Food sticking out of cloaca - help!

[reddoor]

I just noticed about half an hour ago that my tortoise (4 year old female Hermann's) has what looks like pieces of undigested grass sticking out of her cloaca. This definitely wasn't there last night but she could have had it all day today, although I don't think so because I know she pooped a few hours ago. I had stopped soaking her as regularly as I used to because I noticed she was soaking herself and going to the bathroom in her water dish fine by herself. She hates being forced to soak and immediately starts trying to get out of her container when I try, so I've started soaking her a little less frequently than once a week. I soaked her yesterday after I saw that she had pooped in her water dish and she seemed fine.

What should I do? I've soaked her now for about 30 minutes, changing the water a few times so that it stays clean and warm, and she hasn't done anything other than try to climb out. I use shallow lukewarm water when I soak her and cover most of the top so that she can't see out. Is this an emergency? There aren't any reptile vets available right now but should I make an appointment to bring her in as soon as possible? What should I do? Should I let her eat at all?

I'll put up some pictures in a few minutes. Thanks guys.

 

[Crazy1]

reddoor, I am no expert but I would leave her and see if it completely passes on the next poo. I am sure others will post also.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you saying that the problem is undigested food is being passed, or that it is stuck? Just want to make sure I understand what is going on. I don't think either sounds very serious, at least not enough to warrant emergency care. More of a wait and see. I know that sometimes food doesn't get digested all the way. That is another reason that some torts have the natural instinct to eat their poo (to get more nutrients the second or more time through). If it's just "stuck", it should pass with the next poo. I wouldn't try to pull anything that you couldn't get with more than a swipe with a napkin...I'll wipe my tort's but for him sometimes if it's icky. But, I wouldn't do more than that such as could injure him.

Best wishes.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have been know to pull on stuff like that. A baby recently had ingested a great amount of cat hair and I pulled it out and it came out easily. i just pulled slowly and gently...didn't hurt anything...

 

[Yvonne G]

If you were to pick apart a fresh feces, you would see that it looks like undigested grass. What you are seeing probably isn't anything to worry about. He just might be a bit constipated. Soaking him won't cause any harm. A nice warm soak might make the rest of that poop come out.

Yvonne