Newbie Question Regarding Poop!

[darrinm3]

Hello!
Last week we bought a baby Hermann's tortoise. He's about 2" long, seemingly very healthy. We got him from a great breeder at the cincinnati reptile show. So far he's active, eating a ton, and pooping. We've only had him a week and we give him a bath every day and he's pooped a total of 3 times that we've seen.

Is 3 times a week too little? When he pooped it was solid, the first time it was a dark brown the second time it was a dark green. He's on a diet of kale, collard greens, a couple baby carrots, and Rep-Cal tortoise mix we got from the breeder. We are in the process of trying to find plantains and dandelions, but being in the city we can't find anywhere pesticide free to collect dandelions, and no store sells plantains. Is his diet causing him to be backed up? Or is 3 times a week normal provided he didn't go more somewhere in one of his hides. Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

My babies poop a couple or more times a day. Depending upon what substrate you're using, maybe you just can't see the poop. . . and maybe he's eating it.

I have sometimes found that the poop starts stacking up around the tail, so I have to inspect each baby's rear end daily. ( The first poop doesn't drop off, and hardens, then another poop comes later and can't go anywhere because of the first poop, and on and on. This can eventually kill the baby if you don't see it in time to remove all the stuck on poops)

What they eat does dictate the color of the feces.

Kale and collards are ok, but should be only a part of a varied diet. Here's a nice list to choose from:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

 

[darrinm3]

Thank you so much! We have been researching all the things to feed him but even in greenhouses we have such a hard time finding the weeds. Where would be a good place to find them? I can't collect anything because everywhere around here is fertilized, but we are planning on driving a little while and getting a bunch of dandelions. His/her cloaca is clear of any poop so he might be burying/eating it. Thanks again!

 

[RosemaryDW]

Darrin, I see you are in Ohio. Is it starting to get warm there, I think? Warm enough for planting?

If so, go to a nursery and get yourself a squash plant, any kind. Put it in a decent size pot with some potting soil. Even if you are horrible gardeners (I am), you'll get enough food out of it to supplement what you are feeding. You can do the same with pansies, they are hard to kill.

If you have a little open space of your own with a mix of shade and sun, get some nasturium seeds while you are at the nursery. Easy to grow and your tortoise will eat the leaves and flowers. Alyssum and radishes are also super easy (you just feed the radish tops).

You can add in turnip tops and radish tops from the grocery store. You can also add spring mix or any of the chicories (regular chicory, endive, frisee, radicchio).

If you have a "high end" or natural grocery store, they often sell dandions. You might find nettles there early in the year (people eat them too!). If you have a Whole Foods, they should have dandelions.

Is there a farmers market and is it open for the year yet? They should also have some safe foods, even things you and I would consider weeds.

Spineless opuntia (cactus) is a great food and you can find a single pad on Amazon. Plant it, leave it somewhere warm (including a sunny window) and it will eventually grow large enough to keep a small Hermanns in business.

Even when you find a good weed source--and you should if at all possible--these are foods you can use to supplement throughout the year.

I'd stop feeding the carrots now; they aren't good for him.

Good luck and let us know how it goes! We can help you identify weeds as you find them. We can also help you learn whether they are pesticide free.

 

[darrinm3]

Thanks! We went to Whole Foods and got a big thing of dandelion greens and some radishes (to feed the tops). I'll visit a greenhouse this week and get some squash plants/seeds. I'm growing mustard greens right now, and I have some other veggies growing inside (apartment, no room outside sadly) for me to cook with. I'll order that cactus this week also. I have two types of Sedum not sedum acre) and blue fescue in his enclosure for him to graze if he feels like it. Her mother has some pesticide free mulberry plants so I'll grab some leaves and berries this weekend for him. I'll also stop with the carrots. Thank you again!

 

[darrinm3]

Also, I was goin through his substrate finding any old scraps of food and found a big ole turd, so he seems to be pooping well too!