Is this a health condition or is it normal?

[Luzmary Holt]

I first joined on October 20,2020 and wrote down the following post but I have not receive any advise or comments, I hope I'm on the right tread if not please let me know, Thanks!

Hi, first of all I'm so glad I found this TortoiseForum!
My name is Luzmary holt, Tortellini is my three years old Sulcata Dessert tortoise.
About a week ago I noticed that when Tortellini was trying to poo/pee there was a big pink ballon like thing coming our of her rectum, I though; it really worried me, I did put her in a worm water bath, after a while she poop or pee and the bulge went back in. A couple of days later it happened again, I run her to the ver but as I had to wait three hours and she poop and pee on the way, I decided to go back home and make an appointment which will be in a couple of weeks. For what I'm reading in this forum appears to be something normal, but why it didn't happened before? I'm still quite concern. If anyone has any information please let me know, via email would be best .
I'm attaching a picture of the "bulge", it was the size of a golf ball but by the time I took the picture it had gone down. I hope to hear from you soon
And thank you for any help that you might be able to offer.
Kind regards
Luzmary Holt &
Tortellini

 

[Yvonne G]

If this is male, it could be his penis, and 'out and in' is normal for males. But if this is female, I'd have the vet check her out.

Do a forum search for 'prolapse' and read up on it.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. The reason this “prolapse” is happening now is that probably your 3 year old Sulcata is coming into sexual maturity and feeling his oats a bit. This is one sure way to know whether or not you have a male (or a female).

Some research.

Male tortoises are occasionally presented with a prolapsed phallus (penis). The male chelonian has a single phallus, which protrudes from the floor of the proctodeum. Unlike the mammalian penis, the chelonian phallus is not involved in urination.The penis is retracted except during mating, trauma, or death; it lies in the ventral floor of the cloaca. A 5-year-old, maleturtle constituted the study material. Clinically, extensive necrotic areas and, black and dark purple tissues in the phallus were observed. The usual treatment for a necrotic phallus in turtles is to perform surgery to completely remove the necrotic tissue.After the general anesthesia and analgesia, phallus amputation was achieved by placing transfixation sutures around the base of the phallus. Urination and defecation returned to normal within 24 hours after amputation and feeding was started at thesecond day. As a conclusion, amputation was emphasized as an effective method for treatment of necrotic phallus.

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/public..._A_Red_Eared_Slider_Trachemys_scripta_elegans

 

[Luzmary Holt]

If this is male, it could be his penis, and 'out and in' is normal for males. But if this is female, I'd have the vet check her out.

Do a forum search for 'prolapse' and read up on it.

Thank you for the feed back, I though it was a female but I might be wrong. I will do some research on "prolapse", thanks again

 

[zovick]

I first joined on October 20,2020 and wrote down the following post but I have not receive any advise or comments, I hope I'm on the right tread if not please let me know, Thanks!

Hi, first of all I'm so glad I found this TortoiseForum!
My name is Luzmary holt, Tortellini is my three years old Sulcata Dessert tortoise.
About a week ago I noticed that when Tortellini was trying to poo/pee there was a big pink ballon like thing coming our of her rectum, I though; it really worried me, I did put her in a worm water bath, after a while she poop or pee and the bulge went back in. A couple of days later it happened again, I run her to the ver but as I had to wait three hours and she poop and pee on the way, I decided to go back home and make an appointment which will be in a couple of weeks. For what I'm reading in this forum appears to be something normal, but why it didn't happened before? I'm still quite concern. If anyone has any information please let me know, via email would be best .
I'm attaching a picture of the "bulge", it was the size of a golf ball but by the time I took the picture it had gone down. I hope to hear from you soon
And thank you for any help that you might be able to offer.
Kind regards
Luzmary Holt &
Tortellini

View attachment 311478View attachment 311479

Looks more like prolapsed tissue than a penis. Is this tissue out all the time? Can you take a photo showing the underneath of your tortoise near the tail area, please? And possibly from a bit further away than these first two pictures.

If it is not a penis, and the tortoise can obviously defecate all right, your tortoise may have a bladder stone. Will know more after seeing the other photos I suggested.

 

[Luzmary Holt]

Looks more like prolapsed tissue than a penis. Is this tissue out all the time? Can you take a photo showing the underneath of your tortoise near the tail area, please? And possibly from a bit further away than these first two pictures.

If it is not a penis, and the tortoise can obviously defecate all right, your tortoise may have a bladder stone. Will know more after seeing the other photos I suggested.

Thanks for the reply. The tissue is not out all the time only when she does pee and poop, which seem quite normal except some times she/he seams to be straining. I'll try to get more pictures but as soon as I pick it up the tissue goes back in. Thanks again

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Looks more like prolapsed tissue than a penis. Is this tissue out all the time? Can you take a photo showing the underneath of your tortoise near the tail area, please? And possibly from a bit further away than these first two pictures.

If it is not a penis, and the tortoise can obviously defecate all right, your tortoise may have a bladder stone. Will know more after seeing the other photos I suggested.

can you get/have a bladder stone if it’s pooping and peeing ?
I thought that meant they were alright?

 

[zovick]

can you get/have a bladder stone if it’s pooping and peeing ?
I thought that meant they were alright?

The tortoise may have had the beginnings of a bladder stone a long time ago and it may have gradually increased in size even though under your present care it is able to pee all right. Does it produce the white, pasty urates which sulcatas often do or not?

Do you see the tortoise straining when it goes to the bathroom? If so, look and see if you can see a white object in the cloaca that it is trying to get out. That would be a bladder stone. Obviously, it is not good for the tissue to prolapse constantly. We need to rule out the possibility that it is the penis (though I think a 3 year old sulcata is a bit young to be showing that organ so much if at all). Mine did not get sexually mature until close to 10 years of age or more.

An X-ray by a vet could confirm a bladder stone if one is present.

 

[Luzmary Holt]

The tortoise may have had the beginnings of a bladder stone a long time ago and it may have gradually increased in size even though under your present care it is able to pee all right. Does it produce the white, pasty urates which sulcatas often do or not?

Do you see the tortoise straining when it goes to the bathroom? If so, look and see if you can see a white object in the cloaca that it is trying to get out. That would be a bladder stone. Obviously, it is not good for the tissue to prolapse constantly. We need to rule out the possibility that it is the penis (though I think a 3 year old sulcata is a bit young to be showing that organ so much if at all). Mine did not get sexually mature until close to 10 years of age or more.

An X-ray by a vet could confirm a bladder stone if one is present.

Oh! thank you, your comments are very informative! Yes she/he does produce the pasty urates in regulars basis. I will take it to the vet for a physical. I appreciate your feed back, thanks again

 

[Tamihealey5163]

Omg...i remember the first time my Dartanian showed his manhood ? It was in the shower cuz he LOOOOVES a hot shower over a bath. And i remember reading on this forum that you usually can't sex them male/female until they were about 4 to 5 years old. So i wasn't expecting it at 3 years old but consensus has it... 3 years old is the time frame. I PANICKED! I THOUGHT HIS INTESTINES WERE FALLING OUT! And i never looked up what it was gonna look like when it did come out but i thought it would be more like a dog but longer. Imagine my surprise when i had my first encounter with that UFO on a rope?. Oh my goodness sweetheart... I'll have to go back an read your post again but i don't remember if you mentioned how old he was, but I'm on board with the rest, i think your boy is beginning puberty. They grow up so fast! But post a pic next time it happens so we can help tell you if there is something unusual about his condition but in my opinion id like to say CONGRATULATIONS! IT'S A BOY!!?

 

[Maggie3fan]

can you get/have a bladder stone if it’s pooping and peeing ?
I thought that meant they were alright?

As bladder stones are 'growing' they don't necessarily block the ureters in the beginning. Has the OP seen gritty urates? Meaning when he pees or poops is there a white pasty looking stuff as well as the waste?

 

[Luzmary Holt]

Omg...i remember the first time my Dartanian showed his manhood ? It was in the shower cuz he LOOOOVES a hot shower over a bath. And i remember reading on this forum that you usually can't sex them male/female until they were about 4 to 5 years old. So i wasn't expecting it at 3 years old but consensus has it... 3 years old is the time frame. I PANICKED! I THOUGHT HIS INTESTINES WERE FALLING OUT! And i never looked up what it was gonna look like when it did come out but i thought it would be more like a dog but longer. Imagine my surprise when i had my first encounter with that UFO on a rope?. Oh my goodness sweetheart... I'll have to go back an read your post again but i don't remember if you mentioned how old he was, but I'm on board with the rest, i think your boy is beginning puberty. They grow up so fa st! But post a pic next time it happens so we can help tell you if there is something unusual about his condition but in my opinion id like to say CONGRATULATIONS! IT'S A BOY!!?

Wow! Thanks for the post, I panicked too... I cried and run him to the emergency vet, I though he had eaten something he could not pass or he was constipated. By the time I got to the vet he had a poo, pee and done #3, the vet assistant told me that there was a four hour wait and that since he had done it all most likely he was fine, she recommended to make an appointment. (I did) Last week it happened again, this time I was able to lift him from his back and did see not only the bulge on the back but a two inch long penis, so yep, it is a three and half year old healthy boy, thanks again

 

[Chefdenoel10]

As bladder stones are 'growing' they don't necessarily block the ureters in the beginning. Has the OP seen gritty urates? Meaning when he pees or poops is there a white pasty looking stuff as well as the waste?

I think he said he saw white urates gritty or not... could he/she still have a bladder stone if she/he pees, poops, and has some urates come out? ?

 

[Luzmary Holt]

Hi, yes there is white urates as well as pee and poop, but I believe that's normal.
Thanks again.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hi, yes there is white urates as well as pee and poop, but I believe that's normal.
Thanks again.

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