Watery Poop

[EddieMaher]

I’ve had a red foot tortoise around 4-5 inches. He came from Petco and appears to be very healthy eating and such. Every time I take him out of the enclosure he has watery/stringy poop and have to put down a tarp as he continually poops. Also, I’ve never seen a firm poop in the enclosure so assuming he always has this. I’ve made an vet appointment for Thursday to have him checked out. Besides a fecal test any other recommendations for testing?

He was eating pellets when I got him and switched his diet mainly greens, some fruits, and very seldom protein. Tank is 80-84, with a hotter corner at 90-95 and a sleeping hideaway at 70-75

 

[mojo_1]

I’ve had a red foot tortoise around 4-5 inches. He came from Petco and appears to be very healthy eating and such. Every time I take him out of the enclosure he has watery/stringy poop and have to put down a tarp as he continually poops. Also, I’ve never seen a firm poop in the enclosure so assuming he always has this. I’ve made an vet appointment for Thursday to have him checked out. Besides a fecal test any other recommendations for testing?

He was eating pellets when I got him and switched his diet mainly greens, some fruits, and very seldom protein. Tank is 80-84, with a hotter corner at 90-95 and a sleeping hideaway at 70-75

The entire enclosure should be an average of 84° and the humidity should be above 80%. I've seen the watery poop if they get to much fruit.

 

[EddieMaher]

The entire enclosure should be an average of 84° and the humidity should be above 80%. I've seen the watery poop if they get to much fruit.

ok I’m giving him just greens for the next few days to see if that helps. He does seems to look for fruit as I’m sure he wasent offered that at Petco.

 

[mojo_1]

ok I’m giving him just greens for the next few days to see if that helps. He does seems to look for fruit as I’m sure he wasent offered that at Petco.

They all seek out the fruit, they're much like children always looking for the sugar fix. Also what types of fruit are you feeding?

 

[EddieMaher]

They all seek out the fruit, they're much like children always looking for the sugar fix. Also what types of fruit are you feeding?

Strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, banana (very seldom)

Greens- collard greens, dandelion greens, romaine

Protein- hard boiled egg - extra shell for calcium 1x per week

 

[mojo_1]

Strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, banana (very seldom)

Greens- collard greens, dandelion greens, romaine

Protein- hard boiled egg - extra shell for calcium 1x per week

They really like Radicchio and Papaya as well. Also give the guy some boiled chicken or shrimp once in awhile.

 

[EddieMaher]

They really like Radicchio and Papaya as well. Also give the guy some boiled chicken or shrimp once in he’s definitely

Thanks for your advice. He is definitely looking for fruit as he’s gone to his bowl multiple times rummaging through it.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Anyway, fecal test would not harm.

Also, mushrooms are great addition to their diet. Mine is gonna kill to get some.

 

[EddieMaher]

Anyway, fecal test would not harm.

Also, mushrooms are great addition to their diet. Mine is gonna kill to get some.

He's had mushrooms once and he destroyed them. When I got home, he can to the food dish and stood there like asking for more. I throw in another mushroom and he attacked it like a kid eating candy.

Yeah, he has not been to the vet so its at least to have him checked and i'm almost positive hes loaded with worms or something

 

[EddieMaher]

he just gave in and eating collard greens. He’ll get greens again tomorrow and we’ll see how his poop is tomorrow night.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

He might have flagellates or something like that, not usual worms. So, fecals test should include that.

Some amount of roundworms is a kind of normal, as far as I know. They have "essential nematodes" in their intestines, which are helpful. Tapeworms, protozoa and abundance of roundworms is the reason to start the treatment.

And for the diet - my Redfoot likes chickory, endive and arugula as well.

P.S. - if it's a hay on the photo, you'll better to remove it - it molds easily (especially in redfoots enclosures). And you'll need a larger enclosure really soon (if I identified this one correctly) )

 

[mojo_1]

He might have flagellates or something like that, not usual worms. So, fecals test should include that.

Some amount of roundworms is a kind of normal, as far as I know. They have "essential nematodes" in their intestines, which are helpful. Tapeworms, protozoa and abundance of roundworms is the reason to start the treatment.

And for the diet - my Redfoot likes chickory, endive and arugula as well.

P.S. - if it's a hay on the photo, you'll better to remove it - it molds easily (especially in redfoots enclosures). And you'll need a larger enclosure really soon (if I identified this one correctly) )

I believe there's another thread about him getting a larger enclosure.

 

[mojo_1]

he just gave in and eating collard greens. He’ll get greens again tomorrow and we’ll see how his poop is tomorrow night. View attachment 367012

Theses also help to enhance the store bought foods. My Redfoot enjoys them.
Also Alex is right about the hay. I found that orchid bark or reptibark works the best.

Redfoots and Yellowfoots | Tortoise Food |

Dried organic plant flowers and loose leaf Marshmallow, Raspberry, Rose Flowers c/s, Rose Hips, Soursop/Graviola suitable for Redfoot and Yellowfoot tortoises.

www.kapidolofarms.com

 

[EddieMaher]

He might have flagellates or something like that, not usual worms. So, fecals test should include that.

Some amount of roundworms is a kind of normal, as far as I know. They have "essential nematodes" in their intestines, which are helpful. Tapeworms, protozoa and abundance of roundworms is the reason to start the treatment.

And for the diet - my Redfoot likes chickory, endive and arugula as well.

P.S. - if it's a hay on the photo, you'll better to remove it - it molds easily (especially in redfoots enclosures). And you'll need a larger enclosure really soon (if I identified this one correctly) )

They hay is for him to bed down and relax. He seeks it out. Under hay it’s Reptibark. It’s only in that corner and in his hut.

I’ve ordered him another enclosure to connect them, which will give him about a 7x2 enclosure.

The plan is to move him to the backyard once temps come up may/June. Our humidity in MD is always high. Desperate to let him have an open space. He’ll have a 20x15 fully enclosed back yard to himself.

 

[EddieMaher]

They really like Radicchio and Papaya as well. Also give the guy some boiled chicken or shrimp once in awhile.

When giving protein should it be cooked or raw?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Safer to feed cooked - boiled without salt.
In the wild they can chomp a dead goat, but I don't want to go that way. Even feeding pinkies is too much for me.

 

[mojo_1]

I agree with Alex on this one.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I believe 70 degrees is too cool when the humidity is so high. You're looking to have a respiratory infection...It takes some time for all the bad toxins to leave his system....give him a while. Redfoots have a really wide variety of foods they will eat, and if that weremy tortoise he'd have as much to eat as he wanted...put small piles of food around so he can look for it...Here is my Redfoot's enclosure
Her name is Layla...and this is her opinion of an empty food dish, and an example of what their poop should look like

 

[EddieMaher]

I believe 70 degrees is too cool when the humidity is so high. You're looking to have a respiratory infection...It takes some time for all the bad toxins to leave his system....give him a while. Redfoots have a really wide variety of foods they will eat, and if that weremy tortoise he'd have as much to eat as he wanted...put small piles of food around so he can look for it...Here is my Redfoot's enclosure View attachment 367019
Her name is Layla...and this is her opinion of an empty food dish, and an example of what their poop should look likeView attachment 367020

Yeah my tortoise poop looks nothing like that. I've never see anything that firm before. Everything is a watery and stringy mess.

Wow, the red on your tortoises legs are super red. I've noticed mine have gotten a little deeper red over the last two weeks.

Your substrate looks soaking wet, is that soil?

 

[Maggie3fan]

Yeah my tortoise poop looks nothing like that. I've never see anything that firm before. Everything is a watery and stringy mess.

Wow, the red on your tortoises legs are super red. I've noticed mine have gotten a little deeper red over the last two weeks.

Your substrate looks soaking wet, is that soil?

It's fine grade orchid bark...my humidity normally is between 85 and 90%, the top layer is mostly dry and underneath is wet...this is what the humidity looks likeand this is a plate of her food...