Hair stuck out of tortoise butt

TSavannahLFCx

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I have a horsefield tortoise who I've only had since June now. I have no idea how he's managed to do this as my hair is always tied back when I'm around him but he's eaten one of my hairs! Thankfully, he's passing it through but today as he passed it through again, there was two ends of the hair remaining. Does this mean that the hair is on it's way out as I can see both ends of my hair on his butt?

Many thanks
 

zovick

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I have a horsefield tortoise who I've only had since June now. I have no idea how he's managed to do this as my hair is always tied back when I'm around him but he's eaten one of my hairs! Thankfully, he's passing it through but today as he passed it through again, there was two ends of the hair remaining. Does this mean that the hair is on it's way out as I can see both ends of my hair on his butt?

Many thanks

It could be coming out on its own, but you could try pulling on one of the ends very gently with tweezers to see if you can get it out. Only pull on one end of the hair in case it is looped around any soft tissue in the tortoise's digestive tract and pull gently. If it doesn't start coming out, leave it alone and hope you find a poop with the hair visible in it.

Good luck.
 

TSavannahLFCx

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It could be coming out on its own, but you could try pulling on one of the ends very gently with tweezers to see if you can get it out. Only pull on one end of the hair in case it is looped around any soft tissue in the tortoise's digestive tract and pull gently. If it doesn't start coming out, leave it alone and hope you find a poop with the hair visible in it.

Good luck.
Yeah, I have had luck with him pulling it out and me trying to pull it as gently as I can. I think I've just got to be patient no matter how much it irritates me that he still has that hair up on his backend!
 

Ben02

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Yeah, I have had luck with him pulling it out and me trying to pull it as gently as I can. I think I've just got to be patient no matter how much it irritates me that he still has that hair up on his backend!
Try soaking him in Luke warm water. Hope if he pees or poops it should come out with the hair. Even the water may make it shift its way out.
 

TSavannahLFCx

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Try soaking him in Luke warm water. Hope if he pees or poops it should come out with the hair. Even the water may make it shift its way out.
Going to give him his 3rd soak of the day later so hopefully he will pee or poop then!
 

TSavannahLFCx

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Good news! He just pooped earlier without me having to bathe him again and it seems as if it's all come out now as I see no hair sticking out of his butt! Thank the lord
 

Ben02

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Good news! He just pooped earlier without me having to bathe him again and it seems as if it's all come out now as I see no hair sticking out of his butt! Thank the lord
Great news!

One of mine had the same problem a while ago and I was able to trade it out with my fingers. I wouldn’t recommend ever doing that though.
 
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