Undigested grass

[edricivan]

Saw this coming out of Nicco's bum 2 hours prior to taking this photo. It was still stuck there 2 hours later. So I tried tugging on it after I took this shot, came out easily. Is this normal? Should I have just let it be?

 

[SGT Fish]

im not sure about your little guy, but my bigger sulcata's poop is full of grass and grass fibers. i spray it with the hose to break it up in my compost pile and it is always very fibrous and looks like there is undigested grass. He grazes constantly around the yard

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

In many tortoises the grass is only partially digested. There are many other great things that undigested grass does for your tortoise though, it is not a bad thing at all.

It provides a substrate for good digestive flora in the gut. It provides a mechanical thing the gut muscles can act on to move a bolus of food around. Some is actually broken down and provides nutrients. Some water is retrieved.

An occasional grass blade that did not come all the way out looks odd but is not harmful.

 

[Speedy-1]

I hope I don't get in trouble here , but I think I read that you should not pull stuff out of there . I guess just let it come off naturally ?

 

[SGT Fish]

I hope I don't get in trouble here , but I think I read that you should not pull stuff out of there . I guess just let it come off naturally ?

i agree

 

[dmmj]

In many tortoises the grass is only partially digested. There are many other great things that undigested grass does for your tortoise though, it is not a bad thing at all.

It provides a substrate for good digestive flora in the gut. It provides a mechanical thing the gut muscles can act on to move a bolus of food around. Some is actually broken down and provides nutrients. Some water is retrieved.

An occasional grass blade that did not come all the way out looks odd but is not harmful.

what he said

 

[edricivan]

Gotcha I was just worried cuz t had been hours.

 

[Tom]

This is totally normal.

I gently pull them out.

 

[edricivan]

This is totally normal.

I gently pull them out.

Ok thanks Tom

 

[Maro2Bear]

Happens all the time as well with our sully. I usually just make sure I soak him longer, and give a gentle tug out in the warm water. All very normal.

 

[waretrop]

My guess is you don't make a practice of pulling it out for it sill may have a sharp cutting edge and if you pull quickly something in there may get a paper cut type thing. That area is not a place you want an open wound. Most of the time, it would be soft and partially digested and less sharp so it would probably be ok to slowly pull it out. Fiber is very good for all of our intestines and good health.

 

[franz_see]

It's normal for hatchlings wherein the grass they eat is sometimes longer than their whole body

Gently pull it. If it's stuck, stop pulling and get a scissor and just cut it off I remember mine took about 2 days to pass a (human) hair he ate from the yard