Strange problem with my "bearded" sulcata

[PantAaroN]

Recently, I noticed something a bit odd around the mouth of my tortoise. Around his mouth was a little white, which I figured was just him messily eating his food with the powder around his mouth. This really couldn't be a problem because I add a little calcium powder to his food 3 times a week. However, a couple of days later it seems like he has grown a five o'clock shadow kind of look around his mouth. I am not really sure what it is, I figured he could be eating his substrate or be dehydrated but I have never seen him eat it and he gets soaked quite often, sometimes twice a day if I get a chance. He seems to be drinking the water when I soak him, so I can't really find out what is wrong. Anyone have any ideas or similar problems to this?

 

[Yvonne G]

Sometimes when you see dark around a tortoise's mouth its because he's eating his poop.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

When you soak him does it go away? Can it be rubbed off?

 

[wellington]

You do have water available to him 24/7 right? Your thread kinda sounded like you didn't. Also, if you can post a pic that would help. Probably the poop eating. Do you find a lot of poop in his enclosure? If not, you now know where it's probably going

 

[Tom]

Ahh yes. The dreaded "blackmouth" disease... AKA corprophagia...

 

[PantAaroN]

I have water able to be accessed by him 24/7 in case he wants to soak/drink etc. In fact, I need to get a new water bowl for him, the petco ones are too steep and cause him trouble getting in and out of the bowl. I find poop in his enclosure but not as often as I would expect, so you may be on to something. I have attempted to rub it off but he hides before I can even touch his mouth. He doesn't seem sick, it is just really awkward and I am not really sure on how to treat it.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

RE: Strange problem with my "bearded" sulcata

It is so funny...the title of the thread "bearded sulcata"
It made me chuckle

 

[PantAaroN]

RE: Strange problem with my "bearded" sulcata

Well I fed my tort yesterday before I went to work, had a family member check on him while I was gone. I asked my family member if there was poop in the enclosure and he said yes. However, when I got home there was not. So I guess that means the story is true, he is eating his own poop. However, the new questions are:

Why does he do this? I read it was because of lack of nutrients but I have also read "It is what they do."

How bad is this for him?

How do I get him to stop?

I am hoping he is just moving slow today, but he has been very lethargic today and if it keeps up I will end up taking him to a vet here pretty soon. I am just worried of his overall health.