Poop Consistency and Squeaking Questions

mylittlecholla

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
230
Location (City and/or State)
Fillmore, California
Hi everyone. I'm a little happier with my Cholla's poop consistency today, but I'd love to hear from some of you experienced folks what the ideal color, moisture and consistency of a desert tortoise of Cholla's age.

About the squeaking: Cholla seems to vocalize with one or two little squeaks when she's taken by surprise, or in protest when removed unwilling from her hide. Sometimes she looks up at me squeaks in a way that seems like she wants something . . . food, or whatever. None of this happens on a regular or daily basis. I don't observe any bubbling from her nose.

I've asked about this in another on-line "venue" but was not at all persuaded that the person (supposedly a veterinary assistant who knew something about Chelonians) really knew what she was talking about. On the other hand, maybe she was right, and these intermittent squeaks can only be indications of a respiratory infection.

I know that respiratory tract infection is widespread among California desert tortoises, so I'm concerned.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Got no ego about this, so don't worry about correcting me when I show ignorance. I want to do right by my little Cholla.
 

Blackdog1714

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5 Year Member
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Jul 30, 2018
Messages
4,666
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, VA
Hi everyone. I'm a little happier with my Cholla's poop consistency today, but I'd love to hear from some of you experienced folks what the ideal color, moisture and consistency of a desert tortoise of Cholla's age.

About the squeaking: Cholla seems to vocalize with one or two little squeaks when she's taken by surprise, or in protest when removed unwilling from her hide. Sometimes she looks up at me squeaks in a way that seems like she wants something . . . food, or whatever. None of this happens on a regular or daily basis. I don't observe any bubbling from her nose.

I've asked about this in another on-line "venue" but was not at all persuaded that the person (supposedly a veterinary assistant who knew something about Chelonians) really knew what she was talking about. On the other hand, maybe she was right, and these intermittent squeaks can only be indications of a respiratory infection.

I know that respiratory tract infection is widespread among California desert tortoises, so I'm concerned.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Got no ego about this, so don't worry about correcting me when I show ignorance. I want to do right by my little Cholla.
Pictures please it helps
 

mylittlecholla

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
230
Location (City and/or State)
Fillmore, California
Thanks for your reply. :) I'll try to post pix of the poops. Problem is that I'm fairly computer illiterate when it comes to things like that. I'm a semi-Luddite, but I'll see if I can learn to do it.

In the meantime I'll do my best to describe the poops. They are dark brown, almost black. They are rounded on the bottom with a somewhat curly pointed top. They look like a kind of seed pod, usually about a centimeter in length. When I attempt to press them between thumb and forefinger, they are somewhat dense, somewhat hard. Not very squishy.

I do wash my hands thourougly afterwards!
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
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Jan 23, 2008
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Location (City and/or State)
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He might be a little dehydrated.
 

mylittlecholla

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
230
Location (City and/or State)
Fillmore, California
Thanks, Yvonne. I so appreciate having the advice of experienced forum members. I

I'm now soaking Cholla every day instead of every two or three days. She has a water dish available to her too, although she never seems interested in it. Maybe she sneaks a sip when I'm not looking.:tort:

Any thoughts about the squeaking?
 
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