# where to buy mineral oil?



## taurusgi (Feb 2, 2012)

hello!! I have a question about the mineral oil... Little blacky hasn't pooped since last Friday and it will be a week tomorrow!! She is eating still but a little bit less I guess. She is still moving around too but she goes to bed earlier now. I wonder what's happening? Before she was having soft poop and I started giving her TNT and some probiotics and she was fine for one week, and then now there is no poop!! I guess they are just like kids - poop or no poop, there is always problems 

I was doing some research on the forum and many people talked about the 1-2 hr warm water bath or pumpkin or car ride or mineral oil? I will soak her for 20-30 min tomorrow, and do the long-hrs soak this Saturday (can't do the long hrs tomorrow because of work), but I also want to try the other stuff.

My two questions are:

1. What kind of mineral oil should I get? Is it something like this? I'm planning to mix it with Mazuri for her to eat it. Not sure if I'm brave enough to try to shoot it down her throat... 
http://www.target.com/p/up-up-Extra-Heavy-Mineral-Oil-16-oz/-/A-11454532

2. Blacky is a Hermanns. I've never fed her fruit because I thought Hermanns are not supposed to have fruit? The closest thing she ever had before was cucumber, but that was about 6 months ago.... Can I give her canned pumpkin? Not sure if pumpkin counts as fruit...? Also is it like this?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Libby-39-s-Pumpkin-100-Pure-15-Oz/10306750

I know I'm supposed to get the canned pumpkin but not the pumpkin pie mix, but how do I know which one it is? This one says it's 100% pure pumpkin but got a pie picture on it...

Thank you for reading my questions. Any suggestions would help!! I hope this little trouble maker will be healthy soon..... 

kiki


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## JoesMum (Feb 2, 2012)

A 20 minute daily soak may do the job. Dehydration causes constipation. Make sure she can't climb out before she's done.

I won't comment on which oil as I live in the wrong country.

I'm in the wrong country for pumpkin too. Instinctively I'd stay away from canned foods as there is usually salt and/or sugar added... Both are no good for tortoises.

Read the label carefully. The food may be OK, but all the other stuff could do harm. Fresh veg is best. Collard greens, romaine lettuce


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## GBtortoises (Feb 3, 2012)

I agree with JoesMum-Dehydration often causes constipation, as well as a other digestive related problems as well as a build up of urates. Hydration is absolutely essential to a tortoise's good health. Even more critical with very young (small) tortoises.

Hermann's, as well as other Northern Mediterranean Testudo species should be fed a good quality, varied diet of about 80-85% greens with rest being made up of a good quality variety of vegetables. A very occasional fruit is fine, when your tortoise is in good health and well hydrated. But fruit should not be a regular part of a Hermann's diet. Occasional cucumber is fine, but serves very little nutrional purpose.

Again, agreeing with JoeMum-It is a good idea to stay away from canned foods, as stated they usually contain high levels of salt or added sugar. Fresh is better whenever possible. Frozen would be the next choice after fresh, but again, the ingredient label should be carefully read to determine contents. Pumpkin is not an absolute necessity as part of a tortoises diet. Slightly cooker pumpkin actually has better nutrional value overall than raw pumpkin.

The "cure" for constipation in tortoises is pretty much the same as in kids--Better hydration, more fiber.


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## taurusgi (Feb 3, 2012)

hello! Thank you for the suggestion! 
(I'm attaching some pooping pics here, so be aware!) 

I do feed them all different kind of greens.  I also just started growing weeds in the pots on my balcony last month, and hopefully them will grow well! I only hand fed them cucumber during soak, so that they would behave and stay in the water (since they both love cucumber!) But I stopped feeding them 6 months ago, because Blacky was having running poop, and I thought it was because of the cucumber. After taking her to the vet, it turned out she had worms, but I just never fed them cucumber anymore since then. 

And guess what!? I guess Blacky was dehydrated like what you guys said... I soaked them in water yesterday morning, and they were just sitting there for the whole 25 mins without even trying to escape. (Maybe because it was too early in the morning and they were not awake yet? I gotta do it before work...) So this morning, I hand fed her some food and dropped the food in the water, so that she would start walking around and try to get the food... (exercise helps pooping too, right?) and then voila! Blacky pooped in about 27 mins soak!!! I feel bad like I'm a bad mom.. I was too busy for the last several weeks and didn't soak them as often....  Guess I'll just have to start getting up earlier and soak them before going to work!

Before whenever they pooped during soak, I was always like "oh man.... not again........" then I had to take them out and end the soak session early. Never thought I would say "weeeeeeeee we got POOP!!!" when I see her poop in the water!! What a happy Friday~~ 

Sorry about the poop pictures... Just wanted to share the good news with you guys! People on Forum here really help me a lot!  The little one on the right is Panda George, and the bigger one is Little Blacky (Shiao-Heh). 





I will try some slightly cooked pumpkin too! Sorry I normally wouldn't even consider canned food, but was wondering since so many other people talked about how canned pumpkin would help constipation.

Just for future reference, (guess I don't need it anymore for now...) can anybody comment on the mineral oil? I would like to know what kind of mineral oil I can use, in case if one of my babes gets constipation again... sure hope it won't happen again!! 

Thanks again for all your help~



here is another pic I took over christmas!


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## Momof4 (Feb 3, 2012)

Congrats on the "poop" There's nothing wrong with 100% pure pumpkin. There is nothing added to it. You can find Mineral oil in the pharmacy section near the Pepto. 
Sometimes I have to dump the water 3x before my RF is done pooping. Just when I think he finished he goes more. 
If you can put the soaking container next to the sink while your getting ready for work or doing dishes. You kill two birds with one stone


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## taurusgi (Feb 4, 2012)

haha thank you Kathy for the tips! I'll look for them the next time at the store. I live in SD too! It's always exciting to meet other people who are turtle lovers in SD~ 

I always thought they are so clever and put it together in their little heads that once they poop in the water, they can get away with the soaking because I'll have to take them out and clean it. Didn't realize that they didn't mean to do it, it's the tempting to escape causes the bowel movement...


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