Red is the color of danger and seeing it in your turtle’s poop will be concerning and confusing, it will also make you wonder about the potential reasons behind this.
This article looks into the reasons why your turtle’s poop is coming out red
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Why is my turtle poop red?
Red poop coming from your pet’s enclosure will understandably leave your mind racing, and for good reason,
Here are the reasons why your turtle’s poop may be turning red
It’s food:
One simple reason why your pet’s poop may be red may be the food that your pet is eating.
If your pet eats food that has red pigments then this pigment may be transferred to the animal’s poop causing it to be red
Food like red bell peppers, beetroot, raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries may be the reason behind the redness in your pet’s poop.
What to do:
You can quickly remedy this by removing the red food from your pet’s poop for some time.
Monitor your pet’s poop after you remove the red foods to see if the food was the reason for the color change in your pet’s poop.
If this is the reason then your pets poop will go back to normal in a couple of days
Cystic calculi:
Another reason why your pet turtle may be producing red poop may be that the animal is suffering from a condition called cystic calculi.
Cystic calculi is also known as bladder stones, bladder stones form when minerals from the animal diet stick together and form stones.
One symptom of bladder stones in your pet’s diet is blood in the feces that turn the poop red.
What to do
Taking your pet to the vet is recommended in this case. Treatment for this condition needs a professional
Your vet will perform a physical exam on the animal which will include palpating the animal’s abdomen. The vet will also take x-rays of the animal and all this will help to diagnose your pet.
Just as in humans, kidney stones in turtles will need to be remedied through surgery. Fluid therapy is also needed in this case to prevent kidney damage.
The vet will also recommend a change in diet and a change in environment to keep these stones from forming.
It’s an internal organ:
Another quite concerning reason why it may seem like your pet is pooping red is that the animal’s internal organ is coming out
If there is a blockage in your pet’s digestive system, if the animal is constipated or has stones, then the animal will strain to try to get the blockage out.
As a result of all this straining your pet’s internal organs may come out and this may be the red thing that you are seeing as poop.
What to do:
Keeping the organ that is coming out of your pet moist is a must, if the organ is allowed to dry out then it will die.
Organs coming out of your pet’s body are quite dangerous and distressing so taking your pet to a vet is recommended
If however, you cannot get the animal to the vet then you can try to push the organ back in yourself. Do this gently to minimize any pain in your pet
A sugar water paste will help to reduce the swelling.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle’s Tank Water Red?, Why Does My Turtle Run From Me, Why Is My Turtle’s Shell Turning Yellow?, Why Is My Yellow Belly Turtle Not Eating?, Why Is My Turtle In Its Shell?, Why Is My Turtle Standing Up?, Why Does My Turtle Look Fuzzy?, Why Is My Turtle Poop White?, Why Is My Turtle Underwater?