Help!! Any one answer!

[Marty333]

Hey Chevy has been pooping out this all morning! What is it is it bad? He has been acting still somewhat normal but I don't know!

If anyone can just post their opinion that would be great! Thank You!

 

[Edna]

Marty that looks like a blob of mucus to me. The intestines have a mucus lining and when that lining produces an excess of mucus, it's generally because of some major irritation. Something he's eating is very hard on his digestive system, or he has a paracite of some sort. I'm guessing the eating part. When you introduce new foods (and your recent posts about weeds and other plants make me think that's likely) it might be best to try just one thing at a time so you can be sure he's handling it OK. Try backing off to foods you know his tummy likes, then slowly introduce new items. Just an idea, it's what we have to do with dogs when switching foods.

 

[Marty333]

Marty that looks like a blob of mucus to me. The intestines have a mucus lining and when that lining produces an excess of mucus, it's generally because of some major irritation. Something he's eating is very hard on his digestive system, or he has a paracite of some sort. I'm guessing the eating part. When you introduce new foods (and your recent posts about weeds and other plants make me think that's likely) it might be best to try just one thing at a time so you can be sure he's handling it OK. Try backing off to foods you know his tummy likes, then slowly introduce new items. Just an idea, it's what we have to do with dogs when switching foods.

that sounds like a great idea! should I mix some weeds in with his spring mix? Also thank you for easing my mind

 

[Edna]

Try giving him the spring mix alone until you see a "normal" poop, then add carfully washed weeds that you have positively IDd. To me it seems like most of the plants we feed contain some element or another that would be toxic in large quantities, and that's why we always try to feed a variety of foods. The bigger animals have body mass and a fully developed digestive system, so there's more room for error. Babies of any species lack those advantages so the whole equation becomes much more critical.

Another thought: There are other possibilities for excessive mucus. Disease, paracites, protozoa can also irritate the mucus lining of the intestine. If you don't see a normal poop soon, it's time for a trip to a good vet.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I would feed Spring Mix with some other dark leafy greens added and stop with the weeds for a while. I know you are trying to be a good tortoise mommy but remember he's a baby and needs to be treated as such. You can feed weeds when he is bigger...

Have you had a fecal done to see if he has parasites?

 

[Marty333]

I would feed Spring Mix with some other dark leafy greens added and stop with the weeds for a while. I know you are trying to be a good tortoise mommy but remember he's a baby and needs to be treated as such. You can feed weeds when he is bigger...

Have you had a fecal done to see if he has parasites?

Okay thank you I didn't know that I should wait until he is older. No I have not had a fecal done because he had normal poop a week ago and when I started feeding him different foods he started having the runny poop. If I don't see improvement in a week I will definitely contact a vet.

 

[harris]

How much are you handling him?

 

[Marty333]

I have stopped handling for a few days now so he can get use to his surroundings.

 

[Laura]

looks like un digested cactus..
he needs higher fiber.. try some pumpkin, but then try to Not add a lot of new things all at once. stick to the spring mix.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

My thoughts are if he is passing it out, that is good. I agree get him on a good constant high fiber diet and keep warm. I had a hatchling aldabra one time pass a large seed of some sort and it had a discolored discharge also, similar to your picture. It was normal the following day after it was soaked.

---

After looking at your picture better, what is your bedding? Never use cedar, toxic I believe.

 

[Kristina]

The bedding is coconut chips, I believe?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Now we use grass, weeds, and lettuce that is dried out and rubbed into very fine small pieces. I have seen many hatchlings eat it.

 

[Marty333]

Yeah I use coconut coir bedding.

 

[stells]

You don't need to wait until he is older to feed weeds... the sooner you start the better... i feed hatchlings weeds from day one... that just looks like abit of not properly digested food to me... if all other passing's are normal... i wouldn't worry

Stick with mixing the weeds in to add some variety into the diet... you don't want them getting stuck on supermarket food...

 

[Livingstone]

I would feed Spring Mix with some other dark leafy greens added and stop with the weeds for a while. I know you are trying to be a good tortoise mommy but remember he's a baby and needs to be treated as such. You can feed weeds when he is bigger...

Follow this logic. Im not trying to be funny or condescending but you are in control of that baby. What maggie posted is rock solid logic, stay with the basics til chevy is past the super young and fragile first year.
There is no question you are trying to do the right thing by introducing those plants/weeds. An ounce prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I suggested she stop feeding weeds because she seems to be having some sort of problem with the hatchling tortoise and she does not know just exactly what weeds she is feeding. Possibly she's feeding a weed he shouldn't have. He is a hatchling and she is a young new keeper and I thought that it would be better right now for her to not go picking weeds that she didn't know what they were and feeding them to this baby. IMO she needs to be on the forum for a while longer and learn what weeds are acceptable to feed her small Sulcata.

 

[Marty333]

I suggested she stop feeding weeds because she seems to be having some sort of problem with the hatchling tortoise and she does not know just exactly what weeds she is feeding. Possibly she's feeding a weed he shouldn't have. He is a hatchling and she is a young new keeper and I thought that it would be better right now for her to not go picking weeds that she didn't know what they were and feeding them to this baby. IMO she needs to be on the forum for a while longer and learn what weeds are acceptable to feed her small Sulcata.

Hi I agree with you! I found a plantain weed and I was wondering if that is okay to feed a young tortoise. I know it is safe to feed but should I wait until Chevy is older?

 

[onarock]

Marty I left a post on one of your threads with some help on identifying plants. You snould go check it out.

 

[stells]

I suggested she stop feeding weeds because she seems to be having some sort of problem with the hatchling tortoise and she does not know just exactly what weeds she is feeding. Possibly she's feeding a weed he shouldn't have. He is a hatchling and she is a young new keeper and I thought that it would be better right now for her to not go picking weeds that she didn't know what they were and feeding them to this baby. IMO she needs to be on the forum for a while longer and learn what weeds are acceptable to feed her small Sulcata.

Not knocking your post at all Maggie... was just giving my opinion... which can be used or not...

Plantain is a great weed to feed... and fine to feed a hatchling... its a good fibrous weed...

 

[egyptiandan]

Not a thing wrong with feeding weeds to hatchlings.

It does look like undigested/partially digested food. That is caused from an upset of the good bacteria in the gut that breaks down food. Very easy to distrub the gut bacteria of a hatchling. Just make sure to wash your weeds very well before feeding. It wouldn't hurt to get one of the products out there that will give Chevy a boost of good gut bacteria. It's a good thing to have on hand also.

Danny