Help! We found a tortoise in our yard today; his shell is about the length of my hand. While we were holding him, he began to open and close his mouth, I thought in hopes of snapping us. Instead, he began to vomit bloody matter! It looked like he was regurgitating his insides! Horrible, horrible! We put him in a box as we screamed and put him in the garage, then immediately searched and found your forum.
Is he dying a hideous death? Or do tortoises sometimes vomit what they've eaten? Could it be the bloody remains of a frog or something?
What to do? It's nighttime on a Saturday, and I don't think we have any tortoise vets around here, anyway.
He looks like an old fella. He's been someone's pet at some time, as one of his shell marks is painted blue. His shell is also surprisingly smooth, as if someone buffed it. (?)
Arlee