# Earthworms in a sulcata tortoise enclosure?



## TechnoCheese (Jul 11, 2017)

I'm going to be building a tortoise table very soon, and I was hoping to add other organisms to help clean. I'm also adding plants, so it would be nice to have them for soil nourishment. Would earthworms be suitable? Would the tortoise eat them?


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 11, 2017)

I think earthworms are always a good idea and it's not unheard of for a Sulcata to eat some sort of animal from time to time. Though rare.


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## TechnoCheese (Jul 11, 2017)

ZEROPILOT said:


> I think earthworms are always a good idea and it's not unheard of for a Sulcata to eat some sort of animal from time to time. Though rare.


Thanks!


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## eric joranson (Jul 11, 2017)

pill bugs and springtails are also good cleaners


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## Markw84 (Jul 11, 2017)

The only time out of over 100 tortoises, I had a problem with a tortoise developing bladder stones was when I decided I would try earthworms in an enclosure. I had two sulcatas that decided they liked earthworms and did eat them when the population of earthworms increased. Both became impacted with a vet required to remove the stones. It is quite common for sulcatas to eat animal protein whenever they have the chance. In the wild that is fairly rare in total diet %s. It does seem high protein is the primary cause in sulcatas that develop stones. I have decided not to use earthworms in sulcata enclosures.


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## Tom (Jul 11, 2017)

TechnoCheese said:


> I'm going to be building a tortoise table very soon, and I was hoping to add other organisms to help clean. I'm also adding plants, so it would be nice to have them for soil nourishment. Would earthworms be suitable? Would the tortoise eat them?



I've got no earthworm experience in this regard, but I can tell you that an open toped table is not a good environment for a little sulcata unless the whole room is warm and humid 24/7/365, like in a reptile room, for example.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 11, 2017)

Markw84 said:


> The only time out of over 100 tortoises, I had a problem with a tortoise developing bladder stones was when I decided I would try earthworms in an enclosure. I had two sulcatas that decided they liked earthworms and did eat them when the population of earthworms increased. Both became impacted with a vet required to remove the stones. It is quite common for sulcatas to eat animal protein whenever they have the chance. In the wild that is fairly rare in total diet %s. It does seem high protein is the primary cause in sulcatas that develop stones. I have decided not to use earthworms in sulcata enclosures.


Thanks for that first hand experience advice


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## TechnoCheese (Jul 12, 2017)

Tom said:


> I've got no earthworm experience in this regard, but I can tell you that an open toped table is not a good environment for a little sulcata unless the whole room is warm and humid 24/7/365, like in a reptile room, for example.


Thanks for the input! I guess it's not really gonna be a tortoise table because I'm gonna make a cover for it


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## Tom (Jul 12, 2017)

TechnoCheese said:


> Thanks for the input! I guess it's not really gonna be a tortoise table because I'm gonna make a cover for it



Roger, Roger. …and don't call me Shirley.


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