Constipation

[Woodp]

Hi all

I am new to this forum and relatively new tortoise mum.
Tilly my tortoise (1 yr old, spur thighed), seems to get constipated as does not pass poop regularly last time being for a week.
Any advice ?
I feed her a mix of kale, watercress, romaine and lambs lettuce, pak Choi, cucumber and occasional strawberry

Thank you in advance

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Welcome to the forum!

Here are some tips to relieve constipation in tortoises:

• Mineral oil can be fed rolled up in lettuce and/or swiped on the cloaca with a q tip.
• Long soaks, 40 to 60 minutes (keeping the water warm) in a container she has room to walk around in.
• Foods that provide extra hydration and have a dilurantic effect: pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, aloe vera and lettuce.

 

[Woodp]

Thank you for your help. Any idea what could be causing constipation? She eats well, I give her a soak every day so don’t thing she’s dehydrated

 

[COmtnLady]

Before taking constipation-relieving measures please tell us more (and include pictures) about how she is being kept, what her enclosure is like, and how much she eats.

How long are you soaking her? Is the water warm? Many tortoises prefer to poop in the water.

How much exercise does she get? Like all creatures, tortoises need to walk around a lot to encourage their digestive systems to move.

What is the temp and humidity of her enclosure? If its too chilly it slows their metabolism and they also don't poop as easily/often.


Tell/show us as much as you can!


_____________________________________________________________________



Welcome to The Forum!

You have found the best tortoise info site anywhere online. You will find the most up-to-date info here, plus there are a lot of decades of expert tortoise keeping represented by the various members. Everyone will do their best to help you help your tortoise to have a happy healthy life.


For your own peace of mind don't listen to the "advice" given by other sources (like: pet shops, social media sites, people at reptile shows, many of the YouTube videos, and even most veterinarians). Most're still using old info that doesn't work as well as what you'll find here.


Study the info in the links and suggestions offered. All those head-exploding details will show you how to help your tortoise to thrive.

And, ask a lot of questions.


Hint:
Run it by the other members before you buy new equipment or whatever - their expertise will save you a lot of time, stress, and money.


.

 

[Woodp]

Before taking constipation-relieving measures please tell us more (and include pictures) about how she is being kept, what her enclosure is like, and how much she eats.

How long are you soaking her? Is the water warm? Many tortoises prefer to poop in the water.

How much exercise does she get? Like all creatures, tortoises need to walk around a lot to encourage their digestive systems to move.

What is the temp and humidity of her enclosure? If its too chilly it slows their metabolism and they also don't poop as easily/often.


Tell/show us as much as you can!


_____________________________________________________________________



Welcome to The Forum!

You have found the best tortoise info site anywhere online. You will find the most up-to-date info here, plus there are a lot of decades of expert tortoise keeping represented by the various members. Everyone will do their best to help you help your tortoise to have a happy healthy life.


For your own peace of mind don't listen to the "advice" given by other sources (like: pet shops, social media sites, people at reptile shows, many of the YouTube videos, and even most veterinarians). Most're still using old info that doesn't work as well as what you'll find here.


Study the info in the links and suggestions offered. All those head-exploding details will show you how to help your tortoise to thrive.

And, ask a lot of questions.


Hint:
Run it by the other members before you buy new equipment or whatever - their expertise will save you a lot of time, stress, and money.


.

Hi
She has a table top with substrate and edible bedding. She has a heater with uvb/uva bulb , with slate as basking area. She likes to stretch out under here. She has a half log for hiding in with a fake plant and I am going to plant some spider plants as understand they eat these. She eats very well, for instance a large leaf of romaine lettuce, a couple of kale or leaf of pak Choi and hand full of lambs lettuce, some cucumber, she will sometimes have more in the evening. She pees when soaked, shortest time she is soaked is 30mins with water regularly topped up to keep warm. and does do her poops usually at this time when she does go. She is in our spare bedroom at the moment which is warm, with radiator and temp doesn’t go below 18oc in that room. I let her free roam in room in the mornings for about 15-20mins. I leave lamp on all day and turn off at night. I have read that spur thigh do not light humid living.
I have been looking at changing the lamp. But it’s a mine field out there.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hi
She has a table top with substrate and edible bedding. She has a heater with uvb/uva bulb , with slate as basking area. She likes to stretch out under here. She has a half log for hiding in with a fake plant and I am going to plant some spider plants as understand they eat these. She eats very well, for instance a large leaf of romaine lettuce, a couple of kale or leaf of pak Choi and hand full of lambs lettuce, some cucumber, she will sometimes have more in the evening. She pees when soaked, shortest time she is soaked is 30mins with water regularly topped up to keep warm. and does do her poops usually at this time when she does go. She is in our spare bedroom at the moment which is warm, with radiator and temp doesn’t go below 18oc in that room. I let her free roam in room in the mornings for about 15-20mins. I leave lamp on all day and turn off at night. I have read that spur thigh do not light humid living.
I have been looking at changing the lamp. But it’s a mine field out there.

Hello, sorry to say some of the stuff you’ve been sold is the typical wrong stuff pet store commonly sell, it happens often here unfortunately and is so frustrating to you as the buyerbut I’m glad you’ve made your way here so we can give some pointers!

First up lighting, all in one compact uvb and heat bulbs aren’t the best choice for a few reasons, ideally you want an incandescent reptile floodlight for basking, and separate t5 tube fluorescent for uvb, Arcadia sell both the floodlight and uv, the prot5 kit is definitely best to go for.
With the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity.
The right uv bulbs are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life.
Then some cheaper led lighting for your ambient 12 hour light cycle as well as the basking light on the same 12hrs, your ceramics(if you ever need them) will run 24/7 on a thermostat, this will make more sense once you read through the links.

Substrate wise, ditch the edible bedding, this could definitely block her up, even grass eaters aren’t introduced to dry hays till they’re a bit older, substrate eating should be discouraged in general. I’m thinking you’ve been sold some sort of reptisoil? Best avoided, they’re often mixed with sand which carriers its own impaction and irritant risks. Your safest options are coco coir(damp and firmly packed by hand), orchid bark or cypress mulch(forest floor).

Spider plants are a great idea! If store bought though, will need replanting in safe soil with a quarantine period, I think it’s good to get an established mother plant to give you an endless supply of spider babies

Be sure to check your temperatures with both digital monitors and a temperature gun, theres multiple levels to consider, basking temperature, middle, cooler side and night temperatures.

You’re correct in that they aren’t a humid species, however this doesn’t really apply to babies, they do tend to grow much smoother under higher humidity, the only way to achieve this is with a closed chamber set up, a cover will really help controlling the overall environment during the vital growth stage and help prevent the pyramiding that’s happening from getting worse.

Don’t let her free roam the floors of your home, hazards aside, it really takes its toll on their health over time, there’s numerous reasons it’s discouraged, these are captive animals, not domestic, they feel most comfortable in an environment that best mimics their natural habitat, the floors of our homes don’t which can be very stressful, sometimes stress behaviour is very hard to pick up on.

This thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), I know it says Russians and hermans, but care is very similar, it also covers correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for younger tortoises(only way to maintain the humidity you need), appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better! But I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers, I think a bunch of the cover options will work for the set up you have

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes some different closed chamber options, some do work better than others

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is probably most important to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs(explains a bit about the all in ones), substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Really hope this all helps! I know it’s a lot to go over sorrybut take all the time you need! They’ll always be folks to help with any further questions! We can break things down bit by bit and help improve the set up step by step. I know how much of a mindfield it is out there, but trust me when I say you’ve found the place with the best, most up to date information, it’ll save you so much confusion! It’s a community made of keepers from around the world, some with decades of experience, that through trial and error, have discovered the most optimal ways to raise smooth healthy tortoises long term, it’s the ultimate hive mind! You can challenge members on their answers to get to the nitty gritty of things, and gain a better understanding on why a lot of the recommended practices you see are so outdated, ask any questions you need, anytime. Welcome to the forum, wonderful to have you here

 

[Woodp]

Thank you for advice. A little overwhelmed at the moment, but sounds like lighting and warmth and getting rid of edible bedding first priority.
She sleeps buried in her bedding so what will she do now ?

 

[Woodp]

Thank you for advice. A little overwhelmed at the moment, but sounds like lighting and warmth and getting rid of edible bedding first priority.
She sleeps buried in her bedding so what will she do now ?

I do already use the. Coco substraint

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I do already use the. Coco substraint

Hi! If you already use coco coir (coco peat, coconut shells ground into soil-like substance) - it's fine. Just keep it slightly damp and packed down (just press it with your palm). On the photos substrate looks more like top soil hence the suggestions to change it.

A few minor things:
* the water bowl is too small for tortoise to self-soak. A shallow terracotta saucer will be a perfect replacement.
* I see some pellets in the food bowls - it's better to wet them, so they become soft and mushy and mix with grocery greens.

I assume you are from UK, if so here is the links to correct bulbs:
1. Basking bulb: https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/arcadia-solar-basking-floodlight#basking-solar-75w-floodlight
2. UVB lamp: https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-desert-12 (Important: this lamp should be placed at 18-20" above substrate. If it's not possible - tell us, we'll try to suggest an alternative).
3. Ambient lightning: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barrina-Li...-Linkable/dp/B0DJ89GM4Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 These can be challenging to install over the open table but you can use any bright LED lamps with color temperature >5000K (neutral or cold daylight) and good CRI (color rendering index) >90%.

If in doubt, ask here before placing and order.

 

[Woodp]

Hi
Thank you , I’ve been looking at lamps all day. I have seen ceramic heaters and dome lamps for day lights is this ok ? And what wattage should these be ? And do I need a heat mat? X

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hi
Thank you , I’ve been looking at lamps all day. I have seen ceramic heaters and dome lamps for day lights is this ok ? And what wattage should these be ? And do I need a heat mat? X

The ceramic heat emitters are none light emitting and just used to boost ambient temperature or for night heat, presuming that’s what you mean? But I’d check your day temperatures using the basking light during the day(linked above by Alex) and check your night temperatures before worrying about the possibility of ceramic bulbs.
Mount the t5 uvb(also linked above by Alex) as close to the basking bulb as possible, ran for 4hours a day, most set from 12-4pm.

For dome fittings, something like this is what you’re looking for

Amazon.co.uk

Wattage wise, sometimes you have to play around with the numbers for your basking bulb, 75w seems to work for a lot of people.
For uvb, the smallest length will be just fine(24w).

No need for a heat mat no. Hope this helps!

 

[Woodp]

The ceramic heat emitters are none light emitting and just used to boost ambient temperature or for night heat, presuming that’s what you mean? But I’d check your day temperatures using the basking light during the day(linked above by Alex) and check your night temperatures before worrying about the possibility of ceramic bulbs.
Mount the t5 uvb(also linked above by Alex) as close to the basking bulb as possible, ran for 4hours a day, most set from 12-4pm.

For dome fittings, something like this is what you’re looking for

Amazon.co.uk

Wattage wise, sometimes you have to play around with the numbers for your basking bulb, 75w seems to work for a lot of people.
For uvb, the smallest length will be just fine(24w).

No need for a heat mat no. Hope this helps!

Thank you it does. Could I use a uvb bulb with the

 

[Woodp]

Thank you yes it does really helps. Is it ok to put a uvb lamp instead of the t5 kit? X

Thank you it does. Could I use a uvb bulb with the

 

[Woodp]

Are these suitable ?

 

[Woodp]

Are these ok?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Are these suitable ?

The other two are suitable, but the UVB light isn't. You want a HO (high output) tube light by a reliable brand like Arcadia.

 

[COmtnLady]

The coil bulbs are a waste of money. DO NOT get any of those, they hurt your tortoise's eyes and don't do the job you intended them for.

Wait until LittleRedFoot, the four toed
Edward or Alex and the RedFoot can answer you about the other two items.

Look through this while you are waiting, it may answer your questions.

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Woodp]

Thank you both. What about these uvb bulbs ?

 

[COmtnLady]

No, look at the pics in the Common Keeping Errors link.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Try to find a tube light like this: