Super foul smelling poop

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Carol S

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Hi:

Our next door neighbor gave me their female Russian tortoise last weekend. She is captive bred and is pretty good size, but still is growing as she has new growth and has grown since they got her a year ago. They didn't feed her properly (in my opinion) even though I gave them a printed list. Several times a week I would take her over some food when I was feeding my tortoises just to make sure that she was getting some healthy food (neighbor said it was okay).

When my other tortoises poop (Russians and Desert tortoises) it doesn't paticularly smell (I see it, not smell it). However, when my new tortoise poops it smells really bad (I smell it and hunt it down to remove from enclosure -at first I thought I was smelling dog poop). Is the bad smell from whatever they were feeding her and if so, how long will it take for it to go through her system? I am feeding weeds that I grow from seeds that I ordered. I feed weeds, grass, squash, flowers, romaine lettuce, etc. I have edible flowers and other things planted in their enclosure. I try to give them a wide variety of food.

She is very healthy looking and acting (seems to really enjoy her new home as she has lots of room to roam and graze (they had her in a very small, boring enclosure). She is very personable and sweet and I am so happy they gave her to me.

Thank you in advance for any input.

Carol
:tort:
 

yagyujubei

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Well, it doesn't sound to me like they did such a bad job with her, especially if she was actively growing the whole time they had her. Different diets smell differently after digestion. It might take a week or two for her system to clear of her old diet. What was her old diet anyway? I personally feel that romaine is virtually worthless nutrition wise. No fiber and all water. I'm not a spring mix fan either. Many people disagree with that.I think the "real" reason it's fed so widely, is that it's easily obtainable.
 

Yvonne G

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I have noticed that Russian tortoise poop has more of a smell than for instance, desert tortoise poop. It sometimes takes a couple weeks for food to pass through the digestive tract. If the tortoise is only grazing, you shouldn't notice a smell, but if you also offer grocery store greens and veggies, you're gonna' be able to smell it.
 

bikerchicspain

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I have noticed the different smells with torts also, The cherry heads at work really smell, Of which i am very sad to say that the male was sold yesterday, and i wasnt there otherwisei would of convinced the buy to buy the female as well. they have been together 7 years.. :(
 

SILVERSTAR

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my baby star stunk really bad and had weird poop when i got him but it kinda regulated itself since ive had him on my feeding schedule and sri lankans kinda smell but its more of a planty smell and not like dog poop,thats not cool maybe after your steady diet and soaks it will even out for you...good luck.
 

October

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My Russian can be pretty foul sometimes too, especially if she goes while soaking, but I think that's because of contact with the water. I wonder if the smell is mainly because of the gut flora that they have sometimes. It's like babies with formula/breastmilk or dogs with cheap food/raw diet, etc. But on the other hand, even adult humans can have a wide variety of smells depending on what you eat. Asparagus comes to mind.

Maybe one of her favorite weeds causes it and it's not necessarily a bad thing?
 

Carol S

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Thanks everybody for your input.

I think tomorrow I will give her some Mazuri and see if she likes it.

Carol :)
 
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