Hair Stuck in Butt

[daniellenc]

While soaking little Skurt earlier I noticed he was walking around with poop sticking out of his rear. At first I just thought he was pooping and let him soak a little longer. But it wouldn't come out. I got some toilet paper and pulled it out and noticed it was caught on hair that is hanging out of his butt!

So I'm afraid to pull it out because I don't know what's it's wrapped around in there but will he poop it out on his own or is this a vet thing? BTW I'm sad to say it's totally my hair. It must have fallen in his food bowl and he ate it.

 

[JoesMum]

Snip it off close to the tail so it doesn't catch and hopefully the rest will pass with future poops.

Next up is prevention. Do you let your tort roam on the floor at home?

 

[daniellenc]

No never but I'm assuming when I was making his food it fell in. I'll snip it off and hope the rest passes.

 

[Gillian M]

Did you manage to get that hair out, yet? Sincerely hope you did, @daniellenc ?

We all make mistakes.

 

[MPRC]

I shed like crazy and I have long hair so this happens from time to time with my reds. I just snip it off and the rest passes on it's own. Just don't pull since you don't know what the hair may be wrapped around.

 

[no one]

It happened to my Schildpad too. And I too shed like crazy, haha!! Now I just pay more attention. These things happen...

 

[TammyJ]

Hope it works itself out - literally.

 

[Tom]

No never but I'm assuming when I was making his food it fell in. I'll snip it off and hope the rest passes.

Well… that settles it. You're going to have to shave your head so that this doesn't happen again!


KIDDING! This happens all the time. After a long soak, I try to gently pull it out. If its doesn't come out easily, I leave it alone and it comes out on its own later. This can also happen when small tortoises eat grass too. The fibers don't alway get digested. I chop up any grass that I feed for all of mine until they get about 4" or larger.

 

[daniellenc]

Well as of yesterday more poop stuck to poop and the hair is still there but I'm wandering if it's his carapace it's stuck in? Hard to tell honestly. Hoping today's soak clears it.

If it is his carapace can I hurt him by pulling it? He clenches up and pulls his tail in when I pull like it hurts but it's making it hard to see if it's in his tush or shell

 

[JoesMum]

Don't pull. Let nature take its course. Things go slowly in Tortoise time.