# black face



## ccschwitzer (May 23, 2011)

Hi all! 

My hatchling desert tortoise (6 months old) has a black mouth. When he was younger he sometimes ate his poop, but I haven't noticed him doing it anymore (the evidence used to be on his front lefts from manipulating his little snack). Even though i'm rather sure hes no longer eating his feces, he still has a black mouth. his diet consists of mostly spring mix lettuce and occassionally any raw fruit or veggie I'm eating that I share a bite with him. I'm thinking perhaps its just from the purple spring-mix lettuce i've been feeding him that is staining his face? I haven't really seen it in others peoples pictures and I haven't been able to find any information online about it, hoping someone can help me out.

thanks all!


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## coreyc (May 23, 2011)

If he is 6 months he is still eating his poop but dont worry it is normal give him a warm soak it might just wash away


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## dmarcus (May 23, 2011)

definitely eating poop and even if you don't see it, the black mouth tells you he is still doing it..


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## Neal (May 23, 2011)

I had something similar happen with my leopards about a year ago. It could be oxidation, probably from a 'wet' diet like feeding it a lot of lettuce and fruits. It isn't harmful to the tortoise, if you let him graze and mix up his diet a bit more it will go away in a few weeks.


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## Fernando (May 23, 2011)

My sulcata is 7 months old...I still catch him once in a while. Don't worry.


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## Yvonne G (May 23, 2011)

Hi Candace:


When he bites the different lettuces in the spring mix, it leaves lettuce juice around the outside of his mouth. This turns black eventually. I never considered oxidation, but I'll bet that's exactly what it is (thanks, Neal).


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