Fishy smell

Newby Tort Mum

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Jun 21, 2021
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I just picked up my Horsfield to bring him in from outside and noticed a fishy smell by his tail/ cloaca. I've never noticed this before. I'm wondering if he may have peed on the ground before I picked him up? His outdoor enclosure is a mainly grassy area. I don't think he's dehydrated as I soak him around 3-4 times per week. I adopted him last August and took him to an exotic vet near me who had given him anti-parasite medication as a precaution so am doubting that it's a parasite infection. I will check him again after I soak him tomorrow. Advice please, thank you!
 

zolasmum

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May 19, 2015
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I just picked up my Horsfield to bring him in from outside and noticed a fishy smell by his tail/ cloaca. I've never noticed this before. I'm wondering if he may have peed on the ground before I picked him up? His outdoor enclosure is a mainly grassy area. I don't think he's dehydrated as I soak him around 3-4 times per week. I adopted him last August and took him to an exotic vet near me who had given him anti-parasite medication as a precaution so am doubting that it's a parasite infection. I will check him again after I soak him tomorrow. Advice please, thank you!
Welcome from Devon. Could he have eaten something different in his grassy area? It would take some days for the smell to come through, I should think, as tortoise digestion is a slow process. I shouldn't think it is anything to worry about - my tortoise gets a bit smelly now and then too !
Angie
 

Newby Tort Mum

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Welcome from Devon. Could he have eaten something different in his grassy area? It would take some days for the smell to come through, I should think, as tortoise digestion is a slow process. I shouldn't think it is anything to worry about - my tortoise gets a bit smelly now and then too !
Angie
Thank you! I'm in London:) Not sure, when he's outside I keep quite the eye on him, even though he's in a big fenced enclosure. I'm kinda thinking that he must've peed/pooped a bit and sat in it a bit under his log hide which is why he got a bit whiffy. TBH I've never sniffed his bum before (lol) - it's just that I noticed it when I picked him up and placed him on his little folded towel pillow I use to move him. It still whiffed a bit about an hour ago, but I'll check again a little while after I soak him tomorrow. As I said, I've never sniffed him before so I'm hoping that it's just him having a 'smelly moment'!
 

Lyn W

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He probably has peed and been lying in it for a while.
I notice it occasionally with my tort.
Nothing a nice warm soak won't cure.
Probably better to do it asap even if just a quick dip so that it doesn't attract flies.
 

Newby Tort Mum

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Joined
Jun 21, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
London
He probably has peed and been lying in it for a while.
I notice it occasionally with my tort.
Nothing a nice warm soak won't cure.
Probably better to do it asap even if just a quick dip so that it doesn't attract flies.
Thanks! He's been asleep inside in his table, but I will soak tomorrow for sure!
 

Jan A

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Jan 9, 2021
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Thanks! He's been asleep inside in his table, but I will soak tomorrow for sure!
Hi, it's late Friday night/early Sat. morning here in Oklahoma. We're a little bit different here. If you smell something stinky here, you go lookin' for the cause because it generally isn't going away. Welcome to the forum. You have some great UK tort owners on this forum. Photos, please!! We all love photos!!
 

Newby Tort Mum

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Thanks Jan! So I smelled his bum again this morning (what a lovely way to bring in the day, lol!) - the smell has gone, it must've been him sitting in his wee or something I guess! I soaked him again this morning as well just to be on the safe side (despite his objection- he enjoys soaks for about 10 minutes then gets really grumpy- they never last more than about 15 because of this). Photo attached of him enjoying some outdoor time (in-between the awful weather we've been having here in the UK recently)!
 

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