# My indian star seems to not poop



## shendwen (Sep 2, 2012)

Guys, i'm new here, my indian star seems to not poop lately, usually she will poop when i soaked her in the morning, but lately she doesn't poop anymore in the water, and bcoz of i put her in a 70 x 40cm plastic container and i use vulcanic dirt as her floor cover, i can't see if she already poop, while i am just home at night and left for work since the morning after i soaked her. This 2 days i try to put a small plastic container into her cage, and put her in it to see whether she poops or not. And yet she doesn't poop, and lately she eats less. I usualy give her mustard greens and sometimes hibiscus. Can anybody tell me whats wrong with my indian star?  i am a bit trauma, for my sulcata which is passed away last friday, i have left her in the petshop i bought her from, for being taken care by them, they gave her vitamins by oral n form its nose. When i brought her there, she started to couldn't open her eyes and seldomly walk. Didn't eat much too, and didn't poop also. I am so afraid that my indian star begin to having the same symptoms as my last sulcata.. Someone please help....... Is there any way i can make her to poop in the water again? So i can see her poops condition? Thanx before for all ur advice


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## ascott (Sep 2, 2012)

I read your other post and in that post you say your enclosure is 30x20cm...if this is correct then that is a box and not an enclosure...if we change that cm to inches you are only talking about a box just about 1 foot long by barely 8 inches wide....there is absolutely no way that your tortoise is going to live too long in that box.....you will need to change that right away, I am also guessing that as Yvonne mentioned in your other post you are not in the united states...91x46 cm would be what you should be using and _nothing_ smaller.

What type of lighting and heating are you using? I also would remove that volcanic black sand from the tortoise enclosure, that is not a suitable substrate---your tortoise will dry out and dehydrate on that substrate...your tortoise will get that stuck on their mouth and food and will eat it and that will be very bad for the tortoise.

May we please see a picture of your tortoises face....if your are not housing your tortoise the right way then your tortoise will die. Please help your tortoise before it is too late...

*Indian Star Tortoise Lighting and Temperature
The optimal temperature for star tortoises is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They can handle temperatures around 40 degrees for brief periods, but when nighttime temperatures drop into the 50s or high temperatures fail to exceed 70 degrees, the tortoises should be moved indoors or provided with heat. In wet conditions or high humidity, temperatures should stay above 75 degrees. The combination of cold and wet can be deadly to your tortoise and must be avoided. Moisture levels should be low when the temperature is low, and moisture levels may rise when temperatures are high. High dry temperatures are also acceptable and in fact are provided most of the summer. Star tortoises donâ€™t hibernate, and they cannot survive freezing temperatures.

If star tortoises are maintained entirely indoors, temperatures may range from 75 to 90 degrees.

Exposure to natural sunlight or ultraviolet light plays an important role in how a star tortoise absorbs and uses calcium. UVB light or natural sunlight helps the tortoise produce vitamin D3, which helps the tortoise absorb and use the available calcium. Basking in natural, unfiltered sunlight is the best method to ensure sufficient D3 is available for calcium absorption. It is recommended that tortoises have a calcium-rich diet with a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 2-1. Some tortoisekeepers supplement the diet with manufactured vitamins and D3, but I have not found this to be necessary if the tortoises are provided a varied diet and exposure to UVB light.

Indoors, UVB can be obtained from fluorescent tubes specially made for use by reptiles or from mercury vapor bulbs, which also provide some heat. If fluorescent tubes are used for UVB, a separate lamp may be required for heat, so the tortoise can thermoregulate and raise its temperature to optimal levels for digestion. This heat source should provide a basking area of about 95 degrees.

Indian Star Tortoise Food
Star tortoises graze and feed on a variety of grasses and vegetation. They require a high-fiber diet rich in calcium. Their captive diet may include grasses, greens, vegetables, fruit, and prepackaged or commercial diets.

Grasses may include but arenâ€™t limited to Bermuda grass, rye, mature alfalfa (not sprouts), blue grass and fescue. Greens may include but arenâ€™t limited to collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens and flowers, hibiscus leaves and flowers, grape leaves, escarole, and mulberry tree leaves. Vegetables may include but arenâ€™t limited to spineless cactus pads (Opuntia species), carrots, zucchini, butternut squash, pumpkin, snap or snow peas, mushrooms, sweet potato, yellow squash and bell peppers.

A small portion of their diet may include fruits, such as tomatoes, apples, papayas, cantaloupes, honeydews, watermelons, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mangos and bananas.

Indian Star Tortoise Water 
Star tortoises readily drink standing water, so provide a water dish, but check it daily, and clean it as required. Hatchlings may be soaked once or twice a week in shallow, warm water. They will drink and often defecate or pass urate waste, which has a white pastelike appearance.

Indian Star Tortoise Health
Star tortoises are prone to respiratory problems, which occur when a tortoise is cold or is kept in suboptimal conditions. Signs of a respiratory problem include labored breathing, a nasal discharge, a gaping mouth, puffy eyes, lethargy and a loss of appetite. If not corrected, minor problems can progress to more serious conditions, such as pneumonia.

To correct minor respiratory problems, increase the warmth of the enclosure with an extra heat source, such as a fixture with an incandescent bulb or a heating pad under the enclosure. Bump up the temperature, and increase the hotspot 5 to 10 degrees. The added heat will help boost a tortoiseâ€™s immune system and allow it to better fight infection. Keep the enclosure hot and dry. Soak the tortoise to keep it well hydrated, and ensure water is available to drink.

Severe cases, or tortoises that do not respond to added heat, will typically require a course of antibiotic drugs prescribed by a veterinarian.



*

I hope that you make the changes to your tortoise enclosure as advised on other thread and this thread.....your tortoise needs to be housed differently than how you have it now....


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## shendwen (Sep 4, 2012)

ascott said:


> I read your other post and in that post you say your enclosure is 30x20cm...if this is correct then that is a box and not an enclosure...if we change that cm to inches you are only talking about a box just about 1 foot long by barely 8 inches wide....there is absolutely no way that your tortoise is going to live too long in that box.....you will need to change that right away, I am also guessing that as Yvonne mentioned in your other post you are not in the united states...91x46 cm would be what you should be using and _nothing_ smaller.
> 
> What type of lighting and heating are you using? I also would remove that volcanic black sand from the tortoise enclosure, that is not a suitable substrate---your tortoise will dry out and dehydrate on that substrate...your tortoise will get that stuck on their mouth and food and will eat it and that will be very bad for the tortoise.
> 
> ...



i have change my tortoise enclosure for about 6 months, the new enclosure is 75 x 40 cm. using UVB basking heat lamp from exo terra. 2 or 3 times a week i soaked her in luke warm water in the morning about 10-15 minutes, then let her walk around on the open air for about 10-15 minutes too till all her wet legs almost dry before put her back in her enclosure indoor.. is it right? i attached my indian star photo. i don't realize she was sick, her eyes are open, there isn't any bubbles on her nostril, and she still like to walk around in the morning, but she doesn't eat much. i give her mustard greens or sometimes hibiscus flowers. our temperature about 82 - 100 F degrees here. the UVB lamp is turned on every morning about 7-8 am, and turned off everyday about 6-7pm


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