Urgent Care :: Fanning? Constipated?

[B_INX]

Okay, so... my Baby Turtle (Yes, I call him that) who is around 5 inches long, is having some weird mannerisms with his butt.

He was fed yesterday afternoon and hasn't pooped anything yet. I noticed that his butt was swollen. So, at first I thought he was gonna poop until his poop went back into his butt. So, being in complete shock, I watched and I noticed it a was dark and oblong-shaped thing that kept coming out (like half an inch out of his butt), then going in his butt again. I read posts here about fanning but, he doesn't react to it. He continues to swim, doesn't attack his butt with his hind legs, it just happens.

I already placed him in a different place away from my other turtle who is as big as a plate or so. lol.

So, I'm wondering if he's constipated or just being a male turtle and fanning.

[steve]

How long have you had him? Have you had him long enough to know his tail was swollen? It sounds like just fanning, and it's fine as long as it retracts and the other turtle doesn't take a bite.

[B_INX]

I've had him since around... 2 years ago. And, his butt swelling started just yesterday. And, yeah, I already separated them. But, is it really normal that he doesn't poop while on this fanning stage?

[steve]

Do you mean can he fan and poop at the same time? Is the area sensitive, maybe it was injured or bitten?

[B_INX]

I don't think it was bitten or it's injured. :/ but yeah, in wondering if he can fan and poop... Okay maybe not at the same time but can he still poop? And, how long does it take him to fan? It's cause he was just fed last Saturday and supposedly, he should be pooping around this time but he's not..

[steve]

I don't think they can do it simultaneously, but it shouldn't interfere with it. If the tail is swollen, there could be an injury preventing from pooping but fanning is pretty normal. They do seem to do it much less when they are older.

[B_INX]

Oh.. I see. Thank you! The swelling on his butt is going down now. Thank you so much for your help!

[B_INX]

Oh, wait, um, is it normal for his butt to swell when you put him in a lot of water?

It's just swelling now. Like a lump on his butt area. But, nothing coming out..

[dumbork14]

may i jump in? i've always thought that dumbork's butt is slightly bigger. is there any chance that it looks like this? if yes, then i'm concerned too, since dumbork's a girl (no fanning there).


thanks you.

[B_INX]

Oh, I can't really see it properly. But I can kinda see it in the first image and yeah, it kinda looks like that... Has dumbork been poopin'?

[dumbork14]

sorry, will try a better picture later. yes, she has no difficulty in pooping, although it usually takes a while (30 mins tops). maybe you can try putting him in a container with slightly warm water to induce pooping, always worked for me. good luck!

[B_INX]

Yeah.. I read about that. Alright. I'll try that. Thanks!

But, that black thing that kept coming out and back in his butt, was that really fanning?

[dumbork14]

have you read this post? http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30833 did it look like the pic from the post?

[B_INX]

It was that black! :O But, for my turtle, like... half of an inch comes out. But, yeah, it's huge and black. Is that normal for fanning too?

And he poopied already! Yay! lol.

[dumbork14]

oh, so that's his pee pee. that's normal. as long as he's pooping then you've got no problem. thank goodness I have a girl; but then I have to worry about nesting and eggs.