Tortoise won't eat

[ZamTheMan]

I know you said you soak her, but please understand, I'm telling you this because it works:

Clean and rinse your people bathtub real well. Add enough water to come up to the middle of the tortoise's sides. Position a light over the tub so it stays warm. You can even set a small heater in the bathroom to make sure it stays warm in there. Then just leave the tortoise in your bath tub for an hour or more. When she scrambles around in the tub, trying to get out, this causes the poop to loosen up and come out. I promise - if you leave the tortoise in your tub, scrambling around, for a LONG time, she will poop.

I do exactly this, no worries there. I make sure the tub is clean of soaps and dirt, and make sure it's full of warm water and check on the temp every 30min. I let her scramble to get things moving and only take her out after she's been in the tub around 2-3 hours. Half the time, when I put her back towards her house, she turns around and comes back out and goes back into the bathroom because she wants to soak some more.

 

[ZamTheMan]

How old is she and how much does she weight ? I don`t understand the opinion of the VET about eggs. What have eggs to do with constipation ? Sounds unlogical for me.
Bananas have magnesium. I know ... fruits ..... but when she wants to eat a banana it will not be bad because bananas could cause diarrhea.

She's a rescue so we are unsure of her age, but we're estimating around 2 years old. She's around 20-25lbs and if I remember right around a foot in length if not bigger if that's any indication on age.

 

[hollygaucas]

She's a rescue so we are unsure of her age, but we're estimating around 2 years old. She's around 20-25lbs and if I remember right around a foot in length if not bigger if that's any indication on age.

What species of tortoise is she?

 

[Bee62]

She's a rescue so we are unsure of her age, but we're estimating around 2 years old. She's around 20-25lbs and if I remember right around a foot in length if not bigger if that's any indication on age.

With two years and that weight she is too young for carrying eggs but only a x-ray could show the truth. Maybe it is a good idea to take a x-ray to see if she is constipated again. Could it be that she eats something that she should not eat ( little stone or something ) and that causes the constipation ?
Have you tried the watered doog food over her greens ?

 

[Chizbad]

Isn’t it true that if a tortoise can’t pass eggs then there is a chance for build up of calcium and blockage and in the system?

 

[ZamTheMan]

What species of tortoise is she?

African Spurred Sulcata

 

[ZamTheMan]

With two years and that weight she is too young for carrying eggs but only a x-ray could show the truth. Maybe it is a good idea to take a x-ray to see if she is constipated again. Could it be that she eats something that she should not eat ( little stone or something ) and that causes the constipation ?
Have you tried the watered doog food over her greens ?

When we took her to the vet, they took x-rays. Her past constipation issues has been due to too much grass being balled up in her system, which was part of the issue this time as well. It was the vet that said she might have a calcium deficiency. She hasn't eaten anything that would cause constipation otherwise, but when the vet gave her the enema, they did find some small stems from fallen leaves, but I don't believe that would be the main cause.

And no I have not tried the dog food yet. We actually got this soft food for her we used to give her when she was a lot smaller, it's small orange bites and they're supposed to promote appetite and everything, and she's actually eaten some. Mostly just 3-4 mouthfuls at a time before walking away from her dish, but it's a start.

 

[Bambam1989]

When we took her to the vet, they took x-rays. Her past constipation issues has been due to too much grass being balled up in her system, which was part of the issue this time as well. It was the vet that said she might have a calcium deficiency. She hasn't eaten anything that would cause constipation otherwise, but when the vet gave her the enema, they did find some small stems from fallen leaves, but I don't believe that would be the main cause.

And no I have not tried the dog food yet. We actually got this soft food for her we used to give her when she was a lot smaller, it's small orange bites and they're supposed to promote appetite and everything, and she's actually eaten some. Mostly just 3-4 mouthfuls at a time before walking away from her dish, but it's a start.

A well hydrated sulcata should not be constipated from grass. Grass is high in fiber and usually a major food source for this type of tort.
Perhaps the stems had more to with it than thought? Very interesting situation.

 

[ZamTheMan]

A well hydrated sulcata should not be constipated from grass. Grass is high in fiber and usually a major food source for this type of tort.
Perhaps the stems had more to with it than thought? Very interesting situation.

My theory is that the grass was maybe too much for her and too dry, even when she'd stay hydrated through soaks and drinking out of her water dish. I know they should eat mostly grass, and yet it's been the cause of her constipation at least 3 times now, which is also very confusing.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My theory is that the grass was maybe too much for her and too dry, even when she'd stay hydrated through soaks and drinking out of her water dish. I know they should eat mostly grass, and yet it's been the cause of her constipation at least 3 times now, which is also very confusing.

Is it possible that she is eating sand?
It easily gets compacted

 

[ZamTheMan]

Is it possible that she is eating sand?
It easily gets compacted

No that's not possible. We don't have anything like that in our yard.

 

[TammyJ]

I know you said you soak her, but please understand, I'm telling you this because it works:

Clean and rinse your people bathtub real well. Add enough water to come up to the middle of the tortoise's sides. Position a light over the tub so it stays warm. You can even set a small heater in the bathroom to make sure it stays warm in there. Then just leave the tortoise in your bath tub for an hour or more. When she scrambles around in the tub, trying to get out, this causes the poop to loosen up and come out. I promise - if you leave the tortoise in your tub, scrambling around, for a LONG time, she will poop.

Totally agree, just keep an eye on her so she does not harm herself by tipping over.

 

[TammyJ]

I would stop trying to feed altogether, anything at all, until she has cleared out whatever is blocking her up. If she is seriously blocked, she will not eat anyway, and should not. I would give her a total break from any kind of food for 5 days and see what happens, giving her the warm soaks every day.

 

[ShirleyTX]

When you use your people bathtub or sink for soaking, how do you clean it afterwards? I’m not a germaphobe but I do wonder about the pee/poop....

 

[William Lee Kohler]

Old cure is try Cod liver oil or Castor oil on food or force feed it from an eye dropper. Also personally use canned cat food as protein source sometimes as I was told dog food has ash in it which is bad for cats and would guess also for tortoises. Best of fortune.

 

[Bee62]

When you use your people bathtub or sink for soaking, how do you clean it afterwards? I’m not a germaphobe but I do wonder about the pee/poop....

A lot of water and and something for cleaning and disinfection ... that`s all.

 

[mark1]

they may actually like cat food better , dogs even like cat food better ....... ash is indicative of mineral content , unless you buy a low ash cat food i believe the content is similar to dog foods ? cat foods will be higher in protein . it has been a long held belief that ash content led to urinary tract problem in cats , i believe that has been dismissed as a factor ........

 

[William Lee Kohler]

When you use your people bathtub or sink for soaking, how do you clean it afterwards? I’m not a germaphobe but I do wonder about the pee/poop....

I just rinse it out and wipe off any bathtub ring with my hand and use it. Normally I shower anyway.

 

[ZamTheMan]

I would stop trying to feed altogether, anything at all, until she has cleared out whatever is blocking her up. If she is seriously blocked, she will not eat anyway, and should not. I would give her a total break from any kind of food for 5 days and see what happens, giving her the warm soaks every day.

She's had a break from eating for over a month since this started, probably longer.

 

[ZamTheMan]

Just to update anyone for whoever is still following, following up on her nibbling at the orange tortoise food literally called Bites, which stimulates appetite, she's been eating a few bites every other day or so. I've mixed in her pellets at times, as well as mixing in baby food of several types to see which she likes most. Today she ate a pretty decent amount of the bites with banana baby food. So, she's starting to eat again, but she's very hesitant about it. I've continued soaking her at least once a day for several hours at a time, making sure the water in the tub is clean and warm for her. Thankfully, I have no yet needed to feed her anything questionable to trigger her appetite. I would like to assume that after being sick and clogged up for so long, that she was just scared to eat in general. I appreciate everyone's help and input and will continue to take advice until Gamera's back to her old self.