Found tortoise dead, Dont know why?

Kaitlyn Rye

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we found our larger tortoise dead this afternoon, she was alive and eating this morning. She was about 40 years old.

The smell was awful, we soaked it, nothing happened. Left it alone Awhile still nothing.
She is completely limp.

It has a strange white membrane looking thing coming out of its anus. I attached some pictures, Any help as to why this happened would be great.

IMG_0247.JPG IMG_0246.JPG
 

MPRC

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I am sorry for your loss. Can you tell us a bit about how the tortoise was kept? What does it eat? Does it have access to potentially dangerous plants in your yard? Is it housed with your other tortoises? How are they behaving?
 

Kaitlyn Rye

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They are in a habitat of dirt with access to water, and shelter...
There are 2 both female, together for 40 years.
No potentially dangerous plants.
They eat mostly romaine their whole lives.
They are behaving normally.
 

wellington

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I am so very sorry for your loss. I have no idea what could have happened outside of possibly being poisoned. Can other people see them and possibly toss something in? Any dead animals around that may have been poisoned and then the tort ate the dead poisoned animal? I suggest having a necropsy done to find the cause of death so you can possibly prevent it happening to your other tort.
I would like to also suggest that you stick around and read our care sheets and improve your other tortoises diet. Romaine is not a good diet at all.
Again, so very sorry.
 

deadheadvet

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Looks like urinary bladder or part of the cloaca. Acute death in a female, could be ruptured egg internally. lightening strike if outdoors, insect bite causing acute death. Without a necropsy ( too late for that) unknown. Sorry.
 

Yvonne G

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Also, just romaine for its whole life might have contributed to an unhealthy tortoise, but we really have no way of knowing.

I figured the membrane might have been pushed out as the tortoise's innards started to decay and gasses expanded.
 

Pearly

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What plant is it on the first picture? Looks like the leaf has been bitten. I'm talking about the green/yellow spotted foliage there. Looks like it might be acuba japonica? Or something like that? I'm so sorry for your loss.
 

BeeBee*BeeLeaves

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If up side down like in pics when you found, could be tortoise was unable to turn back over and poor thing suffocated. If not found soon enough, the decay gasses are pushing things out. So sorry for this heart breaking loss. So sad when we lose them.
 

Pearly

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I still suggest you answer couple of my questions for your own benefit: 1) was the postmortem picture taken inside her enclosure? 2) if so, I still would like to know what that spotted/green/dappled/yellow plant is the bottom leaf of it looks like it's been taken chunk from, and it if is Acuba Japonica, maybe that's your culprit right there
 

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