General Care Discussion :: scutes passed in feces??

[wendell]

I cleaned out the tank bottom today and pulled out a large fece that looked odd and was hard on part of the outside. On examination it contained a number of fairly large undigested scutes and smelled completely foul! Fred moved into his new habitat about 8 days ago when I had to separate him from my other turtle due to agression. I assume they were the other turtles scutes. He wasn't eating well two days ago but today seems really happy and eating well. Has anyone seen this before??

[Chrisbarnett]

I've read it before. Turtles can and will eat scutes. Just like with eating their own poop. Completely normal.

[steve]

I've seen bits of silicone in poo, so it will be possible to see anything that is indigestible in there. Anything in the tank has the potential to be eaten no matter the source.

[Arisu]

My turtle is a scute eater. Her appetite has never been great but shes willing to eat all her scutes... wonderful. The scutes tho usually come out exactly the same as it went in, except it usually turns into another color like grass green. Though I think its safer than eating gravel, turtle scutes are pretty hard and jagged- thats why I started netting her scutes before she can eat em.

[Dein211]

Arisu- nice pic of the ADFs i havent noticed rolo eating her scutes, most of her's just sink to the bottom never to be seen or touched again untill i unearth them from under the river stones in her tank. i never thought about the sharpness of the scutes since most of them that i have found were pretty bendy, still now that you mention it it does seem kind of dangerous

[Arisu]

^ Dein, thanks. I freaking love how unintentionally weird and funny ADFs are. In this particular picture, they were excited cuz they sensed food somewhere (they were RIGHT next to them) and they both mistaken each other for food... hilarious.

Wendell, just curious, but why do you think the scutes are from the other turtle? Do you think he eats his own, too?

[wendell]

[
Wendell, just curious, but why do you think the scutes are from the other turtle? Do you think he eats his own, too?[/quote]
Well, the reason I separated the two turtles was that Fred bit a chunk out of "Little Turtles" shell so who knows what nasty things he was doing when I wasnt looking!! "Little Turtle",who is a western painted I think, is doing fine..very sweet and really enjoys NOT having Fred aroud. I spoil him now. Will watch to see what happens with Fred in his new set up...posted pics of him in Indoor Habitat... I was worried that the scutes may have been really hard for him to pass...they really smelled rank!!!!