Something is stuck to my tortoises mouth!

[oliviachilton]

Hi! So i have a 2-3 month old sulcata tortoise and today I brought it outside in a dog playpen where I supervised it 24/7. I gave it food out their, and today I decided to give him a cut up strawberry. It was 100% a strawberry and it doesnt have anything else in it. But when eating it, it seems to be stuck to his mouth. I didn’t think too much of it, but I tried to get it off and he “hissed” at me, or at least it sounded like a hiss. I wasn’t even able to get it off, so I was very concerned but could see he wanted nothing to do with me so I put him back in his enclosure. I’m worried I hurt him by tugging on it, but now, since it’s still on him and he’s walking around on his enclosure, he is dragging it around and it’s picking up the dirt + bedding. I’m scared if he does end up being able to eat it, it will make him eat his bedding. What do I do?

 

[oliviachilton]

heres a picture I got of him with the strawberry stuck to his mouth.

 

[AgataP]

Maybe put him in to soak? He might try to drink h2o and get it off?

 

[oliviachilton]

Maybe put him in to soak? He might try to drink h2o and get it off?

I already soaked him today around 30 minutes/an hour ago, do you think it’ll be okay if I do it again?

 

[AgataP]

I already soaked him today around 30 minutes/an hour ago, do you think it’ll be okay if I do it again?

I know soaking won’t hurt him ....
However I am not an expert ... is he trying to get it off with his paws ?

 

[oliviachilton]

I know soaking won’t hurt him ....
However I am not an expert ... is he trying to get it off with his paws ?

I saw him trying to earlier, but now he isn’t. I just don’t want to stress him out a lot by taking him in and out of his enclosure, especially since today I just upgraded his enclosure and it’s a big change for him.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. Is this still an issue? Id take your tort and give it a nice long warm water soak. Longer than normal. At the end of its soak pick him up and gently remove the strawberry if it is still on there.

Torts often “hiss” when they quickly pull in their head....

Lastly, Sulcatas really shouldn't be offered sweet fruits like strawberries. They are grass eaters & their digestive system is not set up to digest sugars.

 

[oliviachilton]

Greetings. Is this still an issue? Id take your tort and give it a nice long warm water soak. Longer than normal. At the end of its soak pick him up and gently remove the strawberry if it is still on there.

Torts often “hiss” when they quickly pull in their head....

Lastly, Sulcatas really shouldn't be offered sweet fruits like strawberries. They are grass eaters & their digestive system is not set up to digest sugars.

Yes it is still an issue.

I just soaked him about an hour or so ago before the issue started and I dont want to stress him out by putting him in there, especially since I just upgraded his enclosure and it probably already is stressing him out. Do you think if I soak him, it will stress him out more?

Also, yes I know they shouldn’t be fed fruits on a regular basis it was just a little treat and just something to add variety for today. I’ll probably only ever feed him them around once a month.

 

[Minority2]

Yes it is still an issue.

I just soaked him about an hour or so ago before the issue started and I dont want to stress him out by putting him in there, especially since I just upgraded his enclosure and it probably already is stressing him out. Do you think if I soak him, it will stress him out more?

Also, yes I know they shouldn’t be fed fruits on a regular basis it was just a little treat and just something to add variety for today. I’ll probably only ever feed him them around once a month.

If it's not lodged in the tortoise's jaw just get the thing out. There's no need to be gingerly about it. Figure out what's keeping it lodge and strategically dislodge the item from it's mouth. Any stress you put them through now won't matter much while the item is still somewhat soft and not completely dried up. Once it dries up then you worry because tugging too hard on a dried piece of food may end up scratching or tearing the side of the tortoise's mouth. All of this is repairable but will cause temporary discomfort to the tortoise.

Fruits aren't treats. They give tortoises stomach aches and cause them to be overly picky about their given diet. They get enough sugar from eating leafy plants as it is.

 

[oliviachilton]

If it's not lodged in the tortoise's jaw just get the thing out. There's no need to be gingerly about it. Figure out what's keeping it lodge and strategically dislodge the item from it's mouth. Any stress you put them through now won't matter much while the item is still somewhat soft and not completely dried up. Once it dries up then you worry because tugging too hard on a dried piece of food may end up scratching or tearing the side of the tortoise's mouth. All of this is repairable but will cause temporary discomfort to the tortoise.

Fruits aren't treats. They give tortoises stomach aches and cause them to be overly picky about their given diet. They get enough sugar from eating leafy plants as it is.

thank you! He ended up being able to get it off on his own, but theyre was a piece left on him and I was able to just get it off without him hurting Also thank you for the information on the fruit as I had read that it was okay to occasionally give them it

 

[Minority2]

thank you! He ended up being able to get it off on his own, but theyre was a piece left on him and I was able to just get it off without him hurting Also thank you for the information on the fruit as I had read that it was okay to occasionally give them it

The problem is when you introduce something irresistible to an animal that they're not generally familiar with, they're going to want to continually eat only that regardless of if the item in question is good for them. Think dogs and sticky sweet foods. Eating sweets do little to nothing for the tortoise's health. In fact, it has the opposite effect so instead of treating them, you're actually causing them unwanted pain.

If you really want to treat your tortoise feed them succulents. Crunchy, snappy, succulents packed high in fiber, calcium, and nutrients.

 

[oliviachilton]

The problem is when you introduce something irresistible to an animal that they're not generally familiar with, they're going to want to continually eat only that regardless of if the item in question is good for them. Think dogs and sticky sweet foods. Eating sweets do little to nothing for the tortoise's health. In fact, it has the opposite effect so instead of treating them, you're actually causing them unwanted pain.

If you really want to treat your tortoise feed them succulents. Crunchy, snappy, succulents packed high in fiber, calcium, and nutrients.

Thank you for the advice! I’ll definitely try some succulents I wanted to add some sort of plants in his enclosure, do you think I could put a succulent in there 24/7?

 

[Minority2]

Thank you for the advice! I’ll definitely try some succulents I wanted to add some sort of plants in his enclosure, do you think I could put a succulent in there 24/7?

If you're using a planter pot yes. Into the substrate? I personally wouldn't recommend it for indoor enclosures. Too much work to get it started and tortoises just absolutely love destroying things. Other members have found success with hanging plants and other strategies.

 

[saleena.lewis]

Hi! So i have a 2-3 month old sulcata tortoise and today I brought it outside in a dog playpen where I supervised it 24/7. I gave it food out their, and today I decided to give him a cut up strawberry. It was 100% a strawberry and it doesnt have anything else in it. But when eating it, it seems to be stuck to his mouth. I didn’t think too much of it, but I tried to get it off and he “hissed” at me, or at least it sounded like a hiss. I wasn’t even able to get it off, so I was very concerned but could see he wanted nothing to do with me so I put him back in his enclosure. I’m worried I hurt him by tugging on it, but now, since it’s still on him and he’s walking around on his enclosure, he is dragging it around and it’s picking up the dirt + bedding. I’m scared if he does end up being able to eat it, it will make him eat his bedding. What do I do?

I know that you stated before that you had already soaked him but I would recommend soaking him again and hopefully the strawberries will slip right out!

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

I know that you stated before that you had already soaked him but I would recommend soaking him again and hopefully the strawberries will slip right out!

The strawberry crisis has already been solved. The little guy managed to get it out on his own.

 

[saleena.lewis]

The strawberry crisis has already been solved. The little guy managed to get it out on his own.

That's awesome to hear!! So glad that he got it out.

 

[Obbie]

This site has been SO helpful, the members all want to help. I’m lucky to have my 50 pound “little girl”. I had a little baby Sulcatta two years ago. I live in Minnesota, I know that’s not good. You really need to be able to keep their humidity and heat up. She passed at 1 year, I am still so sad that I, yes it was my fault ! When I was offered to take Mali, I jumped on It ! She was evidently turned loose in gas fields inSouth Dakota. A good Samaritan Took her in. They realized she was pretty big, and they had a few kids at home. My neighbor told me about her living with her Daughter and her family. I brought Mali ?? to AZ last winter, with my 2 Jack Russells (her Posse). She loved the break from Winter !

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Yes it is still an issue.

I just soaked him about an hour or so ago before the issue started and I dont want to stress him out by putting him in there, especially since I just upgraded his enclosure and it probably already is stressing him out. Do you think if I soak him, it will stress him out more?

Also, yes I know they shouldn’t be fed fruits on a regular basis it was just a little treat and just something to add variety for today. I’ll probably only ever feed him them around once a month.

not any more....

 

[Chefdenoel10]

This site has been SO helpful, the members all want to help. I’m lucky to have my 50 pound “little girl”. I had a little baby Sulcatta two years ago. I live in Minnesota, I know that’s not good. You really need to be able to keep their humidity and heat up. She passed at 1 year, I am still so sad that I, yes it was my fault ! When I was offered to take Mali, I jumped on It ! She was evidently turned loose in gas fields inSouth Dakota. A good Samaritan Took her in. They realized she was pretty big, and they had a few kids at home. My neighbor told me about her living with her Daughter and her family. I brought Mali ?? to AZ last winter, with my 2 Jack Russells (her Posse). She loved the break from Winter !

Hi Obbie!!!!! ??

 

[Chefdenoel10]

not any more....

And welcome!!!!! People here are soooo helpful. Trust me ... they know what they are talking about! Listen to everything they say.... and ask questions too!!!!
good luck!
Your baby is Gorgeous!!!! ?