yoshismom

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2022
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Alberta
Hi, i have an almost 7 month old cherry head, born on July 8, 2021- for the past two days my tort (named yoshi) hasn’t been pooping, i even tried soaking yoshi a little bit longer. thankfully today yoshi did eat well so maybe tomorrow but i was examining yoshi and i noticed some new changes. by her tail, the skin under was lighter and it looked like it was peeling but i’m unsure as i’ve never seen yoshi peel before and i’m afraid of i agitated her skin (i wet one of those ear swabs and lightly touched it but nothing came off and i didn’t try anymore) , also on yoshi’s plastron there was a little dot (brownish red) and i lightly touched it and it was very very soft and i realized it was actually a part of the plastron and not just something on it. i’ve been searching for hours and crying because i’m scared so i decided to make a post here and i am going to attach pictures of before when i got yoshi compared to right now! please if anyone can advise me on what to do i would greatly appreciate it, i’m scared it might be a result of soaking yoshi for too long but i’m unsure, please please let me know!

also yoshi sometimes makes squeaky noises that sound high pitched! please anyone let me know what can i do!
 

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KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Hello, and welcome to the forum! I'm sorry that you're so terribly upset about Yoshi, and we're going to do everything we can to find out what the problem is.

First, is Yoshi acting like he's sick? Other than the last 2 days, has he been eating, walking around, peeing and pooping?

The next thing is that we need to know exactly how you have been keeping him/her? What kind of enclosure is he in? What lights and heating method are you using? What have you been feeding him?
You said you're concerned that you soaked him too much. You really can't soak him too much, soo don't fret over that.

If you would post some pix of his enclosure, lights, heating it would be very helpful.

What kind of substrate is he on? What are the temps in his enclosure? Have you been dampening his substrate to keep it moist?

I know it's a lot of questions, but it's info we need to help you help Yoshi.

This is a good care sheet for redfoot in case you haven't seen it. And we have some very experienced redfoot keepers on the forum. They will be on tomorrow, so you will get expert advice.

I know you're worried and scared, but try to calm down so you can think clearly and follow through with our suggestions.

I need to sign off and get to bed, but others will be on in a few hours.

 

yoshismom

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2022
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Alberta
Hello, and welcome to the forum! I'm sorry that you're so terribly upset about Yoshi, and we're going to do everything we can to find out what the problem is.

First, is Yoshi acting like he's sick? Other than the last 2 days, has he been eating, walking around, peeing and pooping?

The next thing is that we need to know exactly how you have been keeping him/her? What kind of enclosure is he in? What lights and heating method are you using? What have you been feeding him?
You said you're concerned that you soaked him too much. You really can't soak him too much, soo don't fret over that.

If you would post some pix of his enclosure, lights, heating it would be very helpful.

What kind of substrate is he on? What are the temps in his enclosure? Have you been dampening his substrate to keep it moist?

I know it's a lot of questions, but it's info we need to help you help Yoshi.

This is a good care sheet for redfoot in case you haven't seen it. And we have some very experienced redfoot keepers on the forum. They will be on tomorrow, so you will get expert advice.

I know you're worried and scared, but try to calm down so you can think clearly and follow through with our suggestions.

I need to sign off and get to bed, but others will be on in a few hours.

Hello Karen and thank you so much for your response!

Yoshi is acting the same as usual thankfully, yoshi ate well today but yoshi hasn’t pooped in yesterday or today, but that isn’t extremely unusual i don’t think, but yoshi has been walking around, after taking a soak today yoshi did stroll for about an hour around the house. and even yesterday yoshi was active which was relieving.

Yoshi lives in a 50 gallon enclosure, it’s really big and i will attach pictures! the first picture i’m attaching of it is from the initial set up, but now there are more lights and there is yoshis thermal/night lamp right above the moss because yoshi really just sticks to one side/corner.
In the morning Yoshi has the UVA UVB mercury vapor self-ballasted UV heat lamp/light by reptile UV (80W), and all day i keep the OMAYKEY 80W ceramic heat lamp bulb infrared on, it was supposed to be for nights only but my house/environment is really cold so i keep them on to regulate the temperature. during the day the temp is usually 80-87°F, and at night is is usually 75-81°F.

as for food, today i fed yoshi bananas, spring mix (mostly the kale) tomatoes, and strawberries. usually yoshi gets mushrooms as well (she had them yesterday) and sometimes carrots or cucumbers, and a boiled egg around once a month. i try to change up the fruit as much as possible but bananas are pretty constant, and it’s been awhile since she’s eaten flowers, i’ve been meaning to go buy some because it’s winter here right now.

i used to feed her pellets everyday for around 2 months because she liked it, but then i noticed her appetite getting smaller so around two weeks ago i stopped giving them to kind of bring her appetite back and it’s slowly been working, and her poop is usually regular almost everyday, but she hasn’t pooped today or yesterday but i don’t think that’s very concerning yet because she just got off of pellets everyday and is probably just adjusting.

i was concerned about the soaking because i thought/think maybe the speck on her plastron may be fungal- but i cannot find anything about that online.

the substrate is organic planting soil, and i add mist to the ‘damp’ area of her enclosure every day almost as the lamps can dry it up and my environment is already dry. all the the lights/substrates i use are what the breeder recommended, same with the temps i keep but of course i’d be willing to change any of these if it means to make yoshi healthier and happier.

luckily, the light colour around yoshis tail has disappeared, maybe it was only like that because she wasn’t fully dry then but it looks like something is lodged in there?? but her plastron still concerns me so if anyone has any information on that please let me know, i’m afraid it might be fungal? i’m unsure, it isn’t anything on top on her plastron, it’s a part of it and when it’s wet it’s soft but when it’s dry its normal and hard. i’ll attach update pictures of those areas as well!

thank you so much!

pics:
1: full enclosure, a few days before i got yoshi, i was still waiting on one lamp to arrive
2: the corner of her enclosure where she spends most of her time and where her lights and moss is
3,4,5: her tail and plastron area that concerns me.
 

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Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Hi and welcome,
I don't keep RF so can't really offer any advice other than to read the caresheet that Karen posted to see how your care compares, and to ask as many questions as you like. There are many RF keepers here who will be happy to help. I'll tag @ZEROPILOT .

You said that you let him roam the house but this is not a good idea because the temps are much lower at ground level and babies lose heat quickly which could cause illness. There are also many hazards which could be choking hazards or cause impaction in the gut - human and pet hair, dust bunnies small objects like buttons, pins etc. I've even read about a tort trying to eat a sock so it they don't even have to very small objects. Then there's also cleaning chemicals and the dangers of being kicked, stood on, or crushed in doors/door jams. It can also be quite stressful for them, so please keep your tort safe in an enclosure.

MVB bulbs aren't recommended anymore because the have been found to dry and damage tort shells so many of us use T5 HO uvb tube kits, I don't think RF like bright conditions but see what Ed (Zeropilot) or the caresheet says about that.
Bought organic soil isn't advised for most species because of not knowing if it contains anything that could be toxic to torts - the caresheet should give you other options.

Try not to worry. There's a lot of old information still being circulated about tort care and many of us have made mistakes, but thankfully we have found TFO and been able to put things right before it's had too much of an impact on our torts, so you are in safe hands here.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
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Messages
93,388
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Clovis, CA
Sounds like Yoshi might be constipated. Feed the tortoise wet foods for a few days - cucumber, melon, cactus, aloe, etc. And soak for longer periods of time - an hour wouldn't be too long. Scrambling around in the water, trying to get out, always works to release the stored up poop.

In the meantime, may I make a suggestion? Your little RF tortoise would appreciate a more plant crowded enclosure. They feel safer with more cover. And lots of plants also help to make the environment more humid, something your RF needs.

The swollen tail is just because of the constipation. Once he's able to pass the feces, the tail will not look so swollen. And that little spot where the umbilical was attached can be treated with a dab of Neosporin. If you're worried that it might be the start of shell rot, you can treat it with athlete foot cream.
 

Big Ron

Active Member
Tortoise Club
Joined
Dec 28, 2021
Messages
131
Location (City and/or State)
Florida
Hello Karen and thank you so much for your response!

Yoshi is acting the same as usual thankfully, yoshi ate well today but yoshi hasn’t pooped in yesterday or today, but that isn’t extremely unusual i don’t think, but yoshi has been walking around, after taking a soak today yoshi did stroll for about an hour around the house. and even yesterday yoshi was active which was relieving.

Yoshi lives in a 50 gallon enclosure, it’s really big and i will attach pictures! the first picture i’m attaching of it is from the initial set up, but now there are more lights and there is yoshis thermal/night lamp right above the moss because yoshi really just sticks to one side/corner.
In the morning Yoshi has the UVA UVB mercury vapor self-ballasted UV heat lamp/light by reptile UV (80W), and all day i keep the OMAYKEY 80W ceramic heat lamp bulb infrared on, it was supposed to be for nights only but my house/environment is really cold so i keep them on to regulate the temperature. during the day the temp is usually 80-87°F, and at night is is usually 75-81°F.

as for food, today i fed yoshi bananas, spring mix (mostly the kale) tomatoes, and strawberries. usually yoshi gets mushrooms as well (she had them yesterday) and sometimes carrots or cucumbers, and a boiled egg around once a month. i try to change up the fruit as much as possible but bananas are pretty constant, and it’s been awhile since she’s eaten flowers, i’ve been meaning to go buy some because it’s winter here right now.

i used to feed her pellets everyday for around 2 months because she liked it, but then i noticed her appetite getting smaller so around two weeks ago i stopped giving them to kind of bring her appetite back and it’s slowly been working, and her poop is usually regular almost everyday, but she hasn’t pooped today or yesterday but i don’t think that’s very concerning yet because she just got off of pellets everyday and is probably just adjusting.

i was concerned about the soaking because i thought/think maybe the speck on her plastron may be fungal- but i cannot find anything about that online.

the substrate is organic planting soil, and i add mist to the ‘damp’ area of her enclosure every day almost as the lamps can dry it up and my environment is already dry. all the the lights/substrates i use are what the breeder recommended, same with the temps i keep but of course i’d be willing to change any of these if it means to make yoshi healthier and happier.

luckily, the light colour around yoshis tail has disappeared, maybe it was only like that because she wasn’t fully dry then but it looks like something is lodged in there?? but her plastron still concerns me so if anyone has any information on that please let me know, i’m afraid it might be fungal? i’m unsure, it isn’t anything on top on her plastron, it’s a part of it and when it’s wet it’s soft but when it’s dry its normal and hard. i’ll attach update pictures of those areas as well!

thank you so much!

pics:
1: full enclosure, a few days before i got yoshi, i was still waiting on one lamp to arrive
2: the corner of her enclosure where she spends most of her time and where her lights and moss is
3,4,5: her tail and plastron area that concerns me.
welcome to the forum glad you are here,and they will get Yoshi up and running like a well oiled slowest animal in the animal kingdom except he can out run a sloth i guess??
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hello Karen and thank you so much for your response!

Yoshi is acting the same as usual thankfully, yoshi ate well today but yoshi hasn’t pooped in yesterday or today, but that isn’t extremely unusual i don’t think, but yoshi has been walking around, after taking a soak today yoshi did stroll for about an hour around the house. and even yesterday yoshi was active which was relieving.

Yoshi lives in a 50 gallon enclosure, it’s really big and i will attach pictures! the first picture i’m attaching of it is from the initial set up, but now there are more lights and there is yoshis thermal/night lamp right above the moss because yoshi really just sticks to one side/corner.
In the morning Yoshi has the UVA UVB mercury vapor self-ballasted UV heat lamp/light by reptile UV (80W), and all day i keep the OMAYKEY 80W ceramic heat lamp bulb infrared on, it was supposed to be for nights only but my house/environment is really cold so i keep them on to regulate the temperature. during the day the temp is usually 80-87°F, and at night is is usually 75-81°F.

as for food, today i fed yoshi bananas, spring mix (mostly the kale) tomatoes, and strawberries. usually yoshi gets mushrooms as well (she had them yesterday) and sometimes carrots or cucumbers, and a boiled egg around once a month. i try to change up the fruit as much as possible but bananas are pretty constant, and it’s been awhile since she’s eaten flowers, i’ve been meaning to go buy some because it’s winter here right now.

i used to feed her pellets everyday for around 2 months because she liked it, but then i noticed her appetite getting smaller so around two weeks ago i stopped giving them to kind of bring her appetite back and it’s slowly been working, and her poop is usually regular almost everyday, but she hasn’t pooped today or yesterday but i don’t think that’s very concerning yet because she just got off of pellets everyday and is probably just adjusting.

i was concerned about the soaking because i thought/think maybe the speck on her plastron may be fungal- but i cannot find anything about that online.

the substrate is organic planting soil, and i add mist to the ‘damp’ area of her enclosure every day almost as the lamps can dry it up and my environment is already dry. all the the lights/substrates i use are what the breeder recommended, same with the temps i keep but of course i’d be willing to change any of these if it means to make yoshi healthier and happier.

luckily, the light colour around yoshis tail has disappeared, maybe it was only like that because she wasn’t fully dry then but it looks like something is lodged in there?? but her plastron still concerns me so if anyone has any information on that please let me know, i’m afraid it might be fungal? i’m unsure, it isn’t anything on top on her plastron, it’s a part of it and when it’s wet it’s soft but when it’s dry its normal and hard. i’ll attach update pictures of those areas as well!

thank you so much!

pics:
1: full enclosure, a few days before i got yoshi, i was still waiting on one lamp to arrive
2: the corner of her enclosure where she spends most of her time and where her lights and moss is
3,4,5: her tail and plastron area that concerns me.
I see a few issues. This is all constructive criticism.

1. You cannot maintain the correct temperatures and humidity in an open topped enclosure. You need a closed chamber. This species needs 80+% humidity and 80+ degrees all the time and there is no way to do that with an open top in a cool dry room.
2. 50 gallons is the minimum size for a tiny hatchling. As they grow you will need a much larger enclosure.
3. As has been pointed out, they should never be roaming loose on the floor. Its not safe and there is no way to make it safe.
4. Soil should never be used for tortoise substrate. Soil is made from composted yard waste, and there is no way to know what is in that bag. Could be anything, including toxic plant material or yard chemicals.
5. Moss shouldn't be used with tortoises. They eat it and it can cause impaction.
6. That water bowl is too deep and the sides are too steep. Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate work much better.
7. No mercury vapor bulbs. They are too finicky, not reliable, and they cause pyramiding.
8. They need it dark at night, and 75 is too cool for this species. Use a non-light emitting heat source like a ceramic heating element or a radiant heat panel, and run it through a thermostat to control the ambient temperature.
9. Your substrate is drying out too much because humidity is way too low, and the open top allows it to escape.
 

yoshismom

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2022
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Alberta
I see a few issues. This is all constructive criticism.

1. You cannot maintain the correct temperatures and humidity in an open topped enclosure. You need a closed chamber. This species needs 80+% humidity and 80+ degrees all the time and there is no way to do that with an open top in a cool dry room.
2. 50 gallons is the minimum size for a tiny hatchling. As they grow you will need a much larger enclosure.
3. As has been pointed out, they should never be roaming loose on the floor. Its not safe and there is no way to make it safe.
4. Soil should never be used for tortoise substrate. Soil is made from composted yard waste, and there is no way to know what is in that bag. Could be anything, including toxic plant material or yard chemicals.
5. Moss shouldn't be used with tortoises. They eat it and it can cause impaction.
6. That water bowl is too deep and the sides are too steep. Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate work much better.
7. No mercury vapor bulbs. They are too finicky, not reliable, and they cause pyramiding.
8. They need it dark at night, and 75 is too cool for this species. Use a non-light emitting heat source like a ceramic heating element or a radiant heat panel, and run it through a thermostat to control the ambient temperature.
9. Your substrate is drying out too much because humidity is way too low, and the open top allows it to escape.
thank you for all the help everyone! i will get to work asap on fixing all of these for yoshi starting with the enclosure and substrate!
 

yoshismom

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2022
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Alberta
I see a few issues. This is all constructive criticism.

1. You cannot maintain the correct temperatures and humidity in an open topped enclosure. You need a closed chamber. This species needs 80+% humidity and 80+ degrees all the time and there is no way to do that with an open top in a cool dry room.
2. 50 gallons is the minimum size for a tiny hatchling. As they grow you will need a much larger enclosure.
3. As has been pointed out, they should never be roaming loose on the floor. Its not safe and there is no way to make it safe.
4. Soil should never be used for tortoise substrate. Soil is made from composted yard waste, and there is no way to know what is in that bag. Could be anything, including toxic plant material or yard chemicals.
5. Moss shouldn't be used with tortoises. They eat it and it can cause impaction.
6. That water bowl is too deep and the sides are too steep. Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate work much better.
7. No mercury vapor bulbs. They are too finicky, not reliable, and they cause pyramiding.
8. They need it dark at night, and 75 is too cool for this species. Use a non-light emitting heat source like a ceramic heating element or a radiant heat panel, and run it through a thermostat to control the ambient temperature.
9. Your substrate is drying out too much because humidity is way too low, and the open top allows it to escape.
also just curious, is there anything i should use instead of the moss??
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
also just curious, is there anything i should use instead of the moss??
Dampening the substrate under the humid hide will accomplish the same thing. This is why orchid bark is best. It can be kept damp on the bottom to help keep humidity up, and the upper layers will remain dry-ish to help prevent any shell rot.
 

yoshismom

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2022
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Alberta
Dampening the substrate under the humid hide will accomplish the same thing. This is why orchid bark is best. It can be kept damp on the bottom to help keep humidity up, and the upper layers will remain dry-ish to help prevent any shell rot.
thank u tom! i really appreciate it
 

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