Need advice for Russian tortiose diet/ feces smells really bad

Safecyanide

New Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2021
Messages
1
Location (City and/or State)
Lawrenceville
Recently i started to notice the feces of my new russian tortiose has been very smelly and juicy . I read on one of the forums that it has to do with only feeding him store bought vegetables , what should i change/ add to reduce the smell and provide better nutrients for my tortiose ? it is my first , so any advice would definitely be appreciated !
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Store bought greens are okay to feed but not veggies. So what exactly are you feeding?
If you can get tortoise safe weeds/natural diet is the best. However most of us have to use grocery greens thru winter.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
673
Location (City and/or State)
Norwich CT
Recently i started to notice the feces of my new russian tortiose has been very smelly and juicy . I read on one of the forums that it has to do with only feeding him store bought vegetables , what should i change/ add to reduce the smell and provide better nutrients for my tortiose ? it is my first , so any advice would definitely be appreciated !
Welcome!
I too have a Russian tortoise. I was so grateful to find this forum because it helped me improve my tortoise’s husbandry exponentially. This is the BEST care sheet out there. It will answer most questions, but feel free to ask more or for clarification.

 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Store bought greens are okay to feed but not veggies. So what exactly are you feeding?
If you can get tortoise safe weeds/natural diet is the best. However most of us have to use grocery greens thru winter.
Yes
What are you feeding and how long have you had the tort?
 

biochemnerd808

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
1,453
Location (City and/or State)
Central Arkansas (we moved!)
Recently i started to notice the feces of my new russian tortiose has been very smelly and juicy . I read on one of the forums that it has to do with only feeding him store bought vegetables , what should i change/ add to reduce the smell and provide better nutrients for my tortiose ? it is my first , so any advice would definitely be appreciated !
A healthy, properly fed Russian tortoise's poop smells like wet hay.
What are you currently feeding?
If winter weather doesn't allow for a diet of wild weeds and other tortoise friendly yard grown greens, you can feed grocery store greens such as kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, arugula, Spring mix (minus the spinach), radicchio. Our Krogers and Walmart both carey those. If you go to Whole Foods, they often have dandelion greens and big bundles of bigger arugula (rather than the baby arugula in Spring mix), and Opuntia cactus pads, too. Buy 3 different greens each week and cycle through.
Don't feed actual veggies, and definitely no fruit.

Parasites can also cause stinky, runny poop. If you haven't done this yet this year, take a fresh poop sample to the vet to check for worms, coccidia, giardia, etc. I have found that our regular 'dog/cat' vet will do an in-house fecal check without requiring an appointment. Then if parasites are found, you can take the tortoise(s) to the reptile vet for treatment. Expect to have to pay for a check-up and treatment. There is a vet list of tortoise-competent vets sorted by State in the TFO here.

Good luck!
 

New Posts

Top