Think my tortoise was choking help please

shnarf · 13-03-2012, 06:46 PM

Hello not sure if anyone can help about an hour ago I just heard a very loud speak from my tortoise followed by another and saw that he was choking on the middle stem of a dandelion leaf I pulled it out his mouth slowly by quickly and it was about 3 inches long a standard dandelion leaf size this has never happened before and now I'm a bit worried after he just carried on eating some Tomato I removed all the other leaves. He carried on eat but was sneezing or squeaking a tiny bit then he had a wander and has now gone off to be has anyone had this before?

Rowan · 13-03-2012, 08:45 PM

Sometimes mine will ram so much food in their mouths without swallowing and will end up opening the mouth like they're gagging. Then they get their feet and start scraping the food out.

It's happened when I've cut the food up and also when left large leaves in. Think they are just gannets sometimes.....

Is yours still making squeaking noises now?

shnarf · 13-03-2012, 11:18 PM

No not now just when he had the large stalk rammed in there

Rowan · 14-03-2012, 06:48 AM

If he's not making any squeaking noises now I wouldn't worry too much.

Just keep an eye on him when he eats over the next few days for your own piece of mind.

They just be little pigs at times!!!!

shnarf · 14-03-2012, 06:00 PM

Thank you I think the calcium powder gets up his nose and makes him sneeze too and sounds funny bless him

Stellanne · 14-03-2012, 08:36 PM

Strange, that was exactly my experience this weekend with my 6yr old hermann. I had fed her fresh dandilion leaves and normally she munches with no problems. David was watching her, and although she did not make any noises she was clearly in some discomfort. He slowly pulled the leaf out and like yours it came out in a 'length'. She wasn't too bothered, and went on eating and has fed well since. But why did she not bite and chew. It has made me wonder. X x

Catwoman63 · 14-03-2012, 08:54 PM

They dont chew their food, they bite and swallow and are little pigs sometimes lol xxx

Xero · 15-03-2012, 12:19 AM

I took my tortoise on holiday once with my parents in there camper van, i went out and came back to find that one of my siblings had fed my tort and put carrot sticks in, they are about 3inches also but alot thicker and wider then a dandelion, their like 1cm by 1cm by 1and 1/2 inch.. i thought my tort was going to choke but she didnt she just ate it, i dont know how but she just swalled it whole and that was that...

EJ · 15-03-2012, 06:26 PM

In the future... let the tortoise alone. It is kind of a learning experience. I've never heard of a tortoise choking to death. You would be amazed at what they can fit down their throats or throw back up.

It should be a worry if they take down branches, sticks or any other sharp objects.

Tortoises are more than capable of throwing up objects that they don't want to go down.

Normally they will try to bite off fiberous pieces that they can't cut and this might look like a chewing action... which it kind of is...

If a piece goes down the esophagus by accident they normally cough it up which sounds like the noise you heard. Again, this is normally not a worry.

Catwoman63 · 15-03-2012, 07:15 PM

My ariana had a big stone in her mouth this afternoon in the garden, she was trying to spit it out, i did intervene and picked her up and took it out, then went thru her enclosure to remove the bigger stines that are just big enough to get lodged in their mouths, they always are a worry just like kids.....but they do have to learn to sort it themselves as they would in the wild, but some intervention i cant help lol x

13-03-2012, 06:46 PM	#1
shnarf Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 41	Think my tortoise was choking help please Hello not sure if anyone can help about an hour ago I just heard a very loud speak from my tortoise followed by another and saw that he was choking on the middle stem of a dandelion leaf I pulled it out his mouth slowly by quickly and it was about 3 inches long a standard dandelion leaf size this has never happened before and now I'm a bit worried after he just carried on eating some Tomato I removed all the other leaves. He carried on eat but was sneezing or squeaking a tiny bit then he had a wander and has now gone off to be has anyone had this before? __________________ x1 Herman Hatched August 2009 Named Shnarf

13-03-2012, 08:45 PM	#2
Rowan Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bury St Edmunds Posts: 1,703	Sometimes mine will ram so much food in their mouths without swallowing and will end up opening the mouth like they're gagging. Then they get their feet and start scraping the food out. It's happened when I've cut the food up and also when left large leaves in. Think they are just gannets sometimes..... Is yours still making squeaking noises now? __________________ Row xx

13-03-2012, 11:18 PM	#3
shnarf Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 41	No not now just when he had the large stalk rammed in there __________________ x1 Herman Hatched August 2009 Named Shnarf

14-03-2012, 06:48 AM	#4
Rowan Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bury St Edmunds Posts: 1,703	If he's not making any squeaking noises now I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep an eye on him when he eats over the next few days for your own piece of mind. They just be little pigs at times!!!! __________________ Row xx

14-03-2012, 06:00 PM	#5
shnarf Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 41	Thank you I think the calcium powder gets up his nose and makes him sneeze too and sounds funny bless him __________________ x1 Herman Hatched August 2009 Named Shnarf

14-03-2012, 08:36 PM	#6
Stellanne Member Hatchling Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 686	Strange, that was exactly my experience this weekend with my 6yr old hermann. I had fed her fresh dandilion leaves and normally she munches with no problems. David was watching her, and although she did not make any noises she was clearly in some discomfort. He slowly pulled the leaf out and like yours it came out in a 'length'. She wasn't too bothered, and went on eating and has fed well since. But why did she not bite and chew. It has made me wonder. X x

14-03-2012, 08:54 PM	#7
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	They dont chew their food, they bite and swallow and are little pigs sometimes lol xxx __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

15-03-2012, 12:19 AM	#8
Xero Member Hatchling Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 742	I took my tortoise on holiday once with my parents in there camper van, i went out and came back to find that one of my siblings had fed my tort and put carrot sticks in, they are about 3inches also but alot thicker and wider then a dandelion, their like 1cm by 1cm by 1and 1/2 inch.. i thought my tort was going to choke but she didnt she just ate it, i dont know how but she just swalled it whole and that was that... __________________ Peaches > Turbo > Speedy > Dexcie 1.2.0 T.h.Horsfieldii..R.I.P Speedy :(

15-03-2012, 06:26 PM	#9
EJ Senior Member Adult Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 8,277	In the future... let the tortoise alone. It is kind of a learning experience. I've never heard of a tortoise choking to death. You would be amazed at what they can fit down their throats or throw back up. It should be a worry if they take down branches, sticks or any other sharp objects. Tortoises are more than capable of throwing up objects that they don't want to go down. Normally they will try to bite off fiberous pieces that they can't cut and this might look like a chewing action... which it kind of is... If a piece goes down the esophagus by accident they normally cough it up which sounds like the noise you heard. Again, this is normally not a worry. __________________ Ed Tortoise Keerpers @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tortoise_Keepers and http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/284442591651347/ Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

15-03-2012, 07:15 PM	#10
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	My ariana had a big stone in her mouth this afternoon in the garden, she was trying to spit it out, i did intervene and picked her up and took it out, then went thru her enclosure to remove the bigger stines that are just big enough to get lodged in their mouths, they always are a worry just like kids.....but they do have to learn to sort it themselves as they would in the wild, but some intervention i cant help lol x __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)