How to collect a turtle's stool?

Question

Yesterday I got my first turtle. It is a red-eared slider. I was told to by the vet bring a stool sample to his check up. Being new to turtles I'm not sure what turtle stool looks like (I can see stuff floating, but I'm not sure what is stool). After I determine what is what I'm not sure how I should collect it and transport it to the vet.

Answer 1

Collecting stool samples from water turtles is done to confirm the presence of internal parasites, etc. For water turtles, it is generally done by putting them in a warm dry habitat (like a plastic tub) for a while until they pass a stool (usually greenish, brownish, or blackish and often quite watery), then returning the turtle home.

The vet often provides the tools needed, but if not, just use a clean disposable spoon or similar tool and scrape it into a clean, disposable cup or similar container. A zip-lock bag works if that is all you have.

Answer 2

well my turtle's stool is almost black and it looks like a little log I guess, quit laughing! I'd get a plastic spoon and put it in a paper cup or something, you can tell the difference between it's stool and it's food, although mine eats his stool, which I guess is better for me so I don't have to clean it up. Is he sick?

Answer 3

Well, the stool would look about the length of a used staple. It would look the color of all other animals' stools. You collect it with a plastic spoon, with the least amount of water as possible. You drop it in a plastic baggie and close it real tight.
that's all there is to it.