Leopard Tortoise Poop!

[GeorgeUK]

Evening all
I have had Lady Dorothy for a couple of weeks now. She's really starting to settle in & comes out a lot more. She's eating loads, and I'm offering variety. Weeds, Grasses, Hay, Romaine Lettuce, etc...
It's occurred to me that she's not actually been for a number 2, since I've owned her.
She's had a number 1, the day I got her, but nothing since that I've noticed. I give her daily soaks, and she's in good health.

Should I be worried?

Edit: I have owned her since 20/11/2015.

 

[Yvonne G]

She might be dehydrated. Start giving her a 15 or 20 minute soak every day, and add some wet food like cucumber to her diet until you see her poop. My leopard tortoises poop a lot...I mean, A LOT!!! So for you to not see any is quite unusual.

 

[GeorgeUK]

She might be dehydrated. Start giving her a 15 or 20 minute soak every day, and add some wet food like cucumber to her diet until you see her poop. My leopard tortoises poop a lot...I mean, A LOT!!! So for you to not see any is quite unusual.

Thank you Yvonne I have sent for some cucumber & other veggies, we have a 24/7 across the road with a great organic section. Delivering in 10 minutes, so I'll put some in straight away

 

[Lyn W]

Thank you Yvonne I have sent for some cucumber & other veggies, we have a 24/7 across the road with a great organic section. Delivering in 10 minutes, so I'll put some in straight away

I find that if you grate it to a mush and put it on some leaves it seems to work more quickly.
I also tried the trick of putting Lola in a warm box and taking him for a drive the other week - it worked really well!!

 

[GeorgeUK]

Thanks for the tips, Lyn!
Seems to be working, Lady Dorothy is chomping away

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks for the tips, Lyn!
Seems to be working, Lady Dorothy is chomping away

You're welcome - when they do go they poop like little ponies so don't be surprised at the amount she produces!!

 

[Jodie]

I love her name. Do you know her history? My female leopard has a lot of potty issues when she needs to lay eggs.

 

[GeorgeUK]

I love her name. Do you know her history? My female leopard has a lot of potty issues when she needs to lay eggs.

Thank you
This is what I know from the previous owner:
She was captive bred in Manchester, England in 2011.
She's small for her age, although I made a thread about that and it seems more common for Leopards raised in cooler climates.
She was raised on mixed leaves. (I've added grasses and hay, and a variety of weeds and leaves to her diet)
She was housed within a pet store environment since hatching, and was in the same enclosure as another female and a male also.

I can't wait to see how she progresses in my care, the entire family has fallen in love with her

 

[Lyn W]

Does Lady D eat grass if you just leave it for her?
Lola will only eat it if he can graze it himself in the summer.
If I cut fresh grass or use dried he just will not touch it!!
So I have to grind Readigrass in the blender so that it will stick to the wet leaves from the salad bags.
He is a very picky eater and goes off things after a while so he keeps me on my toes finding variety.

 

[GeorgeUK]

Does Lady D eat grass if you just leave it for her?
Lola will only eat it if he can graze it himself in the summer.
If I cut fresh grass or use dried he just will not touch it!!
So I have to grind Readigrass in the blender so that it will stick to the wet leaves from the salad bags.
He is a very picky eater and goes off things after a while so he keeps me on my toes finding variety.

Eat it? She attacks it, haha. My Mum referred to her as being like a Rottweiler, and I think that's a fair analysis of her eating behaviour =P

She does like the grass, thankfully, though finding leaves (especially dandelion) is becoming increasingly difficult in my area, so I find my walks are becoming longer, but I need the exercise anyways haha.

That's a great method you use, I'll have to remember that I know they can suddenly go off it, at least from what I've read so that may come in handy one day! Thanks

She's currently chomping on the grass/cucumber mash up

 

[goldengreek sally]

What u might want to do is that when u put her in her bath put one third of a Gatorade bottle in the bath and she will probably like it

 

[goldengreek sally]

I got that from the vet

 

[Tom]

Try a long soak tomorrow. Leave her in your bath tub for an hour. Keep rewarming the water as needed so it doesn't get too cold.

If that doesn't work. Try putting her in a plastic tub and going for a long car ride. Pre-warm the car first. That almost always does it.

 

[kingskettle]

Opuntia is also very good for getting a tortoise to produce " a movement " !

 

[MPRC]

I'll 2nd or 3rd the car ride thing...that or let her on your freshly shampooed carpet.

I know it's icky, but could she be eating it? My Redfoot is a gross disgusting poop eater and did it for several weeks this summer and then just stopped.

 

[Lyn W]

Eat it? She attacks it, haha. My Mum referred to her as being like a Rottweiler, and I think that's a fair analysis of her eating behaviour =P

She does like the grass, thankfully, though finding leaves (especially dandelion) is becoming increasingly difficult in my area, so I find my walks are becoming longer, but I need the exercise anyways haha.

That's a great method you use, I'll have to remember that I know they can suddenly go off it, at least from what I've read so that may come in handy one day! Thanks

She's currently chomping on the grass/cucumber mash up

All the dandies have gone near me now, so we are on the shop bought bags of Florette Classic Crispy Salad or Sainsburys mixed leaf salad which have nice mix, with added Readigrass and misc other greens, kale, spring greens, pak choi etc - as much variety as possible. It would be so much easier of I could just put down some hay/grass for him - I d leave some down for him but he won't touch it - fussy eater!! lady D looks as if she really enjoys her food.

 

[GeorgeUK]

All the dandies have gone near me now, so we are on the shop bought bags of Florette Classic Crispy Salad or Sainsburys mixed leaf salad which have nice mix, with added Readigrass and misc other greens, kale, spring greens, pak choi etc - as much variety as possible. It would be so much easier of I could just put down some hay/grass for him - I d leave some down for him but he won't touch it - fussy eater!! lady D looks as if she really enjoys her food.

Yeah I think they're all gone here too! =\ I've been looking around all day but only found a few small leaves.
Haha, I've had fussy snakes and lizards in the past so I can relate

Well, I have bathed her this evening for an hour. She had a long soak in warm water and moved around a lot. She's still not had a number two, and I'm starting to get worried. She seems fine though, and continues to do everything as expected/normal. I just hope she goes soon, as I know toilet issues can cause harm fairly quickly if action isn't taken. I will continue to give her hour long baths, and hope for the best.

I'm wondering, could the fact she is eating large amounts of hay, grass, and weeds (a sudden change in diet from her previous owner) be the cause? I read somewhere @Yvonne G quoted that it can take more than 20 days to digest grasses?
(I have added cucumber to her diet as suggested)

Anyways, I'll keep this thread updated. I don't think I have ever been so eager to see poop in my entire life, haha.

 

[Lyn W]

Yeah I think they're all gone here too! =\ I've been looking around all day but only found a few small leaves.
Haha, I've had fussy snakes and lizards in the past so I can relate

Well, I have bathed her this evening for an hour. She had a long soak in warm water and moved around a lot. She's still not had a number two, and I'm starting to get worried. She seems fine though, and continues to do everything as expected/normal. I just hope she goes soon, as I know toilet issues can cause harm fairly quickly if action isn't taken. I will continue to give her hour long baths, and hope for the best.

I'm wondering, could the fact she is eating large amounts of hay, grass, and weeds (a sudden change in diet from her previous owner) be the cause? I read somewhere @Yvonne G quoted that it can take more than 20 days to digest grasses?
(I have added cucumber to her diet as suggested)

Anyways, I'll keep this thread updated. I don't think I have ever been so eager to see poop in my entire life, haha.

Its funny how we all eagerly await the poop! If someone told me 18 months ago I'd be worrying about tortoise pooh I would have thought they were mad - now everyone thinks I'm mad!!!
Try the car drive by following Toms instructions - it really does work - but Lady D will need a bath when you get home!!

 

[GeorgeUK]

Try a long soak tomorrow. Leave her in your bath tub for an hour. Keep rewarming the water as needed so it doesn't get too cold.

If that doesn't work. Try putting her in a plastic tub and going for a long car ride. Pre-warm the car first. That almost always does it.

Thank you Tom, I will continue to give her long soaks and hope that works, I will try the car ride in a couple of days if she still hasn't been (I don't own a car personally, but I'm sure my Mum won't think I'm too crazy if I explain, ha!)

Opuntia is also very good for getting a tortoise to produce " a movement " !

Thank you! I'll have to try and find somewhere that stocks it locally

I'll 2nd or 3rd the car ride thing...that or let her on your freshly shampooed carpet.

I know it's icky, but could she be eating it? My Redfoot is a gross disgusting poop eater and did it for several weeks this summer and then just stopped.

It's a possibility that she's eating it, she seems to eat everything else. I haven't noticed her with a poop moustache though, ha!

I will definitely try the car ride method if she still hasn't pooped in a couple of days (I don't own a car, unfortunately)

Thanks!

Its funny how we all eagerly await the poop! If someone told me 18 months ago I'd be worrying about tortoise pooh I would have thought they were mad - now everyone thinks I'm mad!!!
Try the car drive by following Toms instructions - it really does work - but Lady D will need a bath when you get home!!

Haha, yeah I didn't expect this!
Next step will be the long car ride but I don't own a car so hopefully the long bath's work over the next couple of days
Thanks Lyn!

 

[David Harmon]

All the dandies have gone near me now, so we are on the shop bought bags of Florette Classic Crispy Salad or Sainsburys mixed leaf salad which have nice mix, with added Readigrass and misc other greens, kale, spring greens, pak choi etc - as much variety as possible. It would be so much easier of I could just put down some hay/grass for him - I d leave some down for him but he won't touch it - fussy eater!! lady D looks as if she really enjoys her food.

Hello Lyn you ok sorry to ask were can you get pak choi? and what does it look like? as am feeding mine the same food but with grass and dandelion mix which they both enjoy, they have just passed the 500gram mark and have growth lines now. Hows lola in this weather?