What is Turtle Bait?
1.
Any powerful concoction of laxatives. Referring to the similarity in image of a turtle slowly sticking its head out of its shell to the image of stool slowly starting to exit the anus in a constipated individual. Also in reference to the following analogy to constipation, "The turtle's poking his head out but that's all I can muster." Turtle bait thus encourages defecation.
Setting: A hospital service that commonly deals with constipation.
Doctor 1: He's had a lot of morphine, and I think it's causing him to get constipated. No bowel movements for 5 days.
Doctor 2: I think a little TURTLE BAIT would help. Write orders for colace, miralax, metamucil, mag citrate, and if that doesn't work, an ox bile enema.
See