My tortoise won't stop eating wood chips...HELP! :(

tortilla4

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Does anyone have a recommendation for a good vet in Sioux Falls, SD? She continues to poop out nothing but wood chips and I worry that she needs to see a vet for help with this. I have a vitamin powder I will add to her diet immediately as well. Any other tips are welcomed I’m starting to panic about her a little. :(
 

ascott

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Does anyone have a recommendation for a good vet in Sioux Falls, SD? She continues to poop out nothing but wood chips and I worry that she needs to see a vet for help with this. I have a vitamin powder I will add to her diet immediately as well. Any other tips are welcomed I’m starting to panic about her a little. :(

If the tort is pooping out the substrate...that is good, let the tort get it out....a good long daily tepid water soak will aid in the cleaning out of the bowels. I personally use Premier Peat Moss that I buy in a huge bag at Lowes for 12-15 dollars....it is a big bag....it is initially a slow process to moisten the substrate when you first add it to the enclosure....slow wet with warm water a little at a time until the substrate is a bit moist (not wet) and then I hand press down the substrate super firm/packed so that the tort has a firm ground to walk on. I also let some of the enclosure substrate dry up a bit so that the tort also has a bit of space to retreat to which allows the tort to remove itself from moist...also gives the tort a place to move to in the event of a power outage so the tort is not stuck in a cold moist place....just what I do.

I think I also did not understand you correctly....so I will just ask :) So all through the night there is a heat source that keeps the enclosure at or near 80ish?
 

ascott

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tortilla4

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If the tort is pooping out the substrate...that is good, let the tort get it out....a good long daily tepid water soak will aid in the cleaning out of the bowels. I personally use Premier Peat Moss that I buy in a huge bag at Lowes for 12-15 dollars....it is a big bag....it is initially a slow process to moisten the substrate when you first add it to the enclosure....slow wet with warm water a little at a time until the substrate is a bit moist (not wet) and then I hand press down the substrate super firm/packed so that the tort has a firm ground to walk on. I also let some of the enclosure substrate dry up a bit so that the tort also has a bit of space to retreat to which allows the tort to remove itself from moist...also gives the tort a place to move to in the event of a power outage so the tort is not stuck in a cold moist place....just what I do.

I think I also did not understand you correctly....so I will just ask :) So all through the night there is a heat source that keeps the enclosure at or near 80ish?
Thank you so much for that great explanation! Meat moss sounds like a much better option. And yes there is a warming pad stuck to the bottom of her tank that keeps her warm once her light automatically turns off for bed around 8. :)
 

tortilla4

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Yes, that is similar to the Premier Peat Moss I mentioned....this is also a slow water absorber....but also holds good moisture...what size is the enclosure? What size is the tortoise....
Her enclosure is a 40 gallon tank and she is four but I haven’t specifically measured her. I know this isn’t ideal but this is the setup I acquired her with so soon I will have to figure something out that’s bigger but that is what she has for now.
 

TammyJ

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This thread is bothering me because we don't even know what type of wood chips are in the enclosure. If it's cedar wood, then it's poison for the tortoise as well as an impaction and digestive problem. The wood chips must be removed and dumped! Almost anything else would be better including newspaper. Other much better substrates have been recommended. Get the correct diet going for this tortoise, including calcium rich foods like opuntia cactus, as well as the correct enclosure conditions of temperature and humidity, space, hide and water and food dishes. That is just the basics for a healthy tortoise.
 

TammyJ

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Does anyone have a recommendation for a good vet in Sioux Falls, SD? She continues to poop out nothing but wood chips and I worry that she needs to see a vet for help with this. I have a vitamin powder I will add to her diet immediately as well. Any other tips are welcomed I’m starting to panic about her a little. :(
No more wood chips! She must not have them where she can eat them or poop them out, or NOT poop them out.
 

Tanyabobanya

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No more wood chips! She must not have them where she can eat them or poop them out, or NOT poop them out.

I have desert tortoises. Inside at night I use a mix of organic top soil,organic soil (they had both and are similar looking) and coco Coir. The soil has tons of wood chips, or more like small wood pieces. I assumed that’s just what topsoil is? They have a larger outdoor enclosure. I was concerned about soil having anything in it even though organic, it’s woody. My gardener literally went to the mountains and brought back the finest soil (dirt?) I’ve ever seen after hearing me ponder the meaning of soil. It’s like clay. But- he put over the original rocks that were there. Some are big but some are tiny. Over time the rocks have been dug up. I’ve seen a tiny white rock in poop as well as a wood chip. Do I spend 2 weeks sifting thru the dirt with a fine spaghetti strainer? I’ve done it before. My hands look 20 years older.
I know you just said it Tom but could you one more time name the absolute BEST substrate for desert tortoises? I’ve hear good things about something and then I read something bad the next day. Would anyone like to see a photo of an outdoor enclosure I finally set on for my 5 month old tortoise? Good. Cuz I’m posting it. It’s filled with coco Coir and top soil too. It doesn’t get that firm when I added water press down. It dries fast. Peat moss dries out too. Like my hands. Thank you!
 

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JTH

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Hi guys,

I have a problem and I really need your help with it. My sweet little Sally has a problem with eating wood chips. She likes to eat her poop (also welcoming ideas on how to help her stop that!) and the poop sticks to the wood chips and then boom, wood chips in the tummy! Tonight she was clearly in pain when she was in the bath and she proceeded to poop out two large wood chips. I can see that its negatively affecting her health but I don't know what to do to fix this issue. Is there something I can do to get her to stop eating the poop? If not is there a substrate that would be more easily digestible? She is a four year old female red footed tortoise. I'm pretty sick about this and I'm hoping you all can help. Summoning wisdom!!!


Eating feces is common for Redfoots. The problem is the substrate. Lose the wood chips, try fine grade ground coconut shell. It holds moisture well and tends to go right through when they eat it, though I suppose that if they ate enough of it, it might be bad. Clean up poo quickly, and soak tort in warm water daily, as they tend to expel wastes while soaking. Always feed torts on a solid base, to avoid picking up substrate.
 

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