# Throwing up and diarrhea



## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

Okay I went to feed my two red foot tortoises one is 3 and the other is 1 they both very lively and active, I went to feed them and my 3 yr old went to eat and everything was normal and as soon as I came back there was this white fluid in the food bowl (my guess is boiled egg from day before) and behind him was a large pile of diorehea I removed the food and water bowl to clean and checked on my other tortoise and he seemed fine until he also had diorehea and what I could see as mealworm exoskeletons after all this I cleaned up everything and have them a warm bath (to get everything out) and it's kinda of worked but I'm worried more because te 3 yr old has a red thing on his fce that I thought was a cut or a scan so I took a closer look and it isn't painful for him and it doesn't look like a open wound or anything just a red thig over the skin well anyway I'm very worried anyone got any ideas?


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## Dizisdalife (Jan 28, 2015)

Welcome to the Forum, Willi. Sorry for the circumstances that brought you to us. I don't keep red foot tortoises, but I have read that boiled eggs can cause the symptoms that you have described. Hope to see pictures of your healthy tortoises here soon.


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## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

Thank you for your moment any help means a lot at the minute, if that is so then I have read a caresheet were a guy fed his red foot boiled egg and mushrooms on a regular basis (once a and week/month etc) I am going to look into that definately


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## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

Many caresheets such as this one http://tortoiseyard.com/diet.htm say that it is alright for hard boiled eggs and mushrooms so I am thrown off


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## pfara (Jan 28, 2015)

Some torts seem to have issues with egg and some don't. All of mine don't show any issues with egg no matter how I cook it (poached, hard-boiled, lightly scrambled). But, there are threads with other folks that said their reds+eggs=yuck.


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## inkling13 (Jan 28, 2015)

I used to feed my red foot boiled egg as her protien source and didn't have any problems for months. One day however I woke up to the same mess you did. The poor tort had a rough night, multiple piles of muck that seemed to have come out of both ends. The egg was the only thing she'd gotten out of her normal routine (she got it about once a month at the time) so I believe it was the culprit. I'm guessing that some tortoises can handle boiled egg just fine or in my case they can handle it most of the time. That one bad reaction may have just been because we had an egg past it's prime, I don't know, but it was horrifying enough that I have never fed egg since. Anyway, I did a warm soak and a full substrate change that day (it stank terribly) and when I tentatively offered food the tort had at it like she was starving. Clearly she was not wary about re stuffing her greedy gut. Hope your two bounce back just as quick!


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## HLogic (Jan 28, 2015)

I will never again feed egg yolks to a tort. I had a less than savory experience as a result of feeding hard-boiled eggs to RF's as well. The whites do not seem to present the same degree of disgust. The culprit is the sulfurous compounds in the yolk - eat a dozen hard-boiled eggs and see if you agree! 

FWIW, mushrooms are a regular addition to their diet for protein and nutrients not found in most vegetable matter. I have never had a problem with mushrooms.


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## stojanovski92113 (Jan 28, 2015)

pfara said:


> Some torts seem to have issues with egg and some don't. All of mine don't show any issues with egg no matter how I cook it (poached, hard-boiled, lightly scrambled). But, there are threads with other folks that said their reds+eggs=yuck.


I was going to say the same. My Reds have never had issues with eggs, however I've read on the forum that some tortoises are more sensitive and throw up & have diarrhea issues.


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## pfara (Jan 28, 2015)

HLogic said:


> I will never again feed egg yolks to a tort. I had a less than savory experience as a result of feeding hard-boiled eggs to RF's as well. The whites do not seem to present the same degree of disgust. The culprit is the sulfurous compounds in the yolk - *eat a dozen hard-boiled eggs* and see if you agree!
> 
> FWIW, mushrooms are a regular addition to their diet for protein and nutrients not found in most vegetable matter. I have never had a problem with mushrooms.



The amount fed can also be a factor. With fruits and protein, I tend to be on the conservative side.


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## stojanovski92113 (Jan 28, 2015)

pfara said:


> The amount fed can also be a factor. With fruits and protein, I tend to be on the conservative side.


Agreed


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## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

Yes it was very messy in the tank thanks for the info I probably so try eggs to be honest just because it has traumatised me so muh for my babies but I understand what all o you are saying I will try and remove substrate and feed tomorrow just to be safe


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## crimson_lotus (Jan 28, 2015)

My tortoise has never had any issues with eggs, but given all that have testified, I would just clean up the mess and watch them to see how they're doing. 

As for the red thing on your tortoises face, would you happen to have a picture of that? If it is just a cut (and I say this without actually seeing it), you can dab some neosporin on it to help it heal faster.


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## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

This is it on his cheek I can't tell what it is


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## inkling13 (Jan 28, 2015)

Hmm, looks like a scab of some sort to me. One of my torts has gotten little scrapes on her neck a time or two, I can't tell if they're from her nails or something in her enclosure but they always make me a bit of an anxious mother hen when they appear. My main concern with the scab/injury on your tortoise is that it's so close to the ear. The tortoise may be extra sensitive around that part of their head- especially if the ear is involved, that's a tender spot. Beautiful tort by the way! I love the facial colorings and how low the yellow dips between the eyes and nose. Am I seeing things or is that a conjoined nostril too? Quite the unique individual


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## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

Yeah I dunno whys he has that I didn't realise when j bought him but it defines him individualy and it doesn't bother him at all


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## Willi (Jan 28, 2015)

It doesn't look so weird from the front haha


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## stojanovski92113 (Jan 28, 2015)

By the way....I dig your avatar pic!!!


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## newCH (Jan 29, 2015)

You took a great pic if your tort. He is beautiful.
I havent feed egg to my little Sheldon & I doubt I will.
This is not the first post I have read about a bad reaction to egg.
So far he's done fine with shrimp, tuna & boiled chicken.
Good luck with your torts. I hope they feel better soon !


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## Willi (Jan 29, 2015)

Haha yes I have lots of tarantulas they are my babies too and my tortoises frank and Norman haven't had problems with anything before they do love chicken and I have yet to try tuna and shrimp haha


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## stojanovski92113 (Jan 29, 2015)

Willi said:


> Haha yes I have lots of tarantulas they are my babies too and my tortoises frank and Norman haven't had problems with anything before they do love chicken and I have yet to try tuna and shrimp haha


Awesome...I use to have 11 tarantulas for 11 years, some died in between. But I donated the ones I had left to a nature center by me because my husband would not allow tarantulas in the house when I moved in with him. I said I will NEVER let loose of my tortoises however!


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## Willi (Jan 29, 2015)

Haha yes I didn't realise how addictive tarantula keeping was when I started


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## stojanovski92113 (Jan 29, 2015)

Now you will be addicted to tortoises!! I started out with one redfoot in 2008, now I have 8, 3 died  as babies. But they are amazing creatures!!!!


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## Willi (Jan 29, 2015)

I definately want to broaden my collection of species I want to get next maybe another red foot but I also want to get a yellow foot next which I know are dificult to find and get hold of another is a sulcutta I really want one of them but one tortoise is on the top of my wish list - the PANCAKE TORTOISE haha


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## stojanovski92113 (Jan 29, 2015)

Willi said:


> I definately want to broaden my collection of species I want to get next maybe another red foot but I also want to get a yellow foot next which I know are dificult to find and get hold of another is a sulcutta I really want one of them but one tortoise is on the top of my wish list - the PANCAKE TORTOISE haha


I really want some yellowfoots too!! I've never seen them available anywhere! I think they are beautiful! Pancakes would be cool too!


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## pjj (Feb 10, 2015)

I am new to the red foot world. I have had my Russian, Jeff, for 5 years before I brought my new, red foot, Pepper, home last month. I am learning the ins and outs of owning a South American species. Boy, what a difference! Thank goodness for sites like this one. Thank you for the great advice. I awoke to a similar mess this morning. The culprit....boiled egg yesterday. Well, I think that's what caused the vomit and diarrhea. I fed her egg before with no problems. This time I wasn't so lucky, yuck,! I thought for sure she was gravely I'll until I read this post and put 2 and 2 together. Thank you sooo much!


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## sissyofone (Feb 10, 2015)

I keep redfoots and out of the 5 i have 2 have done the same after eating egg. I do not feed them eggs for protein anymore. And its never happened again. I admit it was scary. Sorry it happened to yours. I hope things are better now.


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## pjj (Feb 10, 2015)

I was so worried! She had eaten egg in the past with good results. In fact, she seemed to love it. I won't try it again. She didn't like the chicken I gave her a couple of weeks ago. She's kind of a picky eater. She loves mango, strawberries and I've found she'll eat her mixed greens better if I pulverize a section of orange and mix it in. I tried to offer her a red worm once and she was afraid of it!


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