Tummy ache?

[GingerLove]

Hi everyone... I need some advice.
My tortoise is acting kind of weird. It started yesterday. She became really lazy and wouldn't move from one spot all morning. Then she started eating her coconut coir! She's never done that before. She also started twitching her tail and trying to itch her rear. Today, she started farting a little and I can hear her stomach gurgle every now and again.

 

[Jodie]

I would give a nice long soak, and see if that helps.

 

[GingerLove]

Sorry, I accidentally hit enter before I could finish! Anyways, I haven't changed anything in her cage. She has water, a cuttlebone, her dirt is moist but not sopping wet, her heat and UV light are still working, and I'm starting to soak her every other day. The only thing I've done differently is soak her more often, as well as feed her a bit of watermelon one day and a tiny pinch full of corn the next. I wanted her to try new foods... maybe it upset her stomach? What can I do for her? Is this normal behavior? Maybe she's pregnant? (And yes, I obsess over my tortoise.)

 

[BrianWI]

I would do two things:
Probiotics and have vet look at a fecal sample.

 

[Tom]

The fruit and corn might have upset the balance of the gut flora and fauna.

 

[Yvonne G]

She might be having trouble passing a hard poop or stone??? Placing the tortoise in a large tub of water and letting it scramble trying to get out usually gets poop results.

 

[dmmj]

I would do two things:
Probiotics and have vet look at a fecal sample.

I'm curious as to how one introduces probiotics into a tortoise? is it the same one for humans? are they different than the ones for humans?

 

[Pearly]

I'm curious as to how one introduces probiotics into a tortoise? is it the same one for humans? are they different than the ones for humans?

I've seen probiotics formulated (or just being sold as such) for torts on line. It popped up on google search under "tortoise probiotic"...i'm sure it's this same stuff as what we take

 

[Gillian M]

I think that your tort needs to poop. Therefore, I'd advise a good soak in warm water.

 

[GingerLove]

I gave her a soak yesterday and she did a little bit of poop... not as much as usual. I'll try again today, hopefully I'll get more results. She's had a bladder stone before, but I got her through it... I sure hope it's not happening again!! Right now she seems to be doing better. She's not scratching or eating dirt, just sleeping. And... sorry... what exactly is a probiotic? Is it a medicine that I can put in her food?
Thank you all so much for your advice! I do think the corn and watermelon may have upset her stomach, she's never eaten them before. I'll let you know how she's doing after her soaking.

 

[Tom]

I gave her a soak yesterday and she did a little bit of poop... not as much as usual. I'll try again today, hopefully I'll get more results. She's had a bladder stone before, but I got her through it... I sure hope it's not happening again!! Right now she seems to be doing better. She's not scratching or eating dirt, just sleeping. And... sorry... what exactly is a probiotic? Is it a medicine that I can put in her food?
Thank you all so much for your advice! I do think the corn and watermelon may have upset her stomach, she's never eaten them before. I'll let you know how she's doing after her soaking.

Don't be afraid to do a long soak. An hour won't hurt a thing, and all the marching might break things loose. Just don't let the water get too hot in the sun or too cold in the shade.

 

[GingerLove]

Don't be afraid to do a long soak. An hour won't hurt a thing, and all the marching might break things loose. Just don't let the water get too hot in the sun or too cold in the shade.

Okay, thanks! I usually only do fifteen minutes because I feel so bad that she's panicking. I'll try my very best to do an hour. I usually keep her bowl in the shade, but it's so hot outside that it keeps it warm even in the shade. Is it okay if your tortoise's head goes underwater? Sometimes she sucks in her head and I'm afraid she'll drown.

 

[Tom]

Okay, thanks! I usually only do fifteen minutes because I feel so bad that she's panicking. I'll try my very best to do an hour. I usually keep her bowl in the shade, but it's so hot outside that it keeps it warm even in the shade. Is it okay if your tortoise's head goes underwater? Sometimes she sucks in her head and I'm afraid she'll drown.

Yes, its okay if they put their head under. They won't drown unless the water is so deep that most of their shell is under water.

What you call panic is good exercise and all that locomotion helps move and dislodge things in the GI tract. Think of it as a tortoise treadmill, or a tortoise hot walker for our horse keeping TFO members.

 

[BrianWI]

Probiotics are beneficial organisms that live inside the tortoise and help it digest food, etc. Like the stuff in yogart. I'd buy the stuff formulated for tortoises.

 

[GingerLove]

Ah, okay, thanks! I just finished soaking her. She struggled the entire time, but she pooped 3 times and peed twice!! I left her in for fourty-five minutes and got a lot more results than fifteen minutes. She seems to be acting a bit more normal, but I can't know for sure just yet. Her stomach stopped rumbling anyway. No more water melon and corn!