# tortoise worry



## edubz

I went outside to check on my tortoise and she looked like she had pooped out some of her insides and it was hanging out. I took her inside, came back out to look at where she was laying for anything weird, then came back in and she seemed to have sucked it back inside. I have never seen anything like this before, it seems like something I should worry about. Anyone know what this could be?

I posted this in the general discussion too. I hope someone has some idea of what this could be.


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## egyptiandan

It could possibly be your tortoise showing you he's a male and flashing his penis. Young males do this all the time. 

Danny


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## edubz

hmm, you think? It was sorta an odd shape though, I almost wanna say it was like a hershey kiss shape. It was rather large too. about the size of a small plum. The tortoise is only about 6 to 7 inches wide or so.


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## Yvonne G

Your tortoise is just a baby, but more than likely it is a male. Young males frequently put out their penis when they start to become sexually active. Here's a picture of an adult male desert tortoise:












Yvonne


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## byrdman1971

Damn it! You just HAD to break out that picture again! Ick.


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## chelonologist

LOL! I LOVE that picture! I've been waiting to see it since this thread was started - thanks Yvonne!


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## RTfanatic

Can you say P-E-N-I-S?


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## Yvonne G

chelonologist said:


> LOL! I LOVE that picture! I've been waiting to see it since this thread was started - thanks Yvonne!



You don't see it all that much in desert tortoises...mostly in Sulcatas. And just a note for you sulcata owners out there who have young males: It usually doesn't look quite that engorged when they do their display. It usually just looks like a long pink bullet. It only becomes engorged inside the female to keep it from popping out.

Yvonne


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## edubz

Yea, I don't really think it looked like that, it was more sack like and darker in color, smoother. It also sorta dropped down and didn't really point back at all. Haven't seen it since but it really creeped out my family.


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## egyptiandan

Like Yvonne said it's usually not that big when you see it. It also doesn't usually stick backwards. Usually it goes forward under the tortoise.

Danny


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## Crazy1

edubz, could you post a pic of your tort with a tale shot so we can see if it is a she or a he.


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## Crazy1

Here is a site that shows a cloacal prolapse. http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Cloacal_prolapse.htm


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## edubz

Crazy1 said:


> Here is a site that shows a cloacal prolapse. http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Cloacal_prolapse.htm




Back after being outta town a little here. That is more what it looked like, maybe a little bigger though. It did go back in by itself, not sure what that means. It was more symmetrical in shape too.


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## james

emysemys said:


> Your tortoise is just a baby, but more than likely it is a male. Young males frequently put out their penis when they start to become sexually active. Here's a picture of an adult male desert tortoise:
> 
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> Yvonne




are you serious?!!!!! i never knew that it would look like that. i thought there was a flower next to him. wow. Captain better keep that thing to himself.  i seriously can't keep a straight face at work anymore. LOL


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## Crazy1

OK James, calm down. 

edubz, how is your DT doing?


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## Josh

ahahahahah. these threads are ALWAYS so entertaining. young'uns, avert thine eyes!


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## Crazy1

Josh, looks like you may have to set up a little Parental guidance icon for some of our threads. (LOL) Can we all say Educational


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## longbeachskunk

Phew! Ok so its normal!


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## Crazy1

I would not say prolapses are normal, here is what the Ã¢â‚¬Å“WCT OnlineÃ¢â‚¬Â says about them.: Ã¢â‚¬Å“The causes for cloacal prolapses in chelonia are myriad, in many cases the causative factor is never determined. Such factors as parasitism, trauma, cagemate aggression, nutritional imbalances, and malformation of tissues can all have a role in this medical dilemma. " 

"The types of tissues that can prolapse are also varied as a number of organs empty into the cloaca. Such tissues as oviduct, bladder, and intestine are all candidates and males will also on occasion have a penile prolapse"

"The one factor that all prolapses have in common is that immediate medical attention is essential! An intestine that has been outside the animal for a day or so can dry up rapidly thus often necessitating HIGHLY invasive (often transplastronal surgery) and hugely expensive surgical techniques to try to rectify the problem."


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## longbeachskunk

Crazy1 said:


> I would not say prolapses are normal, here is what the Ã¢â‚¬Å“WCT OnlineÃ¢â‚¬Â says about them.: Ã¢â‚¬Å“The causes for cloacal prolapses in chelonia are myriad, in many cases the causative factor is never determined. Such factors as parasitism, trauma, cagemate aggression, nutritional imbalances, and malformation of tissues can all have a role in this medical dilemma. "
> 
> "The types of tissues that can prolapse are also varied as a number of organs empty into the cloaca. Such tissues as oviduct, bladder, and intestine are all candidates and males will also on occasion have a penile prolapse"
> 
> "The one factor that all prolapses have in common is that immediate medical attention is essential! An intestine that has been outside the animal for a day or so can dry up rapidly thus often necessitating HIGHLY invasive (often transplastronal surgery) and hugely expensive surgical techniques to try to rectify the problem."



Ok, wait..... I'm getting a little confused, but either way, I am going to take my torts to the vet for a check up in a couple weeks just to be sure. What I am confused about is the flower shaped penis hanging out vs. all other prolapses. Some of the comments on here are making it sound like when you see the "flower", it's is just a male tortoises way of saying "hey baby check this out."...... but other comments have me worried. Now aside from the possible scary reasons, do they actually show off their genitilia sometimes?



Crazy1 said:


> Here is a site that shows a cloacal prolapse. http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Cloacal_prolapse.htm



And thanks for this link. I hope everyone gets a chance to check it out, there is some scary stuff we all need to know about our torts just incase!


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## Crazy1

Sorry for the scare longbeachskunk. Didn't mean to do that. I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about prolapses. Yes, it is pretty normal for the males to show of their stuff ( the flower shaped purple thing,is a penis,not a prolapse )


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## aRym

my tort had penile prolapse today. it took few day before the thing really popped out. it was a great surprised as i've been told by vet that my tort was a she. 
my concern is.. his tail is swelling for almost a week already. is it normal? or should i take him to the vet?


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## Yvonne G

aRym said:


> my tort had penile prolapse today. it took few day before the thing really popped out. it was a great surprised as i've been told by vet that my tort was a she.
> my concern is.. his tail is swelling for almost a week already. is it normal? or should i take him to the vet?



If your tortoise's penis has been out for almost a week NO, this is NOT normal. When a male discovers his "parts" he will put them out then in then out then in, playing with it until he becomes accustomed to it. But if it stays out longer than a few minutes, this is truly a prolapse and requires a trip to the vet. Keep it lubricated so it doesn't dry out. You can smear some Vaseline or antibiotic ointment on it to keep it moist.

Incidentally, sometimes females have parts that will prolapse, its not always a penis.

Yvonne


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## aRym

emysemys said:


> If your tortoise's penis has been out for almost a week NO, this is NOT normal. When a male discovers his "parts" he will put them out then in then out then in, playing with it until he becomes accustomed to it. But if it stays out longer than a few minutes, this is truly a prolapse and requires a trip to the vet. Keep it lubricated so it doesn't dry out. You can smear some Vaseline or antibiotic ointment on it to keep it moist.
> 
> Incidentally, sometimes females have parts that will prolapse, its not always a penis.
> 
> Yvonne



The thing will be sticking out while she/he is soaking, when she/he wanted to poo or urinates. Then she/he will put it in and out and in again - like you have posted before. But it stays out just a while, no longer than few minutes. I noticed this happen since last week. 

Do the swollen tail related to the prolapse? The tail is swelling like there's a 'big ball' inside it. I'm planning to take x-ray of this tort and find out if the swollen tail related to impaction (or prolapse) due to bladder stone. 

BTW, which females parts that will prolapse?


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