Small Amount of Blood in Stool

HoneyBea23

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Hi guys!

I’m wondering if I could get some advice prior to seeing vet attention. My 5 month old baby Hermann’s tortoise is active, sleeps and eats very well with temperatures around 35 degrees C in hot spot and 35-40% humidity. He also receives calcium twice per week on top of his tortoise diet (Zoo Med Gourmet Tortoise Diet).

Today I took him out of his enclosure and onto a blue blanket reserved for him whenever I take him out of his enclosure onto my bedroom floor to roam while constantly watched. This only happens once in a blue moon — maybe 3 times in the month that I have had him. However, I moved too quickly when he was sitting and he got spooked — immediately started to defecate. The first bowel movement had a tinge of blood on it while the second portion looked normal without any redness. Should I be worried? Do you think this happened since he was spooked and strained too hard? I would love some advice before taking him to a vet since he seems otherwise very healthy!
 

ZEROPILOT

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Are you sure you saw blood?
I doubt that what you described would cause bloody stool.
It's more likely something that he ate.

There are many dangers of letting a tortoise roam a house. Many unsafe things to get eaten.

Hopefully this was a one time thing. And it wasn't actually blood.
 

HoneyBea23

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Are you sure you saw blood?
I doubt that what you described would cause bloody stool.
It's more likely something that he ate.

There are many dangers of letting a tortoise roam a house. Many unsafe things to get eaten.

Hopefully this was a one time thing. And it wasn't actually blood.
Thank you so much for the quick reply! I don’t believe it was something he ate since it did look like red droplets and his diet has been primarily the tortoise fibre diet — but you don’t think being surprised/temporary stressed would cause that?
 

ZEROPILOT

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Thank you so much for the quick reply! I don’t believe it was something he ate since it did look like red droplets and his diet has been primarily the tortoise fibre diet — but you don’t think being surprised/temporary stressed would cause that?
No.
I've scared the crap out of a LOT of tortoises.
None have ever pooped blood because of it.
That's just not a normal thing.
Have you seen more "blood"?
 

HoneyBea23

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No.
I've scared the crap out of a LOT of tortoises.
None have ever pooped blood because of it.
That's just not a normal thing.
Have you seen more "blood"?
Right, okay! No, he’s been sleeping for the past few hours here since it’s the evening time now, but will keep an eye out for future bowel movements! Hopefully it was a one time occurrence since it was 3 consecutive bowel movements out of nowhere which isn’t his norm
 

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Right, okay! No, he’s been sleeping for the past few hours here since it’s the evening time now, but will keep an eye out for future bowel movements! Hopefully it was a one time occurrence since it was 3 consecutive bowel movements out of nowhere which isn’t his norm
Don't get me wrong......if they get upset, they sometimes poop.
But blood or anything that looks like blood is the part that isn't normal.
 

HoneyBea23

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yeah, I get that! He’s acting otherwise normal with an appetite and is active so I’m wondering if it’s a one-off from straining due to a stress response. He had three bowel movements in a row and the second one looked tinged with some blood while the third looked normal. He still hasn’t had a bowel movement yet today but likely because he went so much yesterday. I’m not going to worry about it, but keep an eye out for any changes! :)
 

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