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Re: Is Shelly Constiapted? Can I use something to facilitate?


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Posted by Esther on January 16, 2001 at 23:19:43:

In Reply to: Is Shelly Constiapted? Can I use something to facilitate? posted by Patty on January 16, 2001 at 10:45:55:

I have rustic method for helping out constipated tortoises: Give them a warm soak. As they are soaking, slice open a Vitamin E gel capsule and use a clean Q-tip to swab up the E gel. Take out the tortoise, dry him off somewhat, and then dab the swab on his little hiney, careful to not be too invasive. This will moisturize the area and make the proceedure less taxing. Put the baby back in the bathwater (making sure it is still warm). You may see tell-tale pre-poop behavior like a "wagging tail" that swishes from side to side, or they may start to quickly pull their head in (which forces other activities out). Since they often pull their heads in, the water level for this soakey exercise needs to be super low so that their butts are immersed but their heads are not if they pull into their shells.

In my experience, I have found that REGULARITY is often the key to new tortoises in forming their "inner schedules;" eating at the same time and place everyday, soaking at the same time and place each time they are soaked, night and day temperature time schedules being regulated to something they grow to count on. They are curious and love to explore and discover new things, but as creatures of habit they find comfort in regularity.

As for laxative, my vet only recommends that for tortoises who have eaten something difficult (like a rock, for example, that shows up in an x-ray) and only a small dose at that. I think it was called Lax-aire, but you have to get a prescription for it so that you know exactly what type of dosage to give. Probably not a good idea for such a little turtle.




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