Redfoot interesting poop

[Dankneepowpow]

Aloha forum,
I have a question about my Redfoots recent bowel movements. My redfoot, Chevy, is almost 4 years old and has historically always had the same healthy looking poops that I would describe as firm, solid and greenish brown looking.

This week her poops have been slightly more runny but parts of them seem to be coated in a white mucus looking substance. I’m not sure if these are urates or something else.





Would love the opinion of the forum on the matter. Does this warrant a vet visit?
She still has a healthy appetite and seems healthy otherwise. Mahalo for your help!

 

[TammyJ]

@ZEROPILOT

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Where are you located. What is the temperature?
With cooler temperatures there is less complete digestion. And what I think I see is fibrous, undigested plant material.
This is just a theory. And I'm very open to the suggestions of other members

 

[dd33]

You mentioned it is 4 years old. Have you had it the entire time? Has it been exposed to any other tortoises during that time?

 

[Dankneepowpow]

Where are you located. What is the temperature?
With cooler temperatures there is less complete digestion. And what I think I see is fibrous, undigested plant material.
This is just a theory. And I'm very open to the suggestions of other members

I’m located in Honolulu Hawai’i. A few months back I moved to a cooler part of the island and now that winter is here temperatures have dropped to a nightly low of 74 degrees and a daytime average of roughly 85. She does have a heated hide where I have a thermostat and CHE set at 78 degrees, but she had a few nights where she has fallen asleep outside of her hide.

When she was a hatchling I was very strict about maintaining the 80+ degrees at all time but now that she is older I have allowed for more variability in her temperature range keeping it in the 74-90 degrees, although it rarely drops below 76. She also has her hide which wont drop below 77.

I will say this new part of the island we moved to is the coldest she has ever experienced in her life and very well could be causing less complete digestion.

I'll bump the thermostat up to 80 degrees and be more vigilant about making sure she sleeps in her hide and see if that helps with her digestion. Mahalo for your input @ZEROPILOT

@dd33 I've had her since she was just a few days old and outside of the clutch she was born with she has never interacted with another tortoise. Maybe eventually I'd like to get her some pals to interact with but I wont do so until I have the adequate room to house more tortoises. Mahalo for your input!