As a sulcata tortoise owner keeping an eye on your pet’s poop can provide important clues into their health and wellbeing. While it may not be the most glamorous part of tortoise care, monitoring your sulcata’s poop habits and knowing what to look out for can help you identify issues early and provide the best possible care.
How Often Should Sulcata Tortoises Poop?
Sulcata tortoises are infrequent poopers compared to many other pets. A healthy sulcata will usually poop every 2-3 days. Some may go a bit more or less frequently but this is the average. If your sulcata hasn’t pooped for 5-7 days it may indicate a problem.
What Should Healthy Sulcata Poop Look Like?
Normal, healthy sulcata poop is:
- Firm and well-formed
- Fibrous with visible plant matter
- Brown or greenish-brown in color
Healthy poop may also contain white urates. These are concentrated urine deposits that look like toothpaste or chalky paste. Urates are normal and healthy.
Runny Sulcata Poop – What Does it Mean?
Runny, diarrhea-like poop can indicate:
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Dietary issues – Too much fruit or sugary foods can cause loose stools. Ensure your sulcata’s diet is high in leafy greens and vegetables.
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Parasites – Coccidia protozoa or other parasites can cause diarrhea. Have a fecal test done by your vet.
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Dehydration – Dry, loose poop may mean your tortoise needs more hydration. Provide a soak dish and mist the enclosure.
White Poop in Sulcata Tortoises
Solid white poop is not normal. It can indicate:
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Bladder stones or infection – This needs veterinary attention.
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Calcium deficiency – Supplement with calcium carbonate powder on food 2-3 times a week.
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Dehydration – Increase soaking time and enclosure misting.
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Intestinal blockage – Seek vet care immediately. This is an emergency.
Why Do Sulcata Tortoises Eat Their Poop?
It may look gross, but sulcatas often eat their own poop directly from their cloaca. This allows them to reabsorb nutrients they weren’t able to digest the first time. It’s natural behavior, so there’s no need to worry if you see yours doing this.
How Long Can Sulcata Tortoises Go Without Pooping?
Sulcatas should poop at least every 5-7 days. Any longer could indicate:
- Constipation from low fiber diet or dehydration
- Intestinal blockage requiring veterinary care
- Metabolic bone disease
- Other illness
If your sulcata hasn’t pooped in over a week, schedule a vet visit to identify the underlying cause.
Encouraging a Sulcata Tortoise to Poop
Try the following natural remedies to relieve constipation and encourage pooping:
- Daily 30 minute warm water soaks
- Increase enclosure humidity and misting
- Add coconut coir substrate
- Feed high-fiber greens like lettuce
- Add a teaspoon of canned pumpkin to food
The Takeaway on Sulcata Tortoise Poop
Get to know what’s normal for your individual tortoise’s poop habits. Increase hydration and fiber if poop becomes infrequent, dry, or runny. White poop, very infrequent pooping, or lack of poop for over a week may indicate illness requiring veterinary attention. Don’t forget to monitor the cloaca area as well for signs of irritation or parasites. With attentive poop monitoring and a proper diet, you can keep your sulcata tortoise healthy and thriving.
Truth: Sulcatas dig holes, Big holes. They never stop digging these holes
In their natural environment Sulcatas dig huge burrows that are long and deep. Like gophers or rabbits, Sulcatas are always working on their burrows, they are never done.
Truth: Sulcatas are destructive
Sulcatas are nomadic by nature and do not tolerate lack of space. If a Sulcata wants to get out of a pen, it will. Tenacious and powerful are understatements. Underground barriers, secure pens and a large amount of space are required.
Sulcata tortoise and his poops
FAQ
What does sulcata tortoise poop look like?
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Appearance:
- Sulcata poop is typically firm and well-formed.
- It can range in color from black to slightly green.
- You might see undigested or partially digested food items like grass or seeds.
- Sulcata tortoises are known for “scraping” while relieving themselves, which can lead to poop streaks.
- They also poop in large amounts.
- Sulcata poop is typically firm and well-formed.
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Diet’s Influence:
- A high-fiber diet, consisting primarily of leafy greens, grass, and hay, will produce firmer and more structured poop.
- Moisture content in the diet affects the hydration level of the poop; diets lacking moisture can lead to drier, harder stools, while diets rich in succulent foods can result in softer poop.
- Certain foods can influence the color of tortoise poop; diets rich in dark green vegetables may produce darker-colored poop.
- A high-fiber diet, consisting primarily of leafy greens, grass, and hay, will produce firmer and more structured poop.
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- You may also notice white material being expelled from your tortoise’s cloaca, which is not technically feces, but rather urates, a component of tortoise urine.
- Urates may have a watery or paste-like consistency and are often accompanied by a large volume of liquid urine.
- You may see urates passed at the same time your tortoise defecates or at other times, most commonly right before or immediately after drinking water.
- You may also notice white material being expelled from your tortoise’s cloaca, which is not technically feces, but rather urates, a component of tortoise urine.
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Unhealthy Poop:
- An unhealthy bowel movement will have a change in consistency, smell, and/or color.
- A more liquid poop may indicate diarrhea, and very dried-out feces may indicate dehydration.
- An unhealthy bowel movement will have a change in consistency, smell, and/or color.
What does unhealthy turtle poop look like?
Q: What does an unhealthy poop look like? Kasey: “An unhealthy bowel movement will have a change in consistency, smell and/or color. A more liquid poop may indicate diarrhea, contrarily, if your turtle’s feces is very dried out that may be an indication of dehydration.”
Does sulcata tortoise poop smell?
Sulcata poop is extra smelly and they have a habit of ‘scraping’ while relieving themselves. Poop streaks are common with Sulcatas. They also poop very large amounts!
How can you tell if a sulcata tortoise is dehydrated?
- Sunken eyes.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Dry or flaky skin.
- Lethargy.
- Dry urates.