Today we are going to be talking about turtle poop. While it might sound gross keeping your eye on a pet turtle’s bowel movements is a great way to monitor its health and wellbeing.
Chelonians poop on a regular basis during their active months, and the consistency and appearance of it is reasonably reliable. Great news! This means that a change in any of these factors can be an early warning that something is up with your pet.
In fact, a reptile’s poop is an incredibly useful insight into what’s happening in their body. It can tell you a great deal, from how balanced their diet is, to whether they are suffering from a parasitic infection.
That said, it’s important to first get an idea of what is normal and what isn’t – so in this article we’ll cover what turtle or tortoise poop should look like, before into getting into the most common health problems that can be identified by a change.
As a red-eared slider owner, keeping an eye on your turtle’s poop can give you valuable insight into its health. A turtle’s poop can reveal a lot about whether its diet is adequate or if there is an underlying illness. Knowing what is normal and what is not can help you act quickly if you notice any problems.
What is Normal Poop?
In general a healthy red-eared slider’s poop should be solid log-shaped, and some shade of brown. The size of the poop logs will vary depending on the size of the turtle.
It is also normal for some white urate mixed in with the brown poop. Urates are whitish blobs that are high in calcium and other minerals. They form from concentrated urine as part of the turtle’s exotic kidney function. As long as the poop itself is still brown, seeing some white urates is nothing to worry about.
The exact color and texture of the poop can vary a bit based on what the turtle has been eating recently. If there are a lot of shrimps and fish in the diet, the poop may take on an orange tint. A higher fiber vegetable-based diet can make it look more greenish-brown. But again, the poop should still retain its solid, log shape.
When to Worry About Poop
While some variations in color and consistency are normal, there are a few red flags that can indicate a problem.
Diarrhea – Watery, liquidy poop indicates diarrhea. This can result from diet issues, parasites, infections, or other illness.
Black poop – Very dark, blackish poop can mean internal bleeding somewhere in the digestive tract. This needs veterinary attention.
Lack of poop – Healthy adult red-eared sliders usually poop once every 2-3 days. If your turtle hasn’t pooped in over a week, it could be constipated or have an intestinal blockage.
Excessive poop – Pooping way more frequently than normal may indicate overfeeding or a parasite problem.
Odd items in the poop – Things like strings, plastic, or rocks in the poop mean your turtle ate something it shouldn’t have. This can cause blockages.
Bad smell – A turtle’s poop smells, well, like poop. But an exceptionally foul odor can occur with certain illness or internal issues.
How Often Should Red-Eared Sliders Poop?
An adult red-eared slider that is fed appropriately should poop about once every 2-3 days. Young turtles may go a bit more frequently.
Keep in mind that turtles have relatively slow digestive systems, so there is often a 1-2 day delay between eating and pooping. Don’t panic if your turtle doesn’t poop the same day it is fed. The time frame depends on factors like the turtle’s size, metabolism, and temperature of the habitat.
If you are new to owning a red-eared slider, pay attention to its natural poop schedule. That way if the frequency changes suddenly, you’ll notice it right away and can address potential causes. Notify your exotic veterinarian if poop habits change drastically or any abnormal poop occurs repeatedly.
Takeaway Message on Red-Eared Slider Poop
- Normal poop is solid brown logs, maybe with some white urates mixed in
- Diarrhea, black poop, odd items, or smell are red flags of illness
- Healthy turtles poop every 2-3 days generally
- Get to know your turtle’s natural poop habits as a baseline
- Contact your vet if you notice repeated abnormal poop
Keeping an eye on your red-eared slider’s poop can help alert you early on to any potential health issues with your turtle. Know what is normal versus abnormal so you can get veterinary help if needed. With attentive care and a proper habitat, red-eared sliders can live long, healthy lives as pets.
What does healthy turtle poop look like?
Black phase greek tortoise doing a little poop
Tortoise poop should be brown to greenish brown, white or both. The consistency should be reasonably solid. For species that eat a lot of grass and hay, like the Sulcata Tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata), the poop may be fibrous and still have some pieces of husk in it.
This type of faeces may be dried solid when you find it. For smaller species, such as the Herman’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni), the faeces are often darker and less solid. In all species of tortoise there is a white component with most stools.
Aquatic turtle poop should be brown to greenish brown but without the white part. Only terrestrial turtles like the American Box Turtles (Terrapene spp.) should have the white component.
Again, the consistency should be reasonably solid, though this can be hard to determine when they poop in the water rather than on land. For the most part, turtle faeces in water do keep their shape, and look like oval, brown pellets.
The white component in chelonian faeces is in fact uric acid and is found in tortoise and terrestrial turtle poop. Reptiles produce uric acid in their urine (unlike mammals which produce urea), which when solidified has a white colour and is referred to as urate. Uric acid is a by-product of the body changing protein into a form it can use.
Uric acid precipitates into urate in the bladder and cloaca (check out the Turtle Prolapse article for more anatomy info) and is released when the animal defecates or urinates. The result is the white paste often seen in tortoise poop – though it can also be liquid, in which case it looks a lot like milk.
Aquatic turtles produce much less uric acid, and generally lack the white urates. This is because producing uric acid is an adaptation to drier environments – not usually a problem for aquatic animals!
White poop is completely normal for tortoises and terrestrial turtles.
2 year old red footed tortoise defacating
How does a harmless creature like a small tortoise tell you its annoyed? I’ll give you one guess!
Some species will poop or pee on you to tell you they don’t want to be handled, or that they’ve had enough.
This poop is being passed earlier than it otherwise would and is often more liquid than the norm. In this case, the difference is nothing to worry about – but it is a sign of stress, and you should listen to your pet by leaving them alone for a while.
Understanding Turtle & Tortoise Poop
Baby tortoises and turtles poop more frequently than adults – usually every day. It is not normal for a hatchling to stop pooping for more than a day or so.
Animals over 4 inches (10cm) in shell length, on the other hand, will defecate less frequently – generally every 3 to 4 days. If they go every day, or less than once a week, this is a sign that something may be wrong.
These are broad guidelines, and some animals may vary slightly. Be sure to observe your pet over the years and make a mental note of its bowel habits.
If you think your turtle is not pooping often enough, check out the constipation section further down this article.
My Red Eared Slider Biggest POOP
FAQ
What does healthy turtle poop look like?
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Appearance:
- Color: Typically brown or greenish, but can vary slightly depending on diet.
- Consistency: Firm and well-formed, not too loose or watery.
- Components: A semi-formed “log” (feces), a white, chalky part (urate), and liquid urine.
- Color: Typically brown or greenish, but can vary slightly depending on diet.
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Frequency:Turtles should defecate at least every other day (if fed every other day), or daily (if fed every day).
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What to watch for:
- Diarrhea: More liquid poop can indicate diarrhea, which can be caused by improper diet or parasites.
- Constipation: Very dried out or infrequent poops can indicate dehydration or constipation.
- Lethargy and Lack of Appetite: These can be signs of illness, so any deviation from normal should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
- Changes in Diet: If you notice a change in your turtle’s poop, consider what you’ve been feeding them and if it’s appropriate for their species.
- Diarrhea: More liquid poop can indicate diarrhea, which can be caused by improper diet or parasites.
What does an unhealthy red-eared slider look like?
Red-eared slider healthy shell vs unhealthy shell: Red-eared slider healthy shell should be hard, relatively smooth, and dark green. An unhealthy shell usually has discolored spots, soft/brittle spots, abnormal shedding, cracks or damages, abnormal shape, foul odor…
Do you have to clean up turtle poop?
You don’t have to, but if you do catch them before they break apart, you can. That much less that gets into the filter, which means a little bit less work for it. Or you can leave it, since that’s kind of part of the filters job. If it’s not a large turtle (large poop) then it probably isn’t much of an issue.
Why is my red-eared slider pooping a lot?
My Turtle Is Pooping a Lot
Increased frequency of defecation (going potty more often) is usually a sign of internal parasites, specifically worms called nematodes.