What would be the cause if a tortoise's body got swollen and its shell soften 1 day after it's death?
Death
- Thread starter Lil' Tortie
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That's usually what happens when a tortoise dies of kidney failure. When the kidneys fail the body can't eliminate waste products, so they build up in the body. In mammals kidney failure would cause death very quickly. In reptiles it can take anywhere from a month to 3 months depending on the size of the animal before the waste product build up becomes fatal.
Danny
Danny
egyptiandan said:
Thanks, Danny. Is there any cure or treatment?
Sorry for your loss..
you need to try to pinpoint the cause and eliminate it or change something..
Sometimes.. its just the individual. :-(
you need to try to pinpoint the cause and eliminate it or change something..
Sometimes.. its just the individual. :-(
So sorry for your loss. I hope you can find the cause.
Sorry to heat about your little guy. If it has not been too long, you could bring it to a vet to get a necropsy and find out exactly what happened. It helps a lot with piece of mind and adjusting techniques for your other torts.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Very sad, indeed...
Purpod
Purpod
Lil Tort, Did you lose one of your hatchling and which one?
Thanks for your concerns, guys! I had just lost Angel, one of my favorite leopard tortoise 
. Some of the leppies that I got from the previous owner are already under-nourished and I had been trying to put some weight on them ever since. I burried it yesterday. My 2 sulcatas and 4 leopards I have now are very health and active and eating well. There is 1 leopard, Moca, who seems a little weak, less active, and snoozing too much. I'll see if I can boost it up. Any advise could help. Thanks!
. Some of the leppies that I got from the previous owner are already under-nourished and I had been trying to put some weight on them ever since. I burried it yesterday. My 2 sulcatas and 4 leopards I have now are very health and active and eating well. There is 1 leopard, Moca, who seems a little weak, less active, and snoozing too much. I'll see if I can boost it up. Any advise could help. Thanks!
Lil Tort, so sorry to hear of your loss. Have you tried soaking them in warm water with vita Sol? It is a bird liquid vitamine. Don't know if this will help but it souldn't hurt. If they are dehydrated or lacking vitamine A this should help.
Again, Sorry to hear about little Angel and also about moca not feeling well.
Again, Sorry to hear about little Angel and also about moca not feeling well.
Thanks for the advice, Robyn, I might try that. I'm very good of soaking them in warm water and bathing/scrubbing them in bubble bath every 2 days. I am feeding them "imperial" veggies (mixed chopped up green romaine lettuce, turnip greens, and shredded carrots; sliced catus pads/fruits, yellow and green squash, and broccoli), and bring them outside everyday for grazing and sunshine. Just hope Moca will get better soon. I have Kem (sulcata) roaming on my computer desk right now. She seems to enjoy expanding her curiosity... and she just took a dump!
(mixed chopped up green romaine lettuce, turnip greens, and shredded carrots; sliced catus pads/fruits, yellow and green squash, and broccoli), and bring them outside everyday for grazing and sunshine. Just hope Moca will get better soon. I have Kem (sulcata) roaming on my computer desk right now. She seems to enjoy expanding her curiosity... and she just took a dump!
Lil' Tortie said:Thanks for the advice, Robyn, I might try that. I'm very good of soaking them in warm water and bathing/scrubbing them in bubble bath every 2 days. I am feeding them "imperial" veggies
Bubble bath? Are you still using antibacterial hand soap? Lil'Tort, this is not the best thing especially on a regular basis for your tortoises. It is dehydrating, drying at the least, and it will kill off the natural bacteria they need. I know they get poo on them and smell from time to time, but just use water and a soft brush. If they are getting poo on them so much that you need to give them a bubble bath every 2 days either your enclosure is too small or you are feeding them too much and the stools are soft so it sticks to them. My torts poo is firm and rarely sticks to their shells if I leave out the fruit and feed them only a small amount of good greens. I am sorry to say but you may be doing your little shelled ones more harm than good with bubble baths.
Soaking them in the Vita Sol is so that they uptake the vitamins and for hydration.
Your diet is pretty good with the exception of broccoli and carrots if they are used on a regular basis. and they need much more grass and/or hay.
Here is some Info:
The diet should be at least 70% grasses and hay. Not surprisingly, given its preference for grassland habitats the Sulcata grazes, extensively upon mixed grasses weeds, and flowers. It also favors the fruit and pads of the prickly pear (Opuntia sp.), succulents and thistles.
In captivity it is a common error to feed too much wet food such as lettuce, tomatoes and fruit when in reality this tortoise requires a coarse, high fiber diet. Feeding excessive fruit or soft foods frequently leads to repeated flagellate (a type of parasite) and other gut problems such as colic, most probably as a result of increased gut motility.
Nutritious chemical free healthy foods are often freely available in your yard or vacant lots.
Grasses, Clovers, Grape, Mulberry & Fig leaves, Dandelion, Plantain (the weed) , Hibiscus (leaves and flowers), Opuntia, Thistles, Chickweed .This link will help you to be able to identify edible plants:
http://www.africantortoise.com/edible_plants.htm
• Better of the easily obtainable grocery greens:
Aim for a high Calcium to Phosphorus ratio and low protein diet. When fed in excess, foods high in Oxalates have been implicated in binding minerals including calcium.
Moderation and variety is the key.
Regularly:
Dark Leafy Greens such as: Endive, Watercress, Romaine, Collard Greens, Kale, Dandelion, Chicory, Escarole, Radicchio, Turnip Greens, Opuntia (smooth or despined)
Occasionally:
Cabbage, Carrots, Carrot Tops, Red Leaf Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Alfalfa Hay, Parsley
**** Rarely****:
Swiss Chard, Spinach, Broccoli, Bok choy, Iceberg lettuce, Sweet Potatoes, Sprouts of any kind, Corn, Cucumbers, Beet Greens, Fruit in general.
Never: Rhubarb, Beans of any kind, dog food, pasta
• For more information on why foods above are listed as they are, please visit the links below:
Tortoise Diet
Nutrient Analyses of Replacment Tortoise Foods
CTTC - Tortoise Diet Information
All this info came from http://africantortoise.com/diet.htm a good site for reference for Sullys and Leos.
Thanks again, Robyn.
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