dry tortoise shell?
- Thread starter Yingg
- Start date
Yingg
Well-Known Member
haha the exercising is on hold! it's currently the cold part of winter, but when it hits 65 and it hasn't rained (ground is warm enough) then i let her out. it's about once a week for a few hours, but it's the most i can do. she's out right now as i type this! thank you for your kind words, it makes me feel a lot better.I wouldn’t get yourself too worried, you have to remember overall she’s doing so much better than all those previous years she wasn’t receiving the best care, you’ve come a long way with everything you do for her
I think to some degree you’re still probably finding a fine balance, but I don’t personally
think your girl is in any grave danger health wise, I think at worst she’s getting the odd blip here n there, she’ll only improve once you have more means to get her a bigger set up one day. Keep reminding yourself how truly hardy a creature she really is! She’s active, eating, getting soaks, exercising outside.. there’s folks I see join where their tortoises eyes have shut and they’ve stopped being active, ones who aren’t eating, ones with clear respiratory symptoms, injuries, dehydration, the lot, I definitely worry for those torts, but even many of those I’ve seen updated to be doing better.
Your girl is far from a dire state like that, whatever she has going on, I’m sure it’s not anything she won’t be able to overcome, especially with further husbandry improvements like her set up size, maybe a few diet tweaks
i hope to let her out more often as the seasons change, but i think even if i did let her out right now, she'd hide and be really really cold ...
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Yeah no worries, I just mean you’ve made it part of your general routine when weather permits
Yingg
Well-Known Member
here is a video of her walking. i put a sponge under her because she keeps dragging. i noticed this helps a lot, she doesn't drag with it on. i hope she will make it a habit somehow. i also fill the tub with a lotttt of water so she floats a bit. i think it's called hydrotherapy.
@Littleredfootbigredheart do you think it works?
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Yes I think that does actually look like it helps if her plastron drags the floor, this will help the constant abrasion
just only have it on outside under supervisionYingg
Well-Known Member
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
I am thinking green oak lettuce.
Yingg
Well-Known Member
this week, thursday, she pooped. it was hard, but a bit soft. think... like a soft dried date, or perhaps even a kneaded pottery clay. warm polymer clay, slightly hardened air dry clay consistency.
her urates are nice !
her urates are nice !
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I really love your descriptions of her poop - most imaginative and poetic - thank you so much for making me laugh !
Angie
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Yay sounds good!
Sounds like a "perfect poop"
)Yingg
Well-Known Member
hahahah thank you! i'm glad it made you smile
Yingg
Well-Known Member
do you know if their poops are supposed to be this soft? i had always assumed tort poops were hard.Sounds like a "perfect poop"
It should not be "rock hard". Well-formed - yes.do you know if their poops are supposed to be this soft? i had always assumed tort poops were hard.
Yingg
Well-Known Member
she pooped today! same situation as thursday. it held its form but was soft. i think it's pretty healthy. soft urates.
she doesn't like red lettuce.
she doesn't like red lettuce.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
She doesn't like red lettuce yet
Yingg
Well-Known Member
Yingg
Well-Known Member
she just had diarrhea again 
Yingg
Well-Known Member
her appetite is fine (lowered, but probably normal because of the season) she still likes to walk and move around. she tried to bite me while i fed her. same old tortoise.
why the bladder/urate stone? and diarrhea???? it was so liquidy...
why the bladder/urate stone? and diarrhea???? it was so liquidy...
I would look for three days in a row at stool and urates.
1. Maybe, chalky urates are the old deposits coming out. Urates are not water-soluble, so no matter how good you hydrate your tortoise - what's already formed will stay that way. Hydration, of course, prevents stones formation and hardening of existing urates.
2. Runny stool have several reasons. One time off is not a problem. Can be a result of what she ate a week ago.
Offer more hibiscus leaves and wild mallow (if you can find it).
1. Maybe, chalky urates are the old deposits coming out. Urates are not water-soluble, so no matter how good you hydrate your tortoise - what's already formed will stay that way. Hydration, of course, prevents stones formation and hardening of existing urates.
2. Runny stool have several reasons. One time off is not a problem. Can be a result of what she ate a week ago.
Offer more hibiscus leaves and wild mallow (if you can find it).
