Is this tortoise actually ill?

[LJL1982]

So. I had an xray done on my tortoise last month after he ate some stones (mainly as my other tortoise was at the vets so I thought I would take him too and I'd seen the stones go in but not come out).

Current situation after hot baths twice a day, and after putting paraffin liquid on pellets which he has loved and trying pumpkin a couple of times (I burnt the rest) and mango once (two foods he is not normally given), is that he is eating albeit not masses, is urinating and has very normal urates. Still gets his man parts out now and again and puts them away, and is behaving like a rocket charged bull in a China shop.

BUT I don't see him doing much in the way of solid poops. He was doing them until about a week ago maybe a couple of times a week but small and not containing the stones (yes I checked) but now just makes the water a bit brown with his efforts but nothing to write home about.

I'm wondering if maybe it's started shifting and blocked him up a bit more recently.

How concerned should I be and should I take action? Also anyone got any ideas of how to Jiggle or vibrate him a bit? He's not up for doing it in the car and I can't take him every time I need to go and get milk it's getting ridiculous!!!

Here is his xray for anyone interested.

Can I do an at home enema? Also he's an adult ibera.

 

[wellington]

@Yvonne G

Soak him in warm water in a bath tub and leave him for at least an hour letting him move a lot. Keep him moving if you need to. Also keep him and the water warm the whole time.
If he poops, you can stop the soak after about 10 minutes after the poop just incase there is more.
That and the car works great if they are able to poop.

 

[LJL1982]

@Yvonne G

Soak him in warm water in a bath tub and leave him for at least an hour letting him move a lot. Keep him moving if you need to. Also keep him and the water warm the whole time.
If he poops, you can stop the soak after about 10 minutes after the poop just incase there is more.
That and the car works great if they are able to poop.

Gosh I really wish that would work. I've tried every day for a month, most days twice at day...he's almost aquatic at this point!!

 

[wellington]

The part that may help is keeping him moving. If your tort can swim, many can, fill the tub up deep enough he has to keep swimming. Just never leave him unattended.
I would also feed watery items. Head lettuce, romaine, cucumber, all the watery foods works good for flushing out the poop shoot although it will be runny.
Keep us posted.
Oh and as far as trying to vibrate him, you can try the washer on the spin cycle and hold him on top of the washer or set him in a box and put him on top. My washer shakes quite a bit maybe yours does too?

 

[LJL1982]

The part that may help is keeping him moving. If your tort can swim, many can, fill the tub up deep enough he has to keep swimming. Just never leave him unattended.
I would also feed watery items. Head lettuce, romaine, cucumber, all the watery foods works good for flushing out the poop shoot although it will be runny.
Keep us posted.
Oh and as far as trying to vibrate him, you can try the washer on the spin cycle and hold him on top of the washer or set him in a box and put him on top. My washer shakes quite a bit maybe yours does too?

He is getting his steps in as we speak!! In the bath...its next to my office so i can keep an eye on him.

I thought of the washing machine but it's the thing people from the US always say is odd about UK, we have them in our kitchen under the counter/ kitchen surface with only about 1cm of room.

Maybe I should pull it out a bit and 'put him on spin' on top of it!

 

[zovick]

So. I had an xray done on my tortoise last month after he ate some stones (mainly as my other tortoise was at the vets so I thought I would take him too and I'd seen the stones go in but not come out).

Current situation after hot baths twice a day, and after putting paraffin liquid on pellets which he has loved and trying pumpkin a couple of times (I burnt the rest) and mango once (two foods he is not normally given), is that he is eating albeit not masses, is urinating and has very normal urates. Still gets his man parts out now and again and puts them away, and is behaving like a rocket charged bull in a China shop.

BUT I don't see him doing much in the way of solid poops. He was doing them until about a week ago maybe a couple of times a week but small and not containing the stones (yes I checked) but now just makes the water a bit brown with his efforts but nothing to write home about.

I'm wondering if maybe it's started shifting and blocked him up a bit more recently.

How concerned should I be and should I take action? Also anyone got any ideas of how to Jiggle or vibrate him a bit? He's not up for doing it in the car and I can't take him every time I need to go and get milk it's getting ridiculous!!!

Here is his xray for anyone interested.

Can I do an at home enema? Also he's an adult ibera.

A one month old X-ray does not have much value in diagnosing what is currently wrong with your tortoise. You really need to have a new film taken to determine if the stone/stones has/have moved at all in the past month and if the tortoise is building up a huge blockage of fecal matter which needs veterinary attention.

Such blockages can be life-threatening if not properly treated.

 

[LJL1982]

A one month old X-ray does not have much value in diagnosing what is currently wrong with your tortoise. You really need to have a new film taken to determine if the stone/stones has/have moved at all in the past month and if the tortoise is building up a huge blockage of fecal matter which needs veterinary attention.

Such blockages can be life-threatening if not properly treated.

OK, I'll get a new xray done, also with efforts made in last month to shift them, it would be good to know if anything moved.

Thank you!

 

[zovick]

OK, I'll get a new xray done, also with efforts made in last month to shift them, it would be good to know if anything moved.

Thank you!

Yes, very good thinking. Keep us informed of the results and the treatment if any is needed.

Good luck.

 

[LJL1982]

Yes, very good thinking. Keep us informed of the results and the treatment if any is needed.

Good luck.

Earliest I can get is Thursday next week. In mean time I'll keep on his baths!

 

[zolasmum]

Yes, very good thinking. Keep us informed of the results and the treatment if any is needed.

Earliest I can get is Thursday next week. In mean time I'll keep on his baths!

Perhaps you could try an electric toothbrush at slow speed on his plastron ?

Angie

 

[LJL1982]

He is getting his steps in as we speak!! In the bath...its next to my office so i can keep an eye on him.

I thought of the washing machine but it's the thing people from the US always say is odd about UK, we have them in our kitchen under the counter/ kitchen surface with only about 1cm of room.

Maybe I should pull it out a bit and 'put him on spin' on top of it!

That's it 22 minutes of my life spent supervising a tortoise on top of a 1500 RPM spin washing machine 🤦🏼‍♀️

He tried to get off the whole time! And did no toilet. Now back under his heat lamp to warm up and see what happens.

 

[LJL1982]

Angie

That's a thought!

 

[wellington]

That's it 22 minutes of my life spent supervising a tortoise on top of a 1500 RPM spin washing machine 🤦🏼‍♀️

He tried to get off the whole time! And did no toilet. Now back under his heat lamp to warm up and see what happens.

If the bath/moving doesn't work, which I would do once or even twice a day until the appointment, but if it doesn't work in a couple days, it isn't going to work and the vet visit will be needed.
I would let them know you want to be put on a list incase there are any cancellations so you could possibly get in sooner.
I would also try the watery foods, if nothing else, the watery foods will be liquidy and likely/hopefully pass past the stones and come out instead of adding to any build up.

 

[Avuwyy]

If you want to try vibrations to get things moving, ‘adult toys’ have been used in the past. You can strap it to the plastron for a few minutes each day and see if that works out. A lot less time consuming than having to closely supervise your tortoise atop a washing machine.

 

[LJL1982]

If you want to try vibrations to get things moving, ‘adult toys’ have been used in the past. You can strap it to the plastron for a few minutes each day and see if that works out. A lot less time consuming than having to closely supervise your tortoise atop a washing machine.

Haha I only just saw this and did wonder if it would come up! I wouldn't know where to buy any 😆😆😆

 

[LJL1982]

If the bath/moving doesn't work, which I would do once or even twice a day until the appointment, but if it doesn't work in a couple days, it isn't going to work and the vet visit will be needed.
I would let them know you want to be put on a list incase there are any cancellations so you could possibly get in sooner.
I would also try the watery foods, if nothing else, the watery foods will be liquidy and likely/hopefully pass past the stones and come out instead of adding to any build up.

He actually had done a bit of toilet when I checked yesterday eve. No stones though. Also his weekly weigh shows he has lost 10% bodyweight in a month, but he's been brought inside in that month and that stresses him.

I will keep the baths and wet food feeds going but conscious he may have lost more weight than the 10% and that his weight might look artificially high through blockage.

He won't go to the toilet on bark, only on his flat stones or outside on the patio so I may chuck him out there for half an hour a day if it's dry. Interesting that the day I stuck him outside he went that eve.

 

[wellington]

Don't forget, if he's not eating he won't have anything to poop. If eating only a tiny bit, then tiny bit is all that's going to come out.

 

[Sheldon’s Mama]

If you want to try vibrations to get things moving, ‘adult toys’ have been used in the past. You can strap it to the plastron for a few minutes each day and see if that works out. A lot less time consuming than having to closely supervise your tortoise atop a washing machine.

I’m sorry to laugh…obvi I’m also concerned for your boy…but “adult toys” made me giggle. I hope he passes the stones soon! 🐢

 

[zolasmum]

Haha I only just saw this and did wonder if it would come up! I wouldn't know where to buy any 😆😆😆

Well, I did mention earlier trying an electric toothbrush on low speed - that is something you could buy anywhere without blushing - and he would end up with a lovely clean shell, if nothing else.!
Angie

 

[LJL1982]

Don't forget, if he's not eating he won't have anything to poop. If eating only a tiny bit, then tiny bit is all that's going to come out.

That's my particular worry...he does seem to eat. It's so hard to gauge because he won't really stop to eat he's too busy crashing about. When he does stop he will eat a plate of pellets but maybe once every three days. He doesn't have pellets he has proper food but he just seems to trample all over it recently. He will however be fed aloe vera. He rarely turns that down.

He ate a piece of banana yesterday so maybe that will help move things along.

Just to reiterate he is not fed fruit or pellets this is a last resort to keep calories in him and make him toilet. Have failed to obtain tinned pumpkin or prickly pear anywhere in UK so will buy online.