Ok so I’m kinna freaking out. I have had my tortoise for around 3 years and a half. I usually let him out in my room to wonder cause even if he has a big *** enclosure, he likes scratching at the walls till I let him out, so I let him out. Today I did just that, and went to cook, I came back to my room about an hour later. He was humping something, witch, nasty, but not unusual. Normally putting him in water will make him retract his penis, but now, his been in water for around an hour, and nothing, his retract most of it, but the tip seems to be swollen?? Like some sort of blister, I don’t really know what to do. I know I have to keep hydrated. But how do I help him? Vet cants see me till tomorrow
My tortoise penis prolapsed??
- Thread starter Charapa12
- Start date
It's only a prolapse if the penis comes out and won't go back in. Prolapse is usually caused by straining too much and too hard - constipation, some sort of blockage (ate something off the floor from being allowed to roam around not in an enclosure), etc. So even if you get the prolapsed penis to go back inside, if you don't fix the original cause it will keep coming back out.
Try placing him in your bath tub with enough water that he wants to scramble around trying to get out. Scrambling helps to release the constipation or small stuck items. But keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble.
Try placing him in your bath tub with enough water that he wants to scramble around trying to get out. Scrambling helps to release the constipation or small stuck items. But keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble.
Thank you, honestly. I think I’m just going to bye him an even bigger enclosure and not let him rome around. I mean this is the first time we have this problem, but o would rather for it to happen again. It’s still not in. I been trying to put it back with Vaseline and gloves. Buts still. The tip just won’t go in. It’s just the tip. It’s like swollen and he can’t pull it in, like he was liquid there or something
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Did he manage to pull it in eventually?
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 3,571
If not, a sugar compress might be helpful.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Hello and welcome from a fellow uk member! Hopefully the responses above have helped!
Whilst you’re here I don’t suppose we could get a photo of your full set up?
I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low quite often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam😣, flipping hazards, smooth services, the list goes on and is endless.
They don’t have the reasoning skills to understand why they aren’t feeling comfortable, they just want to explore, but it doesn’t mean discomfort isn’t there, our homes don’t mimic the outdoors.
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, so an appropriate sized enclosure is always the ultimate goal, hopefully we can help🥰
As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that our climate makes it difficult to house outdoors full time, an outdoor enclosure is great for them to enjoy in summer though! I would generally discourage free roaming outside of a safe enclosure.
Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of people who have spent years finding the best ways to care for them that actually result in healthy tortoise. So I’m glad you’ve made your way here!
I know this may look a lot to go over, but I promise it’s worth it to help your guy thrive in the long run🥰
As adults they need a minimum of an 8x4 enclosure, roaming is vital to tortoise health, it aids digestion and strengthen their muscles. Here in the uk, stores are all too eager to sell you a tortoise and telling you a small indoor set up is fine, most would find 8x4 foot ridiculous here which is such a shame, these guys walk for miles in the wild!
I’m going to include some information below on an example of an appropriate indoor set up, it includes the correct levels and equipment etc, including the appropriate indoor uv
Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.
Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 75-80 during the day.
You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer, providing shady areas with hides and safe plants.
Then CHE/CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) always on a thermostat, for night heat if your house drops below 60’s at night. Set the thermostat for a night temperature place the probe in their cooler end, plug the che into it and the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be plugged in 24/7 but will only turn on when the temperature drops. We’re a cooler climate so I think you’ll most likely need these.
Large wide dome fittings will help project the heat down, just don’t solely rely on the clamps, they’ve been known to fail, always hang securely👍
Indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for and some examples of how to mount them. The Arcadia proT5 kit 12% comes the the reflector fitting so I always personally recommend that one👍
With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.
For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The problem with top soil is unless you’ve composted it yourself, you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, it could be something toxic. Sand can irritate the eyes and be an impaction risk, moss is an impaction risk too. If that is sand you are using, it needs replacing asap.
You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed.
I’d personally recommend you make your own base to go as big as you possibly can for the space you have. The closer you can get to an 8x4 size the better.
When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds, or take a large bookcase, take out the shelves and lie flat, or just make their own, for all these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough! They can be professional escape artists😂
I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy to hang their lighting, use a temperature gun to determine how high the basking bulb needs to be, the uv I suggested needs to be mounted 18-20 inches from the substrate.
For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.
I’d also always recommend getting your hands on a temp gun, they’re SO handy when setting up a new environment or for checking your monitors are correct🙂
Also you may find this link below useful for some food ideas! you can buy seeds online and plant in organic soil(free of chemicals) in a planter the tortoise doesn’t have access to, and forage from them as they grow😊there’s lots of plants in the wildflower section that grow great in our uk climate! No fruits for these guys, leafy greens and weeds all the way!🙌
Hopefully this helps, I know it was a long one, but I always eventually end up posting it to new members so figured I’d jump the gun😂❤️
Whilst you’re here I don’t suppose we could get a photo of your full set up?
I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low quite often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam😣, flipping hazards, smooth services, the list goes on and is endless.
They don’t have the reasoning skills to understand why they aren’t feeling comfortable, they just want to explore, but it doesn’t mean discomfort isn’t there, our homes don’t mimic the outdoors.
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, so an appropriate sized enclosure is always the ultimate goal, hopefully we can help🥰
As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that our climate makes it difficult to house outdoors full time, an outdoor enclosure is great for them to enjoy in summer though! I would generally discourage free roaming outside of a safe enclosure.
Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of people who have spent years finding the best ways to care for them that actually result in healthy tortoise. So I’m glad you’ve made your way here!
I know this may look a lot to go over, but I promise it’s worth it to help your guy thrive in the long run🥰
As adults they need a minimum of an 8x4 enclosure, roaming is vital to tortoise health, it aids digestion and strengthen their muscles. Here in the uk, stores are all too eager to sell you a tortoise and telling you a small indoor set up is fine, most would find 8x4 foot ridiculous here which is such a shame, these guys walk for miles in the wild!
I’m going to include some information below on an example of an appropriate indoor set up, it includes the correct levels and equipment etc, including the appropriate indoor uv
Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.
Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 75-80 during the day.
You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer, providing shady areas with hides and safe plants.
Then CHE/CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) always on a thermostat, for night heat if your house drops below 60’s at night. Set the thermostat for a night temperature place the probe in their cooler end, plug the che into it and the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be plugged in 24/7 but will only turn on when the temperature drops. We’re a cooler climate so I think you’ll most likely need these.
Large wide dome fittings will help project the heat down, just don’t solely rely on the clamps, they’ve been known to fail, always hang securely👍
Indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for and some examples of how to mount them. The Arcadia proT5 kit 12% comes the the reflector fitting so I always personally recommend that one👍
With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.
For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The problem with top soil is unless you’ve composted it yourself, you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, it could be something toxic. Sand can irritate the eyes and be an impaction risk, moss is an impaction risk too. If that is sand you are using, it needs replacing asap.
You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed.
I’d personally recommend you make your own base to go as big as you possibly can for the space you have. The closer you can get to an 8x4 size the better.
When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds, or take a large bookcase, take out the shelves and lie flat, or just make their own, for all these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough! They can be professional escape artists😂
I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy to hang their lighting, use a temperature gun to determine how high the basking bulb needs to be, the uv I suggested needs to be mounted 18-20 inches from the substrate.
For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.
I’d also always recommend getting your hands on a temp gun, they’re SO handy when setting up a new environment or for checking your monitors are correct🙂
Also you may find this link below useful for some food ideas! you can buy seeds online and plant in organic soil(free of chemicals) in a planter the tortoise doesn’t have access to, and forage from them as they grow😊there’s lots of plants in the wildflower section that grow great in our uk climate! No fruits for these guys, leafy greens and weeds all the way!🙌
The Tortoise Table - Home
The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise owners
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk
Hopefully this helps, I know it was a long one, but I always eventually end up posting it to new members so figured I’d jump the gun😂❤️
