Paranoid about pee?

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batchick

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I have just had to move Ned (Chersina angulata) because we need to have the dogs in the back garden where he usually lives for the day. He wasn't really awake yet, so when I picked him up he peed a lot. I am assuming this is just because being suddenly moved when not really awake freaked him out. But, he has been a bit 'flat' the last few days - despite the temperatures dropping from the heat wave temperatures that had us all battling, he hasn't been very active at all and not that interested in the additional (not stuff growing in the garden) food I offer.
Can I put the huge peeing event down to fear or might it be a sign of sickness?
He's now in a small yard with plenty of access to water.
 

ascott

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Yes..you likely scared the pee out of him....I would also not just assume he will locate and consume the water on his own...I would soak him in warm water and allow him to remain there for a bit....I would also do this when you have time to go slow with the whole process and can watch to see he drinks...if I recall correctly he is still fairly new to you and his yard? When a tortoise loses a large amount of fluid...it is imperative he refills...:D
 

dmmj

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In this case it was most likely a defense mechanism, they pee when a predator picks them up in hopes they will be let go. Just make sure he has access to water so he can replenish himself.
 

batchick

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Thanks. That's what I hoped. I really didn't want to move him so suddenly, but the dogs needed to be moved. Figured it was better to be scared than to be chewed by dogs.
Now that he's up and about i'll try a soak.



So, he wasnt interested in drinking during his soak. Will try again later. In the mean time I've given him some high water content food (cucumber,baby marrow) as usual he is more interested in dead leaves, but he's munching on the cucumber a bit.
 

batchick

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;) indeed
Be happier if it didn't happen on my foot though
 

batchick

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Absolutely. Given that I'm home with gastro I think that might have been enough to push me over some kind of edge. In other news, Ned really got into the cucumber yesterday and am trying him on some prickly pear today. Had no idea what beautiful fruits they were inside. If I wasn't feeling so sick I'd have eaten it myself
 

batchick

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So, another day another peeing event.
Ned has been fairly inactive the last week or so. Today he was up and about more. When I went to check whether he'd attempted any of the food I'd put down for him (still fairly high water content stuff after the last peeing event), I found this (see picture). Three massive water losses. For a tortoise weighing in at just over 1kg this seemed like a lot of water all at once for no reason.

He seems fine in himself. He's now wondering around ignoring the food I've given him and munching the garden plants, dried leaves and berries fallen from a tree. His eyes are clear. His breathing's fine.

He really doesn't like soaks, so don't want to put him through that again. Should I just keep an eye on him and continue to make sure he's got good access to water to replenish?
 

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