Tortoise Constipation/Impaction?

[peasinapod]

Oh wow, poor baby! I'd keep an eye on the cloaca, but as long as nothing is torn I guess it will tighten up again, but I'll let the experts confirm/deny that.

I think there have been worse pictures on here than poop pictures.
It would be interesting to see how big the blockage was.

 

[Yvonne G]

We've all posted pictures of poop at one time or another...and it would be very helpful to other new tortoise-keepers to see what you've been struggling with. So post away!!!

The cloaca will be swollen for a few days. It's been stretched out of shape for quite a while with that big poop trying to get out. You can help shrink it a bit by applying a paste of sugar and water, or hemorrhoid cream.

 

[Steven9786]

i have a spare syringe given by a vet for my dog's medicine. It has no needle on it and I was thinking of giving my tort about 1/4 of a ml of mineral oil ond applying around and inside. Would that be fine?

 

[Steven9786]

Okay here's some pictures of the blockage...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/95283715@N06/15597714570/in/photostream/lightbox/

This picture is a bit blurry but it's roughly about 1 5/8" long, excluding the fiber-y bit at the end:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/95283715@N06/15758833586/in/photostream/lightbox/

The blockage was a lot bigger than I had anticipated and I'm glad I did something about it when I did. He's still laying in his bath right now; and is starting to move around more, which is good. I think it's about time for him to eat his food I prepared for him, so I'll put him back in his turtle box with his siblings in a little while.

I do feel bad that I caught it and decided to do something about it so late, he has no tearing or anything coming out of his rear end, but now I know I need to pay more attention to the four of my little guys and their behavior :/

 

[Yvonne G]

Don't beat yourself up over this. We all learn as we go. A little mineral oil on the cloaca might be soothing, however, my guess is that there probably isn't any more up there trying to come out.

Soak these babies for at least 15 minutes every day. Give them something watery occasionally, like aloe or lettuce.

 

[chaseswife]

I have no first hand experience with this, but I would probably add a little bit of the mineral oil to his food rather than applying it to his rear. That way as he heals and tightens up inside, everything will be passing through a little easier. Poor tortoise, I am glad that he can start feeling better now!

 

[Steven9786]

Thanks everyone for the help

 

[turtlelady80]

Ive had to pull poop out of my torts butts before (lol, that sounds funny)...I wouldn't mess with him anymore. Just keep up the soaks daily, feed your mixture with the pumpkin and proper humidity and you shouldn't have a problem! If this becomes a problem then I'd proceed with the oil. But for now, I wouldn't do the oil. Just gently pull the poop and VUALA!

 

[Steven9786]

Yeah, he's doing his own thing now. I usually leave 2 reptile bowls filled with water, one shallow and one a little deeper with them and he's in one of them right now just sitting down and looking around.

Glad to see he's A LOT more active than he was before the constipation. Had me real worried for a while.

 

[WillTort2]

Did he swallow something that caused the blockage; like a piece of substrate? Or was it just a food based blockage?

 

[leopard777]

Okay here's some pictures of the blockage...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/95283715@N06/15597714570/in/photostream/lightbox/

This picture is a bit blurry but it's roughly about 1 5/8" long, excluding the fiber-y bit at the end:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/95283715@N06/15758833586/in/photostream/lightbox/

The blockage was a lot bigger than I had anticipated and I'm glad I did something about it when I did. He's still laying in his bath right now; and is starting to move around more, which is good. I think it's about time for him to eat his food I prepared for him, so I'll put him back in his turtle box with his siblings in a little while.

I do feel bad that I caught it and decided to do something about it so late, he has no tearing or anything coming out of his rear end, but now I know I need to pay more attention to the four of my little guys and their behavior :/

thats one big poop , glad you pull it out

 

[Steven9786]

leopard777 - Ahaha

I'm pretty sure it was a food-based impaction or constipation due to dehydration or something of the sort. He's been soaking a lot more lately and the day before yesterday was the first time he's eaten by himself in a while. He's on the road to recovery