Diarrhea

[ShreddersMom]

So our little guy has developed some diarrhea. He eats a variety of cactus, squash, dandelion, mint and some ZooMed. He *refuses* to eat fresh clippings of grass or hay. He's never had an issue with anything, but over the last few weeks it's been terrible. Suggestions?

 

[Tom]

Stop the mint, lighten way up on the squash, and add more leaves and weeds.

Finely chop the grass clipping with scissors and start by adding a tiny amount mixed in with the other stuff. Gradually add more grass and cup it up less.

Here are a lot more ideas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[ShreddersMom]

Hi Tom. He gets one piece of squash a week. So I can't lighten *way* up on it. And his mint he's had since day one with perfect stools. I've tried the chopping up in little pieces. He won't eat it. He will literally starve himself. I've tried. I can't increase clippings if he won't eat it. And I mean will not touch it. I've tried every trick in the book, including mixing his favorites in with it. I've tried for weeks on end. He will literally starve himself.

 

[Sara G.]

What's the longest he's gone without eating when you mixed in the clippings?
Odds are, when he's hungry enough, he'll eat.

 

[ShreddersMom]

The longest he's been allowed to go was three weeks, with new versions being offered daily. He started losing to much weight and my vet said it was no longer safe to continue. I understand tough love, but when it jeopardizes his health, it's simply not worth it.

 

[Tom]

...including mixing his favorites in with it. I've tried for weeks on end. He will literally starve himself.

Your wording is the clue. You aren't trying to get him to eat grass. You are trying to get him to eat his other foods with a tiny tiny little small amount of grass stuck to it that no tortoise is going to notice. Its not unusual for them to ignore a pile of grass, or a bunch of grass on top of their food, if they aren't used to it. If you are "mixing his favorites in with it", then you are trying to move too fast. Start with one single small blade of freshly sprouted grass and chop it in to 24 little slivers. Wet his regular food for the day and mix those tiny slivers into the pile thoroughly. Do this daily until he eats it. Then use two grass blades, then three, etc…Eventually, after a few weeks or months, he will realize grass is food, and your life will be much easier. Believe me, when he gets big, you are going to need grass and grass hay to be his favorite foods.

Loose stools are generally due to a lack of fiber, or from feeding too much fruit. Too much succulent intake can do it too. The cure is fiber. Grass has lots of fiber.

I would still stop the mint...

 

[ShreddersMom]

Tom, you are making assumptions as to what I've tried. I've tried everything. *Including* means also. I haven't moved too fast. We've tried everything. We've been trying for months. He has absolutely no interest. None.

 

[ShreddersMom]

I'm really more interested in what else could be causing diarrhea as nothing in his diet has changed. Same regimen, same amounts, same proportions. What are other causes of diarrhea in tortoises?

 

[dmmj]

Diet or parasites

 

[ZEROPILOT]

He could very well be ill as dmmj has suggested.
Being kept too cool for too long or something upsetting the gut also could be the cause. Bacterial or parasitic issues. Even issues with the environment.
I purchased an inexpensive food processor for just this issue. I had a problem like yours in the past and I whipped everything up untill it looked like fine salsa.
Have you tried Mazuri?
Mazuri mixed up with ANYTHING gets devoured right away in my experience.
Also, on a side note. I had a large RF tortoise survive that ate almost nothing for over 3 months. (Unknown internal bacterial issue)
Hibiscys leaves usually clear this up for me. Fibrous leaves, as also already recommended.
Keep it hydrated and good luck.

 

[ShreddersMom]

He's actually not a fan of Mazuri either. He's such a pain. I bought him a food processor as well. He's a ****. I'm trying. Lol. He's been cleared by our vet. Fecal was negative. Temp is good. I will pick up a hibiscus and give it at go! Thank you.

 

[Dizisdalife]

After a couple of winter rains (Dec & Jan) the first warm spell (mid-Jan this year) produced an abundance of new growth in my sulcata's pen. Dandelions, thistle, mustard, fillaree, chicory, clovers, and mallow are everywhere. He grazes for hours every day on this stuff and his stools become loose. I wouldn't call it diarrhea because he is not getting dehydrated or losing weight. In fact, he has gained over 6 pounds in the last 3 months. I don't know if the loose stools are caused by a change in his diet, because hardly any of these weeds were available to him in late summer and fall,or, perhaps the plants have more moisture and less fibre when they are young. His stools do begin to firm up some after about a month or so. I think that is because his digestive tract adjust and/or there is less moisture in the plants he is eating. Now that he is regularly getting grape and mulberry leaves in his diet (he ate almost 2 pounds of leaves today) I expect his stools to become normal again.

When I feed squash to my sulcata I expect to see loose stools. It has always done this. If he gets too much opuntia cactus in his diet his stools are certain to be loose.