banana maybe. Grapes and apples are acidic, not sure what that would do if anything at all. Other possibility, if it was sick, it could be that it has eaten something toxic in which case plenty of baths required so that it drinks a lot and flushes it out

03-09-2012, 04:06 PM	#4
Shelled Lady Member Juvenile Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South East Posts: 845	Banana is easily digested, I wouldn't think for a minute it had been sick. I have never had a tortoise being sick in my life. Tortoises have a cast iron digestion, so it was probably urates.

03-09-2012, 06:31 PM	#5
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	None of mine have ever been sick either but I've seen plenty posts on here from people whose torts have been sick. On one occasion the tort was upside down and had been sick and died. I don't know about reptiles but banana is bad for humans to digest (well, me ) I get indigestion with bananas

10-09-2012, 10:37 PM	#7
shellonia Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: central s england Posts: 1,534	Tortoises certainly can be sick either because the food item never got to the stomach in the first place! or because they have eaten something toxic. I had one who was allergic to baytril and was sick about 5 minutes after the injection.needless to say she is barred from that particular antibiotic now.

11-09-2012, 09:18 AM	#8
Herpard Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Norton Canes, UK Posts: 2,330	I've read that if the tortoise has a high count of worms they can vomit too?

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