Please help! My RT is pooping out a red, organ looking thing!

[bubbles18]

Hello, I am new here and dont really have the time to introduce myself at the moment but I will when my Bubbles gets better. I got my RT about 5 days ago from the pet store. He has been eating well and pooping regularly. Today, however, he hasn't eaten a thing and he has been trying to (what I thought was just take a poop) force something out of his tail. It is a large, red blob, it almost looks like an organ of some sort. I have looked all over the internet for something similar and I have found nothing! Im extremely nervous and worried, I love this little guy so much. Does anybody have any input on what this could possibly be?

http://imgur.com/b1nVu

Here is a picture for reference.

 

[Yvonne G]

The tortoise is either constipated or has stones blocking the passages. He's straining so much to pass the blockage that his (penis if its male, or intestines ? if its female) is being pushed out. It's very important to keep this "red thing" moist and don't let it dry out. Once it dries out, it will die. You can gently try to push it back inside the tortoise. A sugar/water paste will help to reduce the swelling. You may have to schedule a vet appointment for an X-ray to see what's going one in there. This is called a prolapse. You should do a 'net search and learn all you can about it.

 

[bubbles18]

Thank you for the help. I have kept the red thing covered in the water/sugar paste and put him in a container where he cannot move around so much so he doesnt damage it. Unfortunately it happened on New Years Ever of all days so I have to wait until tomorrow before I can even get ahold of any vets.

 

[MyrnaBren]

I hope everything works out for your poor little guy. Keep us updated.

 

[Yellow Turtle]

That looks really painful for the tortoise. I hope he will do better...

 

[Yvonne G]

Did you try to push it back in?

 

[Thalatte]

That doesn't look like a penis. It is probably intestine and needs to be seen by a vet.

 

[LuckysGirl007]

Oh my!!!! Vet! Vet! Vet! It hurts ME to look at this...ouch!

 

[Spn785]

Hopefully you are getting in to a Vet today, let us know how things go. We will be waiting to hear.

 

[bubbles18]

Going in to see a vet today, We have been keeping the sugar/water combo on it and it has been getting a little smaller. Hopefully the vet can fix it all up for him and he (she?) can go back to being his/her happy little self

 

[sibi]

I don't know if u have gone to the vet yet, but if you haven't, don't let him use any metal stick to try and push it back in. Once, when my turtle laid an egg, she had a prolapse. I called in a vet at night and he used that to push it back in and punctuated her intestine instead. Some vet who don't know how to treat turtles or torts can do more damage than good. Did I try pushing it back in yourself?

 

[Spn785]

How did it go yesterday? What did the Vet say/do?

 

[sibi]

You may be busy with your tort and the vet's visit, but we are awaiting news of your tort's condition. We wait patiently......

 

[bubbles18]

The vet kept him overnight and managed to push it back in. She had to cut some of it off because it had been out for so long some of the tissue had started to die but everything went very well. Here he is in full recovery mode.

http://imgur.com/cq0Eu

 

[pdrobber]

thanks for the update! great job on your part getting the little one there

 

[bubbles18]

Yeah, Im glad we got him all fixed up. Ever since then however he has hardly eaten anything and has been sleeping inside of his shell all day, I think it might be a mix of the medication and him not being able to sleep for 3 days. Im hoping that all of that just goes away after some time

 

[biochemnerd808]

How's your tort doing? Make sure you soak him often - dehydration and many other things can cause this.

You may also try bringing your vet bill to the pet store you got him at - since it sounds like this happened within a few weeks of getting him, they may refund you the cost of the bill. I know a lot of people have done that, e.g. if the tortoise was diagnosed with worms within a month of getting it.

Good luck!

Yeah, Im glad we got him all fixed up. Ever since then however he has hardly eaten anything and has been sleeping inside of his shell all day, I think it might be a mix of the medication and him not being able to sleep for 3 days. Im hoping that all of that just goes away after some time