PANIC! Undigested Food (EJ)

[Kymiie]

I posted this a while ago
http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-11403.html?highlight=undigested+food

Well I have just found it today, and aot more of it! havnt seen it for around 20 days.

EJ posted that if it undigested food, its not a good sign, so how do i prevent this?

Ask me as many question, shout and scream at me tell me im a bad carer i just want to put this right.

Thanks for all help,

P.S here are todays photos!
x

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Would more heat help him?
xx

 

[egyptiandan]

There might be a problem with not enough gut bacteria to break down the food. There are a few products on the market in the UK that have bacteria in them to help raise the level of bacteria in your tortoises gut. Avipro plus being one of them and there are others.

Danny

 

[Kymiie]

Whats that? Never heard of it? Could I kill him with too much?
xxx

 

[egyptiandan]

Nope you can't Google it and you should be able to find it over there.

Danny

 

[Kymiie]

Yes, I have just googled it.
Just for curiosity, I know when tortoises are poorly you can feed them a bit of fruit yogurt or brown bread.
In the UK we have a yogurt called activia, its designed for humans to feel less bloated and thats a probiotc, could I try that danny?
xx

 

[bettinge]

There might be a problem with not enough gut bacteria to break down the food. There are a few products on the market in the UK that have bacteria in them to help raise the level of bacteria in your tortoises gut. Avipro plus being one of them and there are others.

Danny

Danny, what would be a similar product here in the US? TNT with probiotics?

 

[-EJ]

That would be the same thing. Before all these animal probiotics yogurt was the probiotic of choice... the only choice. I'm not sure if Beneback is available in the EU but thats another trade name.

Have you medicated the tortoise?

What color is the tortoises tongue?

Yes, I have just googled it.
Just for curiosity, I know when tortoises are poorly you can feed them a bit of fruit yogurt or brown bread.
In the UK we have a yogurt called activia, its designed for humans to feel less bloated and thats a probiotc, could I try that danny?
xx

 

[Meg90]

What are his temps Kymiie? You asked if you should add more heat, which leads me to believe that you think that you're not using enough. Whats the temp for the hot and cool side?

 

[Kymiie]

This is where you will probably shout at me... I dont have a thermomeater! I know I should but yano, he hasnt had 1 for a year and has never had this before!
But i thought it was heat that helped a tortoise digest! and all he does is wake up with no heat then eats so i was maybe thinking if he had more heat and fed later.. that would be ok?
I have the yogurt will try that! Erm his tounge is normal pink and he is active and eating well xx

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No, never medicated him.. nothing wrong with him xx

 

[Meg90]

Don't give him yogurt--you'll notice EJ said that "used" to be the case. Yogurt is DAIRY, and when, have you ever heard that feeding dairy is a good idea with a herbivore? He would never come across it in the wild.

And yes, you need a thermometer. For his safety and well being you should buy one as soon as you can. Guessing can be harmful. He could very well be too cold right now, and how will you ever know?

And for you to say "there has never been anything wrong with him, so nothing IS wrong" is faulty logic. That's like me saying I CAN'T get pregnant, just because it hasn't happened yet.

How do animals get sick? Or have something wrong with them? One day they are fine, and the next day, they are not.

Please don't try to cut corners and take the easy way out. Danny showed you a great product, and I think you should use it.

 

[Kymiie]

I never said that all I said was ''ive never medicated him becuase nothing has ever been wrong with him'' I know something is wrong now.
I asked about the yogurt, and by the time i went out to get it I had no reply, so now i will not use it!
And yes i will get that product, I was asking for advice before i used the yogurt. Just enquireing, and no1 had replied when i had bought it!

 

[-EJ]

It used to be and still is in a pinch. It's the bacteria in the diary product that you are looking for. This is along the lines of you should never feed peas or spinach or cabbage... it's a fairytail that is designed to scare a new keep. One dose of yogurt for a couple of weeks is not going to harm the animal.

What do you suggest if the op cannot find the products Danny suggested?

The 'easy way out'... as you put it... is sometimes the only way or best way to go given the circumstance. I do hope the op realizes that there are quite a few ways to skin a cat and not all of them are perceived as 'natural'.

Don't give him yogurt--you'll notice EJ said that "used" to be the case. Yogurt is DAIRY, and when, have you ever heard that feeding dairy is a good idea with a herbivore? He would never come across it in the wild.

And yes, you need a thermometer. For his safety and well being you should buy one as soon as you can. Guessing can be harmful. He could very well be too cold right now, and how will you ever know?

And for you to say "there has never been anything wrong with him, so nothing IS wrong" is faulty logic. That's like me saying I CAN'T get pregnant, just because it hasn't happened yet.

How do animals get sick? Or have something wrong with them? One day they are fine, and the next day, they are not.

Please don't try to cut corners and take the easy way out. Danny showed you a great product, and I think you should use it.

 

[Meg90]

I would not feed dairy to my animals, and I will never advise that someone else do so, but that's just me I guess.

If she can't find the product, she should take her tortoise to a vet.

 

[-EJ]

The product here in the US is benebac which was originally marketed for birds and frequently used for reptiles. Eventually Benebac was packaged for reptiles. It's been in use since about the 60s. I used it for my animals in the 70s up until recently. You can find it at any bird supply or most pet shops... contains the same bacteria found yogurt.

A quick internet search yielded the following...

Bene Bac... not available in the UK. There are equivelents.
Lactobacillus... the active ingredient in Bene Bac and most other probiotics... and yogurt... The Lacto... should be a hint.

To the op... search these two points which might help you decide a course of action.

Your temperatures at the tortoise should be at least 80F with and opportunity to regulate from there.

There might be a problem with not enough gut bacteria to break down the food. There are a few products on the market in the UK that have bacteria in them to help raise the level of bacteria in your tortoises gut. Avipro plus being one of them and there are others.

Danny

Danny, what would be a similar product here in the US? TNT with probiotics?

 

[Kymiie]

I have found the product
http://www.vetscriptions.co.uk/AVIPRO.html
No worries, just ordered it and will be here by tues hopefully!
As i say he is still eating and healthy and active for now so hopefully he will stay that way untill the product comes

xx

 

[-EJ]

That is the UK equivelent of Bene-Bac.

Just a side note... most active ingredient... Lactobacillus.

You learn something new everyday. Good luck.

I have found the product
http://www.vetscriptions.co.uk/AVIPRO.html
No worries, just ordered it and will be here by tues hopefully!
As i say he is still eating and healthy and active for now so hopefully he will stay that way untill the product comes

xx

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Good luck, Kymiie!

I hope Crush gets better soon. You know we are all here to support you (not with advice on my part, of course, but I am in your corner cheering for Crush to pee clean!)

Keep us updated!