Cleaning him up?

[Ash&Tort]

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to start off by saying the my new baby sulcata is doing great. He's eating like a pig, active, digging in and generally destroying any plants I put in there for him, and all around seems to be having a great time. Next week it's supposed to be about 70, so I'm so excited to take him out for the first time! Anyway, back on topic...

This morning when I was giving him his morning soak, I noticed that he seems to have some poo stuck to his back foot. I noticed some on the bottom part of his shell beneath his tail too. There is some on the bottom of his tail too.

I was wondering how to clean him up, or if I should even worry about it.

My other question is how to get him to eat his mazuri. He just doesn't seem interested in it at all. He'd much rather have his greens, weeds or grass. I know many people use mazuri to fill in any dietary gaps, so I'd like him to eat it every once in awhile just to be on the safe side. I've tried breaking the pellets apart, soaking them, feeding them as is. He's just not having it lol.

 

[Jodie]

You can just rinse him off in his soak. A toothbrush or just a wash rag to wipe off anything really stuck.
For the mazuri i moisten it and mix it in with the food they like. Start with a small amout and increase. Are you using the LS type or original? They seem to like the original best.

 

[tortdad]

Are you trying to feed it to him while its dry or have you wet it down? I soak it in warm water for about a min and mix all the mushy stuff with the greens. You can crush the dry pellets and sprinkle it on too. Mine seem to like it better wet. I just use my fingers to run the tort when bathing

 

[Yvonne G]

It is very important to keep the cloaca of a baby tortoise clean. Because they eat a very moist diet, the poop tends to stick to the tail area, then it builds up as he continues to poop. Eventually what's outside hardens and makes it impossible for him to pass any more. So soak him then pick it all off. Just another thing us mommies have to do to keep our babies healthy!!

 

[tortdad]

It is very important to keep the cloaca of a baby tortoise clean. Because they eat a very moist diet, the poop tends to stick to the tail area, then it builds up as he continues to poop. Eventually what's outside hardens and makes it impossible for him to pass any more. So soak him then pick it all off. Just another thing us mommies have to do to keep our babies healthy!!

Hahaha. Tort owners=poop pickers

 

[Jodie]

Hahaha. Tort owners=poop pickers

Lol.

 

[christinaland128]

If you give him daily soaks the poop doesn't seem to stick at all. At least in my experience.

 

[Tom]

I gently use a soft bristled tooth brush to clean off any leftover stuff after a soak. I then make sure the toothbrush does not go back into the toothbrush holder unless I really don't like the owner of the toothbrush.

Which type of Mazuri are you feeding?

 

[cassieopia]

I can use a cloth over my finger and rub up on him. Kronk has more issue with his ears than with his booty...

 

[Ash&Tort]

Thanks everyone. I scrubbed him up with a toothbrush. He was totally ticked at me about it, but it seemed to have done the trick. Even if he did keep tucking everything up into his little shell. I'll have to get a better look later I guess.

And yes, I have tried wetting down the mazuri pellets. I'll try mixing the mush into the greens though, he's such a pig that will probably trick him into eating it lol.

I'm using this mazuri:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K00T6G/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20