Is our 5yr old Turtie a boy or girl??

Diane Berner

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2015
Messages
107
Hope it all works out well!
Found out what's going on with my tortoise. She is not trying to lay eggs. She has swallowed a nickel or some round piece of metal that size. I have a good vet at an exotic animal practice that's on tv. They tried to get the coin out with an endoscope because it looked like ot was in the stomach on the x ray but it wasn't there. They went through a lot of small and large intestine looking for it but couldn't find i. Doctors not too worried about metal toxicity because its not in the stomach being exposed to stomach acid. For now, she's eating and pooping. If anything changes she'll be back at the vet for a ct scan and surgery. Hoping she poops it out. Thank god for nationwide exotic animal insurance. I pay $11 per month and most of this is covered by insurance.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
You don't sound mean or harsh. I, like many others, got a tortoise and have not planned for how big it gets and it's needs in a situation like this. There's many reasons why the tortoise is not outside. Fire ants and Racoons to start. The tortoise also eats rocks and sticks when outside. This can't be good for it. I have a way of making a 15×8 foot enclosure outside. The ground is hard here with little rain, although we had some yesterday. There would be no way this tortoise could dig an 18" deep hole in the soil here. Do you suggest I just put her outside with some soft soil and hope she uses it? I will take her to the vet for some x-rays. I'm sure I'm not the only one this situation has happened to. I just need aome guidance. I don't want to lose my tortoise.
Actually, you'd be surprised at the holes they can dig in hard dirt. They pee a lot during digging, making it a bit easier on them. Another helpful hint for you, when a tortoise eats rocks and substrate you can sprinkle a bit of "Minerall" on the food. It's manufactured by Sticky Tongue Farms and provides the minerals a tortoise is missing in its diet.
 
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