My tortoise is pooing alot!

[Rachelcoul91]

Hi Everyone.

Weve had our tortoise for about just over 2 month, and just recently hes going to the toilet alot more than usual this week he's going to the toilet almost everyday sometimes more than once, he isnt having his pooh's in his bath but in his house just wondering if this is more normal due to his type of diet, carrot & lettuces etc at the moment. or is he unwell?

 

[Tom]

What goes in definitely has a lot to do with what comes out the other end.

Do you soak him daily, and he does not defecate in the soaking water? That is unusual.

Carrots are too high in sugar and should not be fed often or in large quantities. This could be what is upsetting his stomach. Lettuce lacks fiber and the correct nutrient balance, so that is a likely factor too.

Looks like its time to add some fiber and more variety to his daily diet.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi Everyone.

Weve had our tortoise for about just over 2 month, and just recently hes going to the toilet alot more than usual this week he's going to the toilet almost everyday sometimes more than once, he isnt having his pooh's in his bath but in his house just wondering if this is more normal due to his type of diet, carrot & lettuces etc at the moment. or is he unwell?

Hi Rachel in the winter months it is difficult for us to find weeds, but there is quite a lot of other store bought food available and if you vary it, it should help. Some types of lettuce are better than others. I use bags of Florette Classic crispy salad as this has quite a good mix of leaves - radicchio - which they love, frisee and lambs lettuce, I add some pak choi, kale, watercress, rocket, raddish leaves or spring greens to add variety - depends what's reduced but all in moderation. I also use the Sainsbury's bag of mixed leaf salad too which also have a good mix. If I am stuck I will use bags of Aldi's mild leaf salad which has red and green leaf lettuce as my base and add to that. I occasionally use Romaine but don't use iceberg, or little gem as I believe I read they have little or no nutritional value - less than the others anyway. I don't know if you tort is a grass eater, but for my leopard I grind 'Readigrass' in a blender and sprinkle it on wet leaves then spray again to add fibre (he won't eat any hay or grass -even fresh - unless he is out and grazing)
Have a look at www.thetorotisetable.org.uk to see what shop veg is OK.