Help with my sulcata please

[Biemold]

Sulcata toilet habits

hi
we are new owners of a 3 year old Sulcata called Tallulah.
We got her from a pet shop in Portugal, where we live, 2 weeks ago and she is settling in gradually
So far she is yet to pooh (sorry!)
I am taking her to a vet later on today for a general check ( thought I would wait before potentially traumatising her with a vet visit) but wondered if anyone has advice on toilet habits.
She lives in a tortoise table made from a metal bookcase turned on its side and has a bath, fresh drinking water and hay for substrate. She eats every day (although not much) cabbage, and greens and kale.
I have checked her table and she doesn't have a black mouth so I think she just hasn't deposited anything so far
Is this normal??
Help please
Deborah

 

[cemmons12]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Have u tried soaking her in the bath with warm water for 20 or 30 minutes? I soak mine in about 90-95 degree water. Also sully's are known to eat their own poo so watch out for that as well. Good luck! And a vet visit will be a good thing as well!

 

[dmarcus]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Hello and welcome to the forum....

 

[kimber_lee_314]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Welcome! I bet she ill poop when you take her to the vet - mine almost always do! That has become the joke around here when we have a constipated tortoise - we take them for a ride and it usually does the trick! I would go easy on the cabbage ...

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Hi Deborah:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

You are feeding quite a bit of the brassica family, and brassicas have been known to cause goiter and could be harmful to the thyroid.

Here's a nice list of foods to avoid:

http://www.turtlestuff.com/avoidthese.html

Also, your tortoise might be a bit happier if you give him some sort of dirt for substrate instead of the hay.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Welcome.

 

[pdrobber]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Welcome

 

[Tony the tank]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Welcome

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

welcome!!

 

[Zamric]

RE: Sulcata toilet habits

Welcome to the Forum!

How big is your tort? Posting picture will tell us alot about his/her care and general health.

 

[Biemold]

hi
My name is Deborah and I live in Nazare, Portugal. We have recently acquired a 3 year old sulcata femail...Tallulah!

I have read loads, internet and books and we have a tort table set up at the right temp, with UVb light, water for drinking and soaking so are trying to do the right thing. When the warmer weather comes she will go outside into an enclosure where she will have the right grasses . I visited a reptile specialist shop in UK recently and we seem to be doing the right things.

After 3 weeks of having her she had to go to the vet because she was dehydrated and was on a drip all day. She recovered and came home and seemed ok. It is now 2 weeks later and she seems listless and doesn´t eat much and has only ´poohed ´once. (sorry!)

I have just put her in to soak and she is munching on cabbage and greens but she seems to eat more one day than the next and then only if she is taken from her hide area and encouraged. She doesn´t seem to like the sunlight very much (!) her table is near a window where she has a sunny spot on her table, but she moves away. On the terrace she goes straight to a covered spot.

Does anyone know how often she should defacate and exactly how much she should eat please???

Sorry this is so long, she is a sweet thing and I want her to be happy!!

 

[tygoh]

No worries. They are normal not to eat everyday. As long as she is active, and get soak once a day for 20mins will be looking good soon. YOu are doing okay.!

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

Give her time to adjust to you and her new home.... She'll be fine! (Stress is harder on some tortoises than others, just like Humans!)

 

[Missy]

Take a look at the proper foods to feed. Cabbage should not be a staple. Can you get some cactus? It is great for them and it contains loads of water and will help her poo. It could be she needs some time but with her already getting dehydrated and going to the vet I would be a little concerned. If she will eat at all give her greens soaked in water to help get some water in her. You can also give her a little cucumber, its high water content and will also help her poo. Good luck

 

[wellington]

What kind of UVB bulb are you using? If it is the coil type get rid of it. it has been known to cause eye problems. A MVB is the best or even the 10.0 tube, is fine but not the coil type.
Good luck with your tort. Hope all stays well

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome Deborah. In addition to all of the above, are you doing daily warm water soaks in a tub of some sort? In your case I'd shoot for 30 minutes a day for a while.

Also, temps are critical for reptiles. What are your four temps? Cool side, warm side, basking spot and night? The behavior you describe sounds typical of a tortoise that is getting cool at night. Are you using some night heat for this warmth loving species? How are you measuring those temps. The little stick on thermometers that are sold in most pet shops are not usually adequate for the job.

Lastly, how big is she? Weight and length? Metric is fine, btw.

 

[Biemold]

No worries. They are normal not to eat everyday. As long as she is active, and get soak once a day for 20mins will be looking good soon. YOu are doing okay.!

Thank you so much!!

 

[Biemold]

Welcome to the Forum!

Give her time to adjust to you and her new home.... She'll be fine! (Stress is harder on some tortoises than others, just like Humans!)

Thank you, soon she will be as large as yours...hopefully!

 

[Biemold]

Take a look at the proper foods to feed. Cabbage should not be a staple. Can you get some cactus? It is great for them and it contains loads of water and will help her poo. It could be she needs some time but with her already getting dehydrated and going to the vet I would be a little concerned. If she will eat at all give her greens soaked in water to help get some water in her. You can also give her a little cucumber, its high water content and will also help her poo. Good luck

hi, I have looked at foods and have the seed for the right grasses and have tried many things to tempt her but she only eats the ´greens´ She had a nibble at a cucumber slice but then ran away to her hide and i do put water on the cabbage and green leaves to try to get fluid into her... think i will give her the weekend then off to the vet again...thanks

 

[Biemold]

What kind of UVB bulb are you using? If it is the coil type get rid of it. it has been known to cause eye problems. A MVB is the best or even the 10.0 tube, is fine but not the coil type.
Good luck with your tort. Hope all stays well

Hi
I think it is a coil type, will try to get another one ...things are limited here will need to be a trip to Lisbon or internet...any ideas??? Thank you!