Gritty Poop

[George]

Can i have some advice on how to stop George - 6 mth old indian star - from having slightly gritty poop? She seemed to be straining just a moment ago never seen that before!

Lighting is 60w bulb, arcadia 15w strip light, cool end 29c hot end 32-34c. She has access to water all day - i have seen her drink - and she eats dandelions, watercress, recently courchettes and some carrot, well i add the carrot she just walks around it. She has a bath once a week and i spray her and her home twice a day.

I have to add this has only started in last couple of days so hope to sort out problem quickly.

thanks

leanne

 

[JourneyTort]

Can i have some advice on how to stop George - 6 mth old indian star - from having slightly gritty poop? She seemed to be straining just a moment ago never seen that before!

Lighting is 60w bulb, arcadia 15w strip light, cool end 29c hot end 32-34c. She has access to water all day - i have seen her drink - and she eats dandelions, watercress, recently courchettes and some carrot, well i add the carrot she just walks around it. She has a bath once a week and i spray her and her home twice a day.

I have to add this has only started in last couple of days so hope to sort out problem quickly.

thanks

leanne

First off let me say I am by no means an expert in tort care as I am fairly new to torts but, if his poop is gritty (gritty as in dry??) the first thing that came to mind was bathe him more frequently to hydrate him. My stars are around 10 months old and I bathe them everyday (but they don't have access to water freely). You could also try feeding him cactus which loosens the stool.

I may be on the wrong track here and I am sure someone with more experience can advise.

JourneyTort

 

[egyptiandan]

It sounds like the urates are gritty and that would be from the Dandelion. Dandelion has oaxilic acid, not high but medium. When feed every day or every other day the by product of digesting the Dandelions (calcium oaxilate) will build up and cause gritty urates and stones.
Dandelion should only be feed once a week.

Danny

 

[George]

It sounds like the urates are gritty and that would be from the Dandelion. Dandelion has oaxilic acid, not high but medium. When feed every day or every other day the by product of digesting the Dandelions (calcium oaxilate) will build up and cause gritty urates and stones.
Dandelion should only be feed once a week.

Danny

Danny - how long does it take to build up as i said only been happening last two days and i have had her over four months with no problems - can it be caused by stress as her new friend frankie joined her this week?

 

[egyptiandan]

No stress doesn't cause it. It takes quite a while to build up the calcium oaxilates.

Danny

 

[Meg90]

You quarantined the new baby right? You've had Frankie for a while (at least 3 mos) under observation before you put them in the same enclosure together??

 

[George]

You quarantined the new baby right? You've had Frankie for a while (at least 3 mos) under observation before you put them in the same enclosure together??

Frankie is only two months old and has been on her own since she hatched, so she's OK, in fact very OK, very get up and go, encouraging george to explore more rather than sleep!

 

[Meg90]

George could very easily still get her sick...if she has some bacteria that the new baby does not.....I don't know, I am not trying to fault you, or anything like that. Just, with all of the stories surfacing here about how fragile babies are, and the deaths that have been made known here recently, I would (myself) have hesitated to house the two of them together.

George is a beautiful tortoise, and your husbandry is amazing, it can be seen just in the smooth growth of her shell. But I would keep a close eye on the two of them.....

 

[George]

George could very easily still get her sick...if she has some bacteria that the new baby does not.....I don't know, I am not trying to fault you, or anything like that. Just, with all of the stories surfacing here about how fragile babies are, and the deaths that have been made known here recently, I would (myself) have hesitated to house the two of them together.

George is a beautiful tortoise, and your husbandry is amazing, it can be seen just in the smooth growth of her shell. But I would keep a close eye on the two of them.....

Thank you - I appreciate your concern! George is my baby girl and I wouldn't want her or Frankie to get sick - so i will keep an close eye, i promise - Thank you again.