New Member-AZ, Need HELP!!!

[For Love of Everything Shell]

Hello everyone,
I am brand new to this forum... actually this is my first forum ever, so go easy on me if I don't post this in the "right" place.
...on to business...
I have a Leopard Tortoise, Bob. He is now 3 years old and is a healthy eater. We live in Arizona, Desert Phoenix area. I made him an outside dwelling with a heat lamp for winter and he has a small backyard that he can adventure through. I check on him to make sure he makes it into his home every night through the winter to ensure he does not end up a "Bobsicle" ...as the Reptile Store Guys warned me!
The most recent development is that he has not pooped in forever! I have been out of town through the holidays and had a friend look in on him, and he still has not pooped. He is a very picky eater and really loves romain with his alternating vitamin sprinkles. He also has a water bowl available to him when he wants it.
I guess my question is... could he have "gut rot" from not getting enough exercise or UV light through the winter? How can I induce him to poop to move everything through? I was going to give him a warm bath, but he just sat there and was not his usual active self, as if it was too much work to stand up, normally he wants to try and climb out of my sink (I clean it before and after for him)!
Please help, I took away any remaining lettuce and water in case he is bloated or too full from gut rot... he just seems a little "full" when it comes to fitting in his shell!!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi For Love of Everything Shell, and welcome to the Forum!

Bob is indeed a beauty of a tortoise!

I only have two suggestions. First, put a couple droppersful of mineral oil down his throat and up his cloaca, and second put him in the sink or bath tub with warm water that comes up to the bridge (the place where the top meets the bottom shells) and just leave him in there for a long time. You can position a light over part of the sink. An hour isn't too long. But keep checking on him to be sure he doesn't tip over backwards.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi! Any reason he should have gotten cold? Are his temps currently high enough for him? I know you said you had a heat lamp. What were the temps while you were gone (incase he was either without that heat light or couldn't get under it)?

What are you feeding him other then romaine?

 

[Neal]

He's a great looking tortoise.

Yvonne made some good questions, and Jacqui asked some good answers. If that doesn't lead to any improvement in Bob, I would suggest a vet visit. We have a few good exotic animal veterinarians in AZ. If you're on the east side, look up Dr. Todd Driggers.

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

Of course ... Exactly in "Bob's" sassy style... While he was back in his house, and I was frantically searching and signing up for this forum, he had a "poop dancing party" as I call them!!! Yippy he pooped! I am going to wash out and refresh water and mulch tomorrow! Now my next worry after reading all the humidity issues is pyramiding
In reference to his food, I would say 60% romain, 20% kale, 10 %collards, 10% rye/Bermuda grass... Whichever is in season... He likes to rip it out by the roots and walk around like he didn't do anything with the roots hanging out of the corner of his mouth! It is pretty adorable! I don't use any fertilizers so he is the only one allowed on the grass to ensure it grows as thick as possible. I have planted hibiscus so I can feed him the leaves and flowers, but he doesn't eat them after one bite, clearly by accident. I also planted Mexican petunia just for him... He used to like that, but now he won't touch it! Even if I put it on his plate and mix it in with romain... He leaves the other stuff behind...LOL, such sass from such a little guy!
I must say, I am kinda in love with the ability to talk to other tortoise lovers without having to pack up Bob for a field trip back to the Reptile store to make sure I am doing a good job!!! Arizona Reptile ... Those guys are so understanding and helpful of all my crazy worries... Like when I wanted a vet number because I swore Bob had a cold because he was breathing heavy... He was fine the next day! I think he has just figured out how to get me all worked up!

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

Ohh... And he was under his heat lamp almost all the time in his house... I need to get another non breakable thermometer so I can keep it at his height but... When his house is all closed up, temp above the light is 85-90 at night when it is chilly, Definitely warm below it... He moves away to corner of house when he is too warm. The temperature doesn't change much during the day because is fully insulated, but there are a few heat escapes to ensure it doesn't get too warm. Additionally, he has been pretty much a shut in most of the winter. Except while I was gone and a neighborhood CAT chose to displace him for the use of his heat lamp! I wish I had a webcam to see how everything went down, but he was fine just in his favorite corner behind my table. A slow warming bath brought him back to temp.... The cat was EVICTED without notice! I love all animals... But come on!

 

[Yvonne G]

I love your enthusiasm! Glad he's ok.

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome..glad everything is ok...

 

[immayo]

Welcome! I too live in AZ and the only thing I can add is if he was under his heat lamp a lot in the house moving him outside may have caused him to be too cold. It is still pretty chilly out and it is obviously going to be colder outdoors than in your house. I'd recommend keeping him indoors until it heats up a little, since the highs have only been in the 60s. Hope this helps!

 

[Wherethetortiroam]

Lol that's great

Good story and welcome

 

[shellibelli72]

Lol that's great

Good story and welcome

Makes sense to me!

 

[Jacqui]

A poop dancing party, huh?

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome So glad everything is moving on through now. I would try to feed less and less of romaine and more of all the other stuff you mentioned. Also, make sure his water dish is big enough for him to get into and soak should be want. Being you are having colder temps, he probably won't soak himself until it warms up. However, I would give him a nice warm soak a couple times a week for 20-30 minutes. BTW, glad you found us

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

Hi & welcome! Beautiful Leo! I am glad you signed up so we could all celebrate Bob's poop dancing party! I wanted to suggest a cactus pad but the problem was remedied before I could. It always helps my Leo when she doesn't "go" for a couple days.

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

Cactus pad? So you mean a slice of prickly pear?... I have seen them in grocery I suppose.
I woke him up today and made him get some exercise I'm the sunshine... He is pacing back and forth in demand of romain but I am holding out... He is going for some grass and the leaves that fall off my tree. I only let him have a little bit if the leaves because I am not sure it's nutrition level?
He is too big to be inside now. He has lived outside for over a year now! I suppose I could put him in my bathtub at night, but that would be chilly I would think.
His auto fill water dish is definitely not big enough to soak in! He is getting so big so fast I will have to find something to use?
He is now about 8.75inches on his belly! Can he grow too fast or is all growth good ? Here is a current picture, the other picture was a little older

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

Sorry for all of my posts that are 10miles long... He is just so colorful I feel the need to explain in full LOL

 

[Jacqui]

Cactus pad? So you mean a slice of prickly pear?... I have seen them in grocery I suppose.

A cactus pad is the "leaf" of the cactus.

As to the long posts, we actually enjoy them because they give us more detail and understanding of you and your tortoise. They are great!

 

[african cake queen]

hi, happy bob feels better. lots of good people here who care.enjoy.

 

[pam]

Welcome Great looking tort glad things are going better