how often is not often enough...

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marcy4hope

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was looking around the forum and couldn't find a thread where it says how often a sulcata tortoise should be going to the "bathroom". i have a new sullie baby ... debatable about his age (store told me 5 months, folks on this forum say he looks 3 weeks). anyhow, he's tiny. store told me he'd eat at least once, or maybe twice a day. i feed him once a day and have never had him act at all like he wanted to eat twice. i feed him red leaf lettuce and carrots since that's what the store said they fed him. although he usually won't eat the carrots. i've seen him pee (cause he peed on my husband). it was fairly clear and quite a bit. but, i've never found any poo. i've had him for 6 days and haven't seen any yet. i used to have a bearded dragon and he'd only poo about once a week and it had the white in it, etc., etc. so, i'm used that that in him. is it similar in a sulcata?

if there's already a thread on how often these little guys go ... let me know. ;)
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Marcy:

Well, what goes in must come out. :p Trouble is, your little baby hasn't been having the right kind of foods going in. Take a look at the list on this thread, and see if you can't improve your baby's diet a bit. I think you'll also see an improvement in the poop department too:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...ed-Greeks-Russians-Sulcatas-etc#axzz1jRwAnwiK

(And chop the food up into very small bites for a while until the baby gains some strength)
 

Tom

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There are several variables that determine how often they go. Once a day, to once every few days is a normal range. Sometimes they will turn around and eat their own poo too. That might be why you haven't seen any. Do you soak him? Often they will go in a warm shallow soak.

Sounds like your pet store is full of misinformation. Here's a care sheet for you.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1jRvpOIpG

Here are a whole bunch of threads that I put together. Maybe these will help too.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Helpful-Threads#axzz1jRvpOIpG
 

SulcataSquirt

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What kinda of temps are you running in your enclosure? Cold side? Warm side? and Basking spot? Your sulcata needs a internal body temp of 85 degrees to be able to digest his food other wise he is going to be all stopped up. Warm water soaks everyday are a must for hatchlings.(considered hatchlings until a year old) water needs to be between 90-100 degrees, and needs to be kept around that temp throughtout the soak, usually between 15-30 mins. This will cause most torts to poo and pee. my tort seems to do real well eating Edive, Escarole, raddicciho,dandilion, butter lettuce, bok choy, tunip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, ect. READ the info Tom has givin you and use every bit of it to your advantage, you will be a very proud of your tort in no time. Also, Torts love routine, so get a daily routine set up for him that works for both of you.
 

marcy4hope

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thanks for all the thread links. i'm busy reading them. my temp in cage is in the 80's (high 70's in coolest spot). thanks for the advice. i'll keep studying up and making changes!
 

marcy4hope

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thanks for the advice. i tried the soaking more and he finally "went" after his soak this morning. i saw him eating it and realized what he was doing. i'm also working on adding some variety to his food. i'm learning as i go. thanks!
 
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