# Unusual activity



## Lightning11 (Dec 15, 2011)

Recently got a horsefield tortoise and when I first got him he acted very usual walking around biting self and eating and would not hiss or go in shell when a hand approached him, but recently I noticed he sleeps alot and has begun to poo in his food bowl, I went to get fresh food for him to come back and discord he had eaten his poo and his food, also he poos and wee's alot when held. But 2 days ago he urinated and White liquid came out also, and since then he as seemed to sleep alot more suing the day, doesn't tend to go out of his 'bed' and dig, when I put my hand in now to get him out he now hisses alot and hides in shell I also noticed today that there is White powder by his food bowl and down his chest. 
If someone could please give some help to help explain the change in behavior even if you can only help me a little any info is much appreciated


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## cherylim (Dec 15, 2011)

His behaviour sounds alright to me. The white liquid will most likely be urates, waste leaving their body, and it looks like a dry powder if it's dried out (a little like bird droppings).

He just sounds a bit nervous. Sometimes it takes a while for the stress to set in after a change of environment. Emrys took a few weeks to show signs of stress when I first got him, but he recovered again pretty quickly. It's good just to keep a check and make sure he looks and sounds healthy, though.

Have you been soaking him regularly? Usually, tortoises will clear their body of waste during their soak, so they won't need to be going to the toilet in their enclosure as much. Also worth mentioning what your temperatures are like if he's sleeping a lot - make sure he's not trying to brumate.


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## ascott (Dec 16, 2011)

The thing about the white powder down his chest....seems like perhaps he was flipped an struggled to get back over....I have seen several flipped tortoise that in their stress and struggle they let go of fluids and it will pool sometimes on their underside while on their backs...and this is just want came to mind first off while reading your post....along with the sudden skiddish behavior change....you know?

If it were up to me I would make sure to soak the tortoise in a warm bath and then make sure that you have water available to him and not handle him too much for a few days....IMHO that is.

oh yeah....Welcome to the Forum  We LOVE PICS


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## bikerchicspain (Dec 16, 2011)

His behaviour is normal, the hissing is his way of saying i am scared, regular handling will sort that out in time.
i have several that pooh in their food bowl as long as it isnt liquidy, that could be caused by the diet or parasites. A swab would put your mind at rest.

What are your temps?
What UVA/B are you using?
What substrate are you using?
what food are you giving?
are you giving supplements?

can you post pics of his enclosure and the tort?
this would help us alot..


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