My turtles are about 6 months old, we bought them from a Pet expo out in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. They haven't pooped in a week, so I said enough is enough they're goin to the vet. That was another problem for me, trying to FIND A VET who specializes in tortoises. They went to the vet and he said to try soaking them. So we did. Nuthin yet. Just urats. We did have them in Repti sand, so the vet said to use Repti bark. So I did that and we moved them out of the hallway because even though there was a heater there was still a draft, so right now they're in the living room in a aquarium on the floor. I've been soaking them 15 minutes q day. Still no poop. It's been 2 weeks now, I'm thinking the sand could have given them impacts to thier digest tract. I think it's weird that it's both turtles, not pooping. I think I should call the vet for x-rays. He also said to feed them papaya, looks like a fruit-they LIKE. Please help them.
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Sam & Sandy (Sulcata) aren't pooping, why not??
Replies (4)
EEK on the reptibark, if they swallowed that they could become impacted. Try using hay as a substrate, Timothy hay or orchard grass hay would be ok for them if they decided to eat it. You wouldn't have to worry about impactions with hay.
They aren't pooping but are they eating? If they are then what are they eating?
What about temperature changes, is it cooler inside the house right now since winter is near? I'm far away from you but even so we're having cooler temps at night, our big tortoise is slowing down on her eating right now. This is going to be her 4th winter with us, each year around this time I've noticed that she slows down on pooping because she slows down on eating.
As for a vet, try looking through this website to see if you can find one near you:
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PHRatz
The temps are 80 in the aquarium, I bought a stick on thermometer. Before I go to bed I wrap a blanket around the aquarium. Their light is on during the day 12 hours. The vet who also has a sulcata said to use reptibark, because Timothy hay or any kind of hay has dustmites in it and whatever else he said, I don't remember. Their eating alot better since their environment has changed from the sand into the reptibark, they're even digging. I'm feeding them romaine lettuce, baby spinach, and papaya. I just started feeding them the spinach and the papaya. The vet said papaya is good for constipation. I was using romaine lettuce and that was it because I didn't know what else to use. When we bought them at the Pet Expo the man didn't give us any info, he was there to sell and make money. These turtles are from Arizona. They are eating very good 2 x a day. And I've been soaking them 20 mins a day.They are urinating that white chalky stuff but that's it.
i also bought my sulcata baby in hamburg, pa. i am located in jersey so i might be able to direct you to a vet if you are close. i have only one hatchling and he has recently slowed down on his eating and pooping. the vet said that they go through dormant stages where they slow down for a few weeks. i am concerned by a few things you said. it sounds like you have no heat source for the night time on your hatchlings. is this correct? the nights around here have dropped to temperatures that would require some sort of heat source. also, the repti sand that you were using the torts have a tendency to eat because it contains calcium. the bark is also bad. i use a 50/50 mix of organic top soil and play sand. my tort does not make an attept to eat it and it is good for burrowing. feeding too much fruit is a bad thing. it should be given only as a treat. i feed my tort a mix of escarole, dandelion greens, raddicio, and some grated yellow squash.I finely chop up buffalo grass hay and sprinkle it into the mix. i give him cactus as a treat 1 or 2 times a week. he seems to enjoy this mix. the calcium d3 should be given a few times a week only. not daily. also what size tank are they in? i hope some of this helps.
Ditto what tbozzz said.. the diet is of concern and is there no heat at night? Babies shouldn't be allowed to get lower than 70F at night. Reptibark or anything they can swallow can be dangerous to them.
About hay having mites, it depends on where you buy it from.
http://www.oxbowhay.com/ is a good source.
and..this is good place for cactus and other foods
http://carolinapetsupply.com/
and one more:
http://www.turtlecafe.com/home.pl
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PHRatz
