Bowel Issues!

[anniiie321]

Hello,

I have a 5.5 year old female redfoot. I noticed this summer that she has taken up eating her cypress mulch bedding. I didn't think it was a big issue, but I increased her fibre intake a bit as I assumed that might help. She continued to snack on her bedding. I am really concerned at this point because she is now having trouble going to the bathroom. She hadn't pooped in 4 days and then the first poop I saw looked like all big chucks of cypress mulch!! Im concerned that she is going to impact herself/won't be able to digest or pass the big pieces. I am going to switch her back to sphagnum moss a.s.a.p which is was she had when she was younger, at least if she eats it, she can pass it. At this point though, she is still eating, although a little less than normal, and still active. I have only seen her go to the bathroom twice more in about a week and they have been fairly small and full of cypress mulch. Should I be really worried? Is there anything I can feed her that might help her pass this stuff? Why would she take up this habit???

Thank you!

 

[mike taylor]

Soak her in warm water two or three times until it passes..

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[wellington]

I would switch to plain dirt or coconut coir. The moss could cause a problem, specially with the bark that she has already eaten. Try giving a nice warm bath in a large area, like the tub, where she can walk around and even struggle to get out. This sometimes will help get things moving. Others may have more ideas to. Good luck, hope all goes well.

 

[Laura]

remove it. and sprinkle MinerALL on her food. if she is eating substrate something might be lacking in her diet.

 

[ascott]

You can offer a bite of mineral oil in a yummy treat that is bite sized, that will help to lubricate from the inside and then do some long warm water soaks a few times a day (as suggested) and let the soaks be no less than 30 minutes...

I would do the substrate change straight away

 

[anniiie321]

Thank you everyone! I changed her substrate to 1/2 coconut and 1/2 sphagnum moss. After a few soaks in the tub she seems to have gotten rid of all the wood chips and is having normal movements!