slime from russian land tortoise

Question
QUESTION: what is the clear slime that came from my tortoise?  He has been relocated to an outdoor pen in Hawaii....the pen is partially shaded....somewhat grassy.....5 x5...his log which he stays in sits on dirt..he likes to burrow into the dry dirt....he spends alot of time in his log....I have a tree in his pen with a shallow water bowl...a large feeding dish....I try to vary his food, bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, apples, carrots.. he  likes lettuce, hibiscus flowers and apples...picky eater...does not eat his pellets.....i sprinkle calcium on his apples sometimes......I try to  soak him at least once a week for 15 to 30 minutes in tepid water..he seems to eat every 2 days...wondering about the slime I saw that came from his tail the other day....stringy..

ANSWER: Hi Laine,

Unfortunately, the diet you're giving him is incorrect for a Russian tortoise.  They consume broad-leaved weeds in the wild, and should have a diet of leafy greens and weeds only--no fruit, veggies, or pellets.  Good foods can include turnip greens, mustard, collards, kale, spring mix/lettuces (not too much lettuce, because it's not very nutritious), dandelion, chicory, sow thistle, clover, mallow, hawkbit, chickweed, viola, nasturtiums, prickly pear cactus, hibiscus, abutilon, etc.  I would suggest enlarging his pen to about 10 x 10 and planting it with edible plants and weeds so that he can graze for himself--you're in an ideal climate for this.

As far as the slime goes, if it was clear it probably wasn't urates (the white part of the urine, which should be creamy to liquidy in a well-hydrated tortoise).  It may be due to parasites, because too much sugar can cause a parasite bloom due to an upset of the gut flora  The fact that you say he's a picky eater in such a good climate for him also suggests there are parasites, because those cause an appetite drop. I would take your tortoise to a good reptile vet and have them do a fecal check.  If there is a parasite load, the vet can advise you on treatment.  Just make sure the vet doesn't treat with ivermectin, as it's fatal to tortoises (I would avoid any vet who suggests using it), and doesn't give any vitamin injections (too easy to overdose and often causes worse problems).  If you need help finding a vet, please post back with your general location (island) and I'll see what I can find out for you.   

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QUESTION: thankyou so much for your info...I took him to a vet...I live on Oahu....and the vet said he had pinworms....I gave him his medicine over a month ago....but i will take him again to have a fecal check....please advise for a good vet......

Answer
Hi Laine,

Pinworms aren't uncommon in tortoises, and can take more than one course of treatment to clear up.  I would call the vet, explain the symptoms, and have them run another fecal check.  Since the vet has already seen the tortoise, you shouldn't have to bring him in again and pay another exam fee.  Most likely you will need to do the treatment again, and then you should do another followup fecal 2-3 weeks after the treatment is completed.  Once the pinworms are cleared and the tortoise on a better diet, he should start doing much better.