We adopted an adult Sulcata, first time owners. Brought him home yesterday. We spent a lot of time reading ahead of time and created a great enclosure and an insulated shed with lamps for cold nights (So. CA). Brought him home yesterday. He seems great, eating, active. There is a lot mud packed in the rear of his shell. He has diahhrea. We will soak him tomorrow morning to help clear that area and see how he is. Seems fine otherwise. Is this serious?
New Tortoise - Health Question
- Thread starter Bart
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No way to know really. I'd take a fecal sample in to get him checked for worms. You'll have a better idea once you soak him and clean him up. Do you know what he was being fed?
Hello and welcome to the forum.
Hello and welcome to the forum.
Hi Bart:
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
Is "Bart" a username, or is it your real name? And may we know where you are?
I have found that quite a few sulcatas are arriving at adulthood with shells that are a bit deformed at the tail end. This deformity causes the poop to get stuck instead of falling out behind the tortoise. I recently took in one that weighs 75lbs and the person I adopted him to has to take a sharp stick or screw driver once or twice a day and pry out the poop that is stuck inside the shell area. Once you get it all cleaned out, it will be easier to keep on top of it daily. If it ends up being too much of a problem, a vet can use a Dremel and grind down the edge of the carapace to make a bigger opening at the tail area. But this is something a vet should do, as it may cause the tortoise to bleed.
Sometimes, because the poop has been stuck there for a long time, the tail will end up becoming quite irritated and maybe even infected. I wouldn't be surprised if the diarrhea isn't an effect of all the stuck poop.
Can you tell us how big the sulcata is? And I'd love to see pictures.
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
Is "Bart" a username, or is it your real name? And may we know where you are?
I have found that quite a few sulcatas are arriving at adulthood with shells that are a bit deformed at the tail end. This deformity causes the poop to get stuck instead of falling out behind the tortoise. I recently took in one that weighs 75lbs and the person I adopted him to has to take a sharp stick or screw driver once or twice a day and pry out the poop that is stuck inside the shell area. Once you get it all cleaned out, it will be easier to keep on top of it daily. If it ends up being too much of a problem, a vet can use a Dremel and grind down the edge of the carapace to make a bigger opening at the tail area. But this is something a vet should do, as it may cause the tortoise to bleed.
Sometimes, because the poop has been stuck there for a long time, the tail will end up becoming quite irritated and maybe even infected. I wouldn't be surprised if the diarrhea isn't an effect of all the stuck poop.
Can you tell us how big the sulcata is? And I'd love to see pictures.
Hello and welcome to the forum...
emysemys said:
Yvonne,
Bart is my name. We live in Ventura County. He is about 60 lbs. We got him from AZ Tortoise Compound. They got him about 4 months ago from an owner whose enclosure wasn't strong enough. We will do what is needed to help him. He seems active and happy otherwise. Shell seems hard and smooth. The fed him alfalfa and Timothy hay and Muzuri mix and occasional carrots and greens. We would love to have a 'tortoise mentor' to help accelerate our knowledge.
Thanks.
Bart is my name. We live in Ventura County. He is about 60 lbs. We got him from AZ Tortoise Compound. They got him about 4 months ago from an owner whose enclosure wasn't strong enough. We will do what is needed to help him. He seems active and happy otherwise. Shell seems hard and smooth. The fed him alfalfa and Timothy hay and Muzuri mix and occasional carrots and greens. We would love to have a 'tortoise mentor' to help accelerate our knowledge.
Thanks.
emysemys said:
Good news. our new Sulcata Clyde is now happy and clean. We soaked him today and got the dried mud/poop (probably poop) out of his rear area and no more diahhrea either. He seems happy. I guess i would be too.
Tom said:
He's doing much better now, thanks Tom
dmarcus said:
thanks
Welcome to the Forum 
We LOVE PICS
We LOVE PICS
RE: The authoritative viewpoint
Once you get to know us you'll realize we LOVE poop threads!!!
Won't you take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?
Well then, Bart, you've come to exactly the right place...because now you have hundreds of "mentors" to help you with your new sulcata! When you get familiar with our format we'd all LOVE to see pictures of your new 60lb beastie!!
AcouriCor said:
Once you get to know us you'll realize we LOVE poop threads!!!
Won't you take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?
Bart said:
Well then, Bart, you've come to exactly the right place...because now you have hundreds of "mentors" to help you with your new sulcata! When you get familiar with our format we'd all LOVE to see pictures of your new 60lb beastie!!
Bart said:
Yeah, poop is one of our things.
What a happy 'outcome' for clyde...
RE: The authoritative perspective
If you continue to hang out here, you may as well get used to the idea that we are going to talk about poop more than a nervous new mom does.
Feces are a great predictor of health, even in adult humans. With animals like tortoises, which are even better than most animals at hiding what is wrong with them, we use every tool we can find to help figure out what is wrong.
AcouriCor said:
If you continue to hang out here, you may as well get used to the idea that we are going to talk about poop more than a nervous new mom does.
Feces are a great predictor of health, even in adult humans. With animals like tortoises, which are even better than most animals at hiding what is wrong with them, we use every tool we can find to help figure out what is wrong.
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