Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello!

We purchased a Russian Tortoise a week ago from PetCo. He appeared heatly, and still does.

We have been feeding him squash and dandelion and he has been eating like mad.

At first his stool was dark greenish and in the form of firm logs. Yesterday the stool was very dark, almost black in color and much softer and in the form of a 'pile'..not logs.

He still apears very healthy and active and his eyes are clear.

Just wondering if anyone might have any idea as to why the change in stool.

At the pet shop when we purchased him he was eating a T-REX product called "T-REX Tortoise Dry Formula." I would also be interested in any comments about that product.

Thanks!

Masi

The stool should be dark but not loose. It should be very firm. I would think that he has worms and needs to go to a vet to get meds for that. Also for the T-Rex formula, I wouldnt use it. Stick with the greens which are much better than that.

Nothing is wrong just different food (fiber content among them) causes a different consistancy in the stool.

Couple of things that wil help get you back to firm stool, which is what you and your RT want.

Go with a salad mix to feed them every week (which you will need to make yourself and can store in the fridge) of 50% dandelion, 20% grape leaves, 20% collard greens, and 10% chopped opuntia cactus pads. Use this as a base and change up the collards for endive or turnip greens and grape leaves for romaine lettuce for variety. This will have a high 3:5-1 or 4-1 Calcium to Phosphors ratio (which your RT needs very badly) and will have a 25% fiber content. You'll get firm stool and a very happy, healthy tort. Don't feed fruit or vegetables except on very rare occasions. They don't need them and it does them far more harm than good.
Good luck

Sounds okay as long as it is not runny. Take a stool sample to the vet though and have him check for parasited, giardia etc. You most likely will have to worm him (an easy process) as I am sure he is not a captive bred animal.

Steve

Hi

Thank you all for your suggestions and info. Really appeciate your taking the time to help.

Rusty has been taken to the vet. and hopefully he will be OK.

Thanks again.

The generally have too little fiber, too much protein and too little science behind them. Some even say "Box Turtle and Tortoise Diet." Thats almost like saying "Gecko and Iguana Diet." These companies need to spend a little more on research before they release a product. My redfoot was fed Rep-Cal's tortoise diet some of the time by its first owner and she show's significant pyramiding as a result.

Mazuri is a different story. Their tortoise diet was put together by Phd nutritionist after studying what Galapagos tortoises eat in the wild. This is how you formulate a diet properly. Study what the animal eats in the wild, find out the nutrional content of those foods and replicate that. Its less important what it looks like, than what it contains.

HTH
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Adam
http://anraviary.cjb.net
0.0 African Sidenecked, 0.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin, 0.1 Redfoot, 0.1 Sulcatta, 1.0 Western Hognose, 1.0 Crested Gecko, 0.1 Mali Uromastyx