My tortoise is not pooping

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Jan 2, 2017
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My Russian tortoise isn't pooping but he's still eating. He hasn't pooped in over two weeks but he's acting normal. I spray him 5times twice each day and soak him once a week. I'm feeding him spring mix right now but though out the month I feed him squash, kale, salad mix, carrots, broccoli and lettuce (only did that once). I also give him calcium supplements every now an again. His. Temputure under the basking light is 90 and 85 at night.
 

JoesMum

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Hello and welcome

You need to be soaking Thor daily for at least 30 minutes each time to ensure that he is not dehydrated. Thor will not poop if he's dehydrated and once a week is nowhere near frequent enough.

Your basking temperature is not high enough. It needs to be 95-100F directly under the basking lamp.

What substrate do you have? The substrate needs to be an earthy type like coco coir or fine grade orchid bark. You then need to tip water in from a jug and mix it thoroughly with your hands until all the substrate is evenly damp (not wet and muddy). Spraying only needs to be done a couple of times a day to slow the rate at which the substrate dries out. After a few weeks you will need to tip water in and mix it again.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2017
Messages
62
Hello and welcome

You need to be soaking Thor daily for at least 30 minutes each time to ensure that he is not dehydrated. Thor will not poop if he's dehydrated and once a week is nowhere near frequent enough.

Your basking temperature is not high enough. It needs to be 95-100F directly under the basking lamp.

What substrate do you have? The substrate needs to be an earthy type like coco coir or fine grade orchid bark. You then need to tip water in from a jug and mix it thoroughly with your hands until all the substrate is evenly damp (not wet and muddy). Spraying only needs to be done a couple of times a day to slow the rate at which the substrate dries out. After a few weeks you will need to tip water in and mix it again.
I just got a new bulb for him now the temp is 100 degrees. The substrate I use is zoo med reptile bark mixed with zoo med coco fiber. So spraying him every day isn't enough to keep him hydrated?!?!
 

JoesMum

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10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
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Kent, South East England
I just got a new bulb for him now the temp is 100 degrees. The substrate I use is zoo med reptile bark mixed with zoo med coco fiber. So spraying him every day isn't enough to keep him hydrated?!?!
No spraying alone isn't enough.

The substrate needs to be damp, not wet. This is what raises humidity. The spraying just slows the rate at which the substrate dries out.

Take all the decor out. Tip some water in from a jug. Mix the water into the substrate with your hands. Keep adding water and mixing until all the substrate is evenly damp.

Your tort needs to be soaked for at least 30 minutes every day to hydrate it... as I said the spraying makes no difference to this.

I find soaking most successful done first thing in the morning before the tort has warmed up properly.

Use a flat-bottomed, high sided bowl that your tort can't see over or through; a washing up bowl is ideal.

Use water that is baby bath warm, not hot.

The water needs to be deep enough to come just up over the join between the shell and the plastron (undershell)

Don't worry if your tort marches round or scrabbles to get out; it encourages pooping :)

Replace the water if it goes cold.
 
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