Help request - Hermann tortoise stool sample Q

[C_Strike]

Hi everyone, this is a question to all who is knowledgeable of herman tortoise.

I decided to let my pair of 04 tortoise out on my room floor..
One, Shelly, has been constapated for approx 3hours or so. I gave her a hand, 1st thing, i put her into a nice warm bath whch although helped didnt dislodge the big 'un. I had to come up with another way so i decided to scrap his crap down with a pair of 6inch tweezers *the nugget was basically chalk and about as big as his head* It took about 20-30mins to push out.
I didnt want to pull it because i didnt want to do more damage, she was clearly distressed as her mouth was opening wide when i went near her butt.
As soon as she popped out the 'chalk rock' she then pushed out some darker stools.
My question is, has any1 experienced such a thing? Does anyone know anything about herman crap? and possibly the reason for such an ailment?
Also possibly how serious a problem this could be related to?

I am concerned because of its size and chalk consistancy.. more of a rock with very little mucous covering it, and very little moisture to it.
Im taking both samples and the tortoise to the vets tomorrow, but they dont have a reptile specialist.

Haha sorry for the disgusting nature of the Q's
But im sure anyone who owns hermans will be able to say how problematicand pricey they become when problems arrise.
Many thanks

 

[C_Strike]

BTW,
They are both being fed on floretta crispy salad.
I have heard much about this..saying it contains the good stuff with out the bad stuff.
Could the diet be too rich? and the stool a mineral build-up?

 

[brandi]

Hi Soul,

I've done a little research on tortoise nutrition, but not specifically with Herman's. However I have never heard of this "floretta crispy salad" of which you speak... what's in it?

The "chalk rock" you mentioned is likely urates, the darker part of the stool will be the actual fecal. Does your tortoise have easy access to water? Do you soak him once a week or so?

I'm curious to hear what is in this diet, and if it has any long fiber in it? Grasses, hay, etc? If not you might want to think about adding some, and maybe ask your vet about giving a little psyllium just to help move things along. Let us know how it goes.

 

[C_Strike]

http://www.sainsburystoyou.com/webconnect/index.jsp?bmUID=1167895905169
This is the stuff.
I also give them dandilion leaves, and a few other things that grow here.
also very infrequent boosts with small bit of fruit. But even then thats less than once per month maybe two months.
I have been meaning to buy some seeds to grow my own food for them, but as its winter i decided to hold off for a while.
I bathe them once every month, i havent had them a year so havent needed to hibernate them yet either.
Normally the 'urates' come out with the liquid, just squirts out..its gritty normally, but this is a solid nugget.
Could it be thorugh de-hydrating?
I dont use a waterdish, but just run all there salads under the tap to get a little more water in them. I have never seen them drink from a waterdish before and have always read that they dont need one if adequate water content is provided.
What kind of grasses? please elaborate on this subject, i want to learn as much as i can about the proper diet for them

 

[Taceas]

I don't know anything about tortoises really, but every picture I've seen of tortoises, their enclosures, or seeing them in person...they nearly always have some sort of long, fibery foods, most often hay.

So I would say that lack of fiber in the diet could be the cause for slow bowel movements.

Also, how much of an area do they live in? I know with any animal that when they're kept in restricted movement they tend to plug up. I know when I got my bearded dragon into a new larger enclosure that he could move and run around in, his bowel habits changed.

I wish you luck in alleviating the problem, though.

 

[C_Strike]

Well, then they must be missing fibre
I hope not because i have done much research so to have overlooked something like that is a bit silly.
i will check with the vets today and see what he says.
Although they havent been out much this last week or two, i normally let them free-roam around the floor in my room until summer, so i would like to think they get enough space to move around.

 

[brandi]

Ok, I think I see the stuff you are feeding them... If I am reading this right, this stuff is composed of curly endive, lamb's lettuce, and raddicchio. Sweetie there is your stool problem right there! This is just salad greens. Not bad for what it is, but what it isn't is a good tortoise diet.

From what I understand these guys are from Spain, southern France, and into parts of Italy. Fairly mediterranean climate, so you are looking at flowers, legumes, and grasses. Mostly grasses. They also take some animal protein. Here are some ideas to help you re-formulate your tortoise diet.

Staple diet: Greens such as mustard greens, kale, radicchio, dandelion, clover, collard greens, and *occasionally* a little spinach. NO LETTUCE. Chop up coarsly. Then add alphalfa or timothy hay (you can usually get small bags in the small animal section of your petstore) and use kitchen shears to cut up a handful into little bits. Mix this into your greens about 2:1 - greens:hay. They won't eat the hay alone so make sure you cut it up and toss it into the greens. Dusting with a little calcium powder once a week wouldn't hurt either.

To this diet you can then add some veggies. Legumes are favorite tortoise foods in the wild, so if you can get some fresh peas now and then they will love them.

You can also offer any edible flowers. Roses, hibiscus, and if you can get it there, purple lupine.

Feed fruit sparingly.

Offer protein in the form of crickets or meal worms once a week.

Get rid of that salad stuff and try this for a couple weeks, I think you'll see a dramatic improvement in your little guys.