my redfoot tortoise just started today while i am soaking him that while pooping (still is at the moment) hes sticking his head all the way out opening his mouth and making a croaking noise or like a woopie cushion type noise. he has never done it any other time, i feed him kale and have for awhile now. he hasnt really been pooping much recently either, is this just him having trouble pooping?
loud croaking noise while pooping
- Thread starter baldegale
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He may be constipated. Needs a lot more variety in his diet. Too much kale is not good for them. How about hibiscus and grape leaves, dandelions, escarole, endive, raddicchio, collards, mustard greens, how about some mushrooms? Not those white ones or portabellos and "baby bellas", talking about those forest mushrooms, and fruit (they love papaya and mango and really any fruit) and veggies, and how about adding some animal protein and maybe little Mazuri, or other commercial tortoise diet? Think: VARIETY! Google "tortoise library" it's great resoirce for the RF keepers
How old a male redfoot are we talking about? Sub-adult and mature males can do a fair bit of clucking. He may be constipated but he also could have been uh... enjoying himself in the bath, as they often do. That can be a very vocal process.
If it sounds like this he may just be....enjoying....his bath. I have 2 who always whip it out in warm baths. Vern though, he is random. The clicking and clucking and grunting definitely aren't pain.
Agree with Enjoying himself, not constipated. If constipated / blocked he would be pulling his head in and "straining". If extending and making noise - having "fun"!!
sounds like you could make a sweet remix with that all jokes aside though his noises are a lot louder and spread out, almost strenuous i think. ill try and get a video next time he does it.
Your bearded dragon and your tortoise eat different foods! It may be easier to feed them the same stuff but it's not the correct thing and it won't be good for either of them. Please feed the tortoise with the correct diet for him, and I hope your beardie is not in the same enclosure as the tort, right? When you have the diet corrected, maybe his singing in the bath will take on a more pleasing tone, if he sings at all when he is pooping with enjoyment and ease.
In your first post you said "...I feed him kale and have for a while now." Some may assume from this that kale is all you feed him, so I am glad to hear that he gets collard greens and squash! Also I am not sure that torts do not eat crickets - I have never tried mine with crickets....hmmmmm. Next protein source on my list to try mine with!
Your redfoot needs more variety than that - for greens, try dandelion, chicory, endive, and turnip green too. Don't forget mushrooms and prickly pear pads and fruit are good choices too. Your red foot also needs animal protein - earth worms, snails, boiled egg, pinky mice, salmon, etc. This website has great red foot information: https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/nutrition/good-foods-list
The nice thing about redfoots and the huge variety they can eat is, you can go with what is seasonal. If no one has dandelions in, try other greens. Maybe winter has a more fruit and fungus heavy diet for you and spring and summer will be more greens heavy. You'll come around to dandelion season soon.
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..............Actually, Redfoot DO eat crickets.
Yes they do!!! I tried mine with two crickets this morning and WHAM...............Actually, Redfoot DO eat crickets.
