hiya all my tunisians also love fresh lawn glad they do as i sneeze like mad when i cut it

I'm having the same problem with my rt.The vet said to give her some mineral oil.It helps to soften it up.Also some natural foods like cactus pads and aloe vera plant leafs and some punkin are good.Its starting to help my little one.
Maybe this will help

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PROUD TO BE THE OWNER OF MY LITTLE CREATURES
3 Russian Torts
1 Eastern Box Turt
1 Albino Cali King Snake
1 Hermit Crab
3 Dogs
2 Guinea Pigs

From my experience... this is normal. Yea... it looks hard and nasty but this is what I look for in a healthy tortoise... a large solid well formed pellet.

If all of your environmental conditions are comfortable... taking a dump should not be a problem... for the tortoise.

What might look like struggling is really not. These guys/gals normally look like they are trying to grunt one out.

Observe your tortoise for a while before you jump to any conclusions or actions.

But then again... what do i know...

Ed

Thanks to all of you for your help , opuntia carrota and aloe vera added and sunday she passed a very large very dry poo, as soon as she managed it she was back to eating , she had stopped eating the day befor . Thanks to everyone for your help . Ed i have observed my animals behaviour for four and a half years thats why I was alert to the problem and was able to rectify it with assistance from the people on here ,before any harm done. She wasnt just straining her urine has been a strange yellow/green colour the vet hadnt found anything wrong . Your opinion matters as I take all advice if it improves the care I can give to them .

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alicia x

Have you added any Leopards to the group or is she alone?

You mentioned that the vet could find nothing wrong... did you have any diagnostics done on the tortoise?

Ed

They tested for liver disease and hex but all came back clear , they tested urine and blood . Her urine is now a pale shade of yellow but has been bright vivid yellow and at times a dark green . She is with two other leopards they have been together for two years as a group . They have no symptoms. The vet coulnt give any explanation. people on here felt it to be digestion . Intresting as she is the only one who eats the commercial food,as well as her fresh food ,the others dont bother with the dry food so poss that may be the cause . Thaks for your reply

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alicia x

hi looks like you may have hit the nail on the head the dry food you are feeding may well be what is causing the hard pelleted faeces as Ed says this is normal with his leopards and he feeds a percentage of this diet to his.my own leopards forage for a very high percentage of their food during the summer months almost 100% a lot less than that during the winter but still have access to graze.when mine go they tend to stretch their back legs up to full height with the front of their shell tipped forward and then pass about twice what my rottie does in one go.normally really dark green almost black and fibrous well formed and keeps its shape LOL. sorry to go into such detail,i really dont wish to criticise the dry food as i have no experience of it and if this is a side effect of the diet perhaps as Ed says it is not a problem, he has more than 20 years experience with leopards so should know.

terry

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You mentioned that the vet checked the blood... did they find any sign of infection? The green urine is usually a sign of severe infection.

Is the tortoise eating and acting normally?

What color is the tongue?

If you've been to the vet an can find nothing wrong I'd suggest getting with the vet and treat the tortoise with Flagyl (Metronidazole) weekly for a few weeks and see what happens.

I suspect that entameoba or some similar protozoa could be a problem. This do not always show up unless an organ biopsy is performed.

It's easy and safe enough to treat the tortoises as a precaution regardless.

On the dried food... what kind of dried food is it?

Ed

Hi , the vet gave flagyl as a precaution and broad spectrum anti biotic injection . flagyl given for a week . All as a precaution really as tests were clear . I took her the day I noticed the change in urine colour . She is eating, only difference is she is eating more dried food Exo terra . I have a dish of it in their room to ensure they have the minerals trace elements etc ,she is the only one that eats it . Hexamitus ( not spelt correctly ) was tested for . They have to sedate my tort to get blood and the vet said she will do an endoscope but is reluctant to do it .

Hi Terry she spent the day doing that on saturday our first sunny day in Manchester , hope yours are all well .

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alicia x

Sounds like you have a very good vet.

The problem with using the flagyl over a short period is that it kills the Entameoba but does not get the cysts.

This observation is based on nothing but feeling. I lost most of my Leopard colony for unknown reasons. I took the action I'm suggesting and stopped loosing the remaining animals.

The same pattern occured with a group of confescated Leopards I obtained.

With the leopards I lost I spent thousands with no results.

The Exoterra is one of the better dried foods available.

Ed