# Harmful rocks



## Tort1419 (Aug 15, 2015)

I got these rocks from outside, some have weird orange spots and weird green tints to them. I have already washed them are they safe to put in my tortoise enclosure


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## Tidgy's Dad (Aug 15, 2015)

That looks like quartzite to me, micro-crystalline quartz, which is safe.
The green bits look like algae marks and the orange is probably a bit of iron staining. 
Should be fine, in my opinion.


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## Tort1419 (Aug 15, 2015)

Ok are there any specific types of rocks that I should not have in the enclosure @Tidgy's Dad


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## Tidgy's Dad (Aug 15, 2015)

Tort1419 said:


> Ok are there any specific types of rocks that I should not have in the enclosure @Tidgy's Dad


Goodness! 
Hundreds, but you probably don't get many where you are.
Most will be quartz or calcite based and are fine, but some of the ores and minerals, like cinnebar, galena, arsenopyrite and stibnite are potentially lethal. 
Soft sandstones should also be avoided as the sand can be swallowed and cause impaction.
Limestones, granites, diorites, slates etc, should be fine.


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## Tort1419 (Aug 15, 2015)

Well my parents have a deck. Under the deck is a huge pile of rocks, my guess is most of the rocks are similar. So I should be fine I'll use all of them. Here is a picture of all of the though


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## Tort1419 (Aug 15, 2015)




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## johnsonnboswell (Aug 15, 2015)

But what is the purpose of rocks in the enclosure?

Make sure they are too big to eat.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Aug 15, 2015)

Well, i can't be certain without individually examining each one, but they all look like quartzite to me with one or two pieces of limestone or shale possibly. 
I'd soak them all for a day or two in a bucket of water, just to be certain there's nothing bad stuck to them. 
I agree with johnsonboswell also, other than a piece of flat slate to eat off, I can't see the point, other than to make it pretty, or an area of interest for the tort perhaps? 
And yes don't put any in that could be swallowed.


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## tortoise_world123 (Aug 15, 2015)

Rocks are good for the tortoises to climb on and explore whilst keeping their nails down.


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## Tort1419 (Aug 15, 2015)

Yea I am having the rocks for multiple reasons, possibly fun and or interesting for tort, keep nails down, interesting for me. And to file his nails down


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## Tom (Aug 15, 2015)

If you are worried about it, you can boil them.

In 36 years of keeping turtles and tortoises I have never used rocks in an enclosure to keep nails filed down. I've never had to do anything to keep their nails trimmed. I do use sandstone, flagstone or slate under the basking lamps, but thats it. Outdoors they are on native dirt or soil.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 15, 2015)

If those pebbles are small enough to fit into your tortoise's mouth, don't use them in the habitat.


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## Gillian M (Aug 16, 2015)

johnsonnboswell said:


> But what is the purpose of rocks in the enclosure?
> 
> Make sure they are too big to eat.


I've done the same, with BIG rocks so as to remain on the safe side.


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