Leopard tortoise not pooing

Cedricthetort

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Hi guys, Cedric is a two year old leopard tortoise. He eats a varied diet and I've just introduced Timothy hay to his diet (which he definitely isn't eating much of, maybe a few mouthfuls a day.. the rest is getting scattered around his enclosure)
I normally bath him twice a week and at least once a week he would poo in the bath, sometimes we would notice some in his enclosure as well.
Over the past three weeks he hasn't been pooing in the bath at all. I've increased his soaks to daily the past week as I'm getting worried he isn't pooing! The only change is adding the hay to his diet.
IVe just been reading about how they can eat their poo, could this be happening? Should I be worried? He's eating as usual and walking around seeming like his normal self.. just no poo.
sorry for the very long post on poo ?
thanks in advance.
 

Yvonne G

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I doubt a leopard tortoise is going to eat timothy hay, as it's not normally on leopards' diet.

You can try giving him cactus, cucumber, aloe - wet foods, to try to get him to poo.
 

JoesMum

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With all respect to @Yvonne G this owner is in the UK and only the cucumber is available here.

@Cedricthetort a dehydrated tortoise cannot poop.

He needs to be soaked twice daily for 30-40 minutes in warm water. Use a large flat bottomed bowl, like a washing up bowl, that he can walk around in as exercise helps bowel movements in tortoises just like it does in humans. The water needs to be deep enough to come just up over the join between the shell and the plastron (underside) of your tortoise. If it goes cold, change the water.

Please read this thread by species expert @Tom and compare it with your setup

Photos of your enclosure and lighting will help us to help you further
 

Cedricthetort

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With all respect to @Yvonne G this owner is in the UK and only the cucumber is available here.

@Cedricthetort a dehydrated tortoise cannot poop.

He needs to be soaked twice daily for 30-40 minutes in warm water. Use a large flat bottomed bowl, like a washing up bowl, that he can walk around in as exercise helps bowel movements in tortoises just like it does in humans. The water needs to be deep enough to come just up over the join between the shell and the plastron (underside) of your tortoise. If it goes cold, change the water.

Please read this thread by species expert @Tom and compare it with your setup

Photos of your enclosure and lighting will help us to help you further
That's great thank you!
He likes cucumber so can defos try that!
The setup of bath your describing is exactly what I have, I use a large plastic container that he's got lots of room to walk about. Just need to do it twice a day. Thank you for your help!
 

JoesMum

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That's great thank you!
He likes cucumber so can defos try that!
The setup of bath your describing is exactly what I have, I use a large plastic container that he's got lots of room to walk about. Just need to do it twice a day. Thank you for your help!
That's great thank you!
He likes cucumber so can defos try that!
The setup of bath your describing is exactly what I have, I use a large plastic container that he's got lots of room to walk about. Just need to do it twice a day. Thank you for your help!
You need to tackle the cause of the dehydration too. Please read that thread that I linked to as well
 

KarenSoCal

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With all respect to JoesMum, I think the preferred care sheet is this one.

 

JoesMum

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With all respect to JoesMum, I think the preferred care sheet is this one.

Whoops my mistake this time :)
 

Lyn W

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Hi, in almost 7 years since I've had my leopard his pooping always slows down in the winter, in spite of daily soaks, and rehydrated leaves (Aldi mixed salad, pak choi, kale, lambs lettuce, romaine etc)It is a worry but I have come to the conclusion it's because he is less active and not getting the natural uvb he gets in the spring/summer and eating less. He has a lovely warm heated hide kept at about 95' so I don't think its because he's too cold.

In the warm weather he poops at least every other day but in the winter it is not unusual for him to go for over 3 weeks even though I grate cucumber to a mush for him to try help to speed things up long before it gets to that stage. Romaine absorbs quite a lot of water if soaked so I use that for extra hydration too.
He also likes aloe but if you buy these plants from a shop wash the roots repot in chemical free soil and allow at least a year for any fertilisers or pesticides that may have been absorbed to grow out.

My tort won't eat dried grasses and isn't actually that bothered about fresh grass either, but I buy Readigrass and finely grind it in a blender to sprinkle on his wet food especially when weeds are scarce.

A trick that sometime works is to take him out in the car (kept warm obviously) - something to do with the vibration through the floor. Make sure you line his box/carrier with plenty of newspaper and kitchen roll! I have also found that gently making his bath vibrate by shaking a corner will have the same effect. Also using a larger than usual container to soak him in sometime works. I use an under bed storage box and put it in my bath as the change of scene and extra space often works.
 
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Cedricthetort

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Hi, in almost 7 years since I've had my leopard his pooping always slows down in the winter, in spite of daily soaks, and rehydrated leaves (Aldi mixed salad, pak choi, kale, lambs lettuce, romaine etc)It is a worry but I have come to the conclusion it's because he is less active and not getting the natural uvb he gets in the spring/summer and eating less. He has a lovely warm heated hide kept at about 95' so I don't think its because he's too cold.

In the warm weather he poops at least every other day but in the winter it is not unusual for him to go for over 3 weeks even though I grate cucumber to a mush for him to try help to speed things up long before it gets to that stage. Romaine absorbs quite a lot of water if soaked so I use that for extra hydration too.
He also likes aloe but if you buy these plants from a shop wash the roots repot in chemical free soil and allow at least a year for any fertilisers or pesticides that may have been absorbed to grow out.

My tort won't eat dried grasses and isn't actually that bothered about fresh grass either, but I buy Readigrass and finely grind it in a blender to sprinkle on his wet food especially when weeds are scarce.

A trick that sometime works is to take him out in the car (kept warm obviously) - something to do with the vibration through the floor. Make sure you line his box/carrier with plenty of newspaper and kitchen roll! I have also found that gently making his bath vibrate by shaking a corner will have the same effect. Also using a larger than usual container to soak him in sometime works. I use an under bed storage box and put it in my bath as the change of scene and extra space often works.

Thank you this is very helpful!
His behaviour hasn't changed in any way just lack of poo so this is reassuring to know your tort does the same!
I will try the things you've suggested thank you! Definitely going to invest in an alo plant, I've got a fake one on my dining room table so why not get a real one!
 

Lyn W

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Thank you this is very helpful!
His behaviour hasn't changed in any way just lack of poo so this is reassuring to know your tort does the same!
I will try the things you've suggested thank you! Definitely going to invest in an alo plant, I've got a fake one on my dining room table so why not get a real one!
I bought my aloe in Ikea quite cheaply about 4 years ago now; there were also some quite cheap ones in Aldi a few months ago but they are a long way off being chemical free yet.
 

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