# Help my tortoise is eating wood...



## ri0ku (Aug 7, 2011)

Hello, I am having a massive issue which is really worrying me with my horsefield tortoise which I have had for about 3 months now. 

When I got him from the pet shop I was given all the wrong things like the wood chips... however after getting advice here I got rid of the wood chips and replaced them with top soil (from pets at home made for tortoises)

This is where my problems started... the first thing that triggered me into getting the soil was that the tortoise ate a piece of wood chip.

When I replaced all the wood chips with the soil he simply refused to eat anything.... this lasted for more than a week.. he would refuse to eat or drink and generally was not happy. Never seen this sort of behaviour before and so I tested him back on the wood chips and he acted normal again and finally started eating and drinking again.

I cant seem to get him off the wood chips at all or he will not eat or drink anymore so hes back on them now.

However I have witnessed him eat 2 small pieces of wood chip today... he seems to be trying to eat his own poo which sometimes may be stuck to pieces of the wood. (I do spot clean everytime he does it) but he sometimes finds a piece with maybe a little poo on.

I cant avoid this because I am not watching him 24/7. However I am really worried that hes ate 2 pieces today and that it could kill him.

Really not sure what to do. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.


----------



## Yvonne G (Aug 7, 2011)

Hi Luke:

Just make sure the tortoise is well hydrated. The chips should pass through without any trouble. What kind of wood chips are we talking about?


----------



## Laura (Aug 7, 2011)

what are you feeding him> wood chips are not food.. so its not an option to ofer them just to get him to eat something...
change it back and offer him real food. spring mix, dandilions, flowers.. 
tough love...


----------



## ri0ku (Aug 8, 2011)

Laura said:


> what are you feeding him> wood chips are not food.. so its not an option to ofer them just to get him to eat something...
> change it back and offer him real food. spring mix, dandilions, flowers..
> tough love...



Im not offering him wood to eat... that would be insanely stupid. I feed him all the right vegies I bathe him every day etc. I mean his housing he is on wood chips to walk on not to eat. I took out the chips and when I used soil instead he just stopped eating and drinking for more than a week. 

So I had to remove the soil and put the wood chips back in and then he started eating and drinking again. 

I am not feeding him wood chips..


----------

