Worried about male tortoise penis

[delilah]

I have just brought my tortoise indoors due to the bad weather, put some food down which he hasn't eaten. He hasn't been moving around as much as usual and for the past 30mins or so his penis has been out.... He keeps raising himself up it has gone back in once or twice but only briefly and straight back out, I have bathed him and still no change. Just been having a read online and seen a few people mentioning different things, can anyone help? I have attached a photo. Thank you

 

[tortdad]

keep it moist and do a search on here for Prolapse

it going back in is a good sign but that pic looks like he's in trouble

@Yvonne G ...What do you think

 

[delilah]

Since writing this he has just passed a stone, I read this could be due to dehydration or bad diet.. I usually keep him in his enclosure in doors but I have let him live down the garden the past week or two. So not sure what/how much he has been eating drinking. He is walking around and seeming a lot happier already, do you think I need to take him to a vet to get checked or anything else I should do?

 

[tortdad]

Since writing this he has just passed a stone, I read this could be due to dehydration or bad diet.. I usually keep him in his enclosure in doors but I have let him live down the garden the past week or two. So not sure what/how much he has been eating drinking. He is walking around and seeming a lot happier already, do you think I need to take him to a vet to get checked or anything else I should do?

Is his penis back in now? Prolapse happens when the push and push and push (from that stone). He very well could have more stones in him. Its from dehydration and was caused from more that a week outside. You may want to take him for xrays to see if he has more stones. Keep checking on him to make sure his penis stays inside. A prolapse that dosent go back in requires a vet visit where the shove it back in and stitch him up and that's if you get him to the vet in time. If you wait to long they have to amputate his penis.

 

[delilah]

Yes it's back inside now and hasn't come out at all since, I have bathed him too but he didn't seem to drink anything. this is the stone, thank you for your help

 

[wellington]

I would soak him every day for a week or two and keep a close eye on him during that time. Soak him in something big enough that he can move around a lot, this helps to keep things flowing along. If it were me, I then would soak him 2-3 times a week to keep him well hydrated.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Rhia:

Yeah, I was going to suggest that he was either constipated or had a stone needing to come out. But he beat me to the punch. This happens when they're straining to pass something.

The stone is an indicator of either to many foods high in oxalates and low in water content, or not enough hydration.

 

[delilah]

Thank you very much everyone. I have managed to get him booked to see a vet tomorrow, not that they were much help last time I visited! But I'm struggling to find any others that see tortoise

 

[Carol S]

Make sure that the vet you are taking your tortoise to see specializes in reptiles.

 

[Robertchrisroph]

Soak. Soak. Soak. good luck, hope he will be fine

 

[Lyn W]

Thank you very much everyone. I have managed to get him booked to see a vet tomorrow, not that they were much help last time I visited! But I'm struggling to find any others that see tortoise

Hi Delilah not sure which part of S Wales you are in but I have been told by the RSPCA that the best herp vets in S E Wales is Valley Vets in Cardiff, Budget Vets in Newport also have a herp vet called Ian (something or other) but think he is semi retired, and there is a young lady also with reptile training but can't remember her name - have a look at their website if anywhere near you.

 

[Blakem]

Among the soaking, try and keep it moist. The vet gave me some expensive ointment to apply when I dealt with this, but mineral oil worked just as fine.