Runny poop

[bogart20]

So I've got a baby star tortoise and I noticed that his poop isn't solid today. he has a varied diet and I don't kno why this would be. He eats collard greens, mustard greens, spring mix, a little romain, and carrots. I add 3 kinds of grasses and hay but he avoids those. I'm trying to get him to eat it. Is this the source of the problem or is there something I should be worried about??

---

My last tort had healthy poo and he ate nothing but romain, (I know isn't good all the time now) but none the less why would his poo be runny?

 

[TortieLuver]

Well he probably needs more roughage Generally baby tortoises don't eat hay. My babies (Sulcatas, Leopards, and Stars) all eat fresh grass. They eat it when I trim it and put in a container and they love it when they are outdoors and can graze themselves. Are your grasses freshcut? When tortoises start out on the dark greens/vegetables, they usually need to slowly be added the natural diet by mixing grasses with those greens before they will eat grass alone. Alfalfa is actually one food that is really good to get their poop more solid...I would try that. Sometimes too it depends on which grass you are feeding them. My stars love the purple and green fountain grasses, ornamental, but for some reason don't care for the bermuda like my Leopards and Sulcatas.

---

There's a non-dormant alfalfa that is great for them and easy to grow this time of year. If interested in where to get it, just let me know

 

[bogart20]

I grow fresh wheat grass for him and stick that in there but the alfalfa is hay. But I soak it for a night to get it soft then cut it up and serve. I've been trying cutting everything up really small but he ignores it for now, I hear it takes time. He was bing fed spring mix and mazuri before I got him.
I just really noticed it today cause he usually poops in water. And all poo looks soft in water. Hopefully he'll eat the grasses and soft alfalfa. I also have orchard hay in there as well that I soak. He is only 3 months so I didn't know if they just didn't eat grasses yet...

 

[TortieLuver]

Yes sometimes it takes time. Just keep trying and offering it and he will take it eventually How often does he eat mazuri now? Have you tried the zoomed grassland tortoise diet too? Sometimes this will help as well, but I highly encourage you to keep at the natural grasses, as the wheatgrass is great too. Is the poop soft or really runny? Orchard is good, but the only ones I have that will take soaked hay are my adult Sulcatas. Generally all they do with the hay is hide/burrow in it as a sense of security

 

[bogart20]

It's more runny. No mass at all, should I start growing fresh grasses for this little guy???

---

Really thanx for the advice hopefully he'll start eating grasses. Do you think he refuses cause hay is in it? Should I try just the fresh grass??

 

[TortieLuver]

Yes I would continue growing fresh grass you can also try growing fresh alfalfa. Give him some mazuri soaked and see if that helps. Yeah try some fresh grass cut up and mixed with the other dark greens

---

Oh and no collard greens until stools not runny. Also does your star appear normal and active

 

[EKLC]

My pancake tends to get runny poop, especially from cactus. Grass hardens it up like magic. He won't eat it alone, so I have to cut some of the tender new growth of my bahia grass, then dice it up as finely as possible. I toss it with spring mix and it sticks to the pieces in there in a very inconspicuous way.

 

[bogart20]

He doesn't seem to active until I give him a soak. But he has 4 hrs in the morning before I check on him cause thats when I wake up.
But no he doesn't seem very active until his warm wAter soak, them he's active for a while then goes and takes a nap....
His temps and everything seem ok. Could there be something else going on??

 

[bogart20]

Success. I made a new food mix, just mase up of spring mix and wheat grass and he ate some today. Not a whole bunch but he did eat some and he was moving about a bit more! Fresh grass it is.
Thank you. I hope he continues to eat more and get even more active and gets healthier !

 

[dannel]

Congrats!