# sulcata stealing the dog's food



## Hippytort (Jul 16, 2013)

My 5 year old Sulcata LOVES dog food. I try to keep it away from him but every now and then it gets left out and he feasts on a bowl of it. 
How much does it take to hurt him? I am trying real hard to keep him away from it. I worry about the negative health effects of animal protein. Should I be? Will an occasional dog food binge hurt his health?
Thanks for any help.

Dennis


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## mike taylor (Jul 16, 2013)

I would put a stop to that ASAP. Protein is bad for all sulcatas. They my find a lion poo in the wild a dead animal or two in the wild . But your talking about a animal that walks for miles and miles . In are back yards they do not burn that much protein off . You could have gut problems.

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## lkwagner (Jul 16, 2013)

Mine has tried to eat cat food but I don't let it. Offer mazuri instead


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## Hippytort (Jul 16, 2013)

Thanks for the reply's. I am putting a stop to it. He free ranges the yard eating grass and hay but if I forget to put the dog food bowl up..He has a nose for it! He will go out of his way for dog food above all else. I have to be more diligent I guess. Can anyone tell me if an occasional dog food feast is or has done him harm? Do I need to have him checked out? So far he looks very healthy. I hope no harm was done!


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## mike taylor (Jul 16, 2013)

It looks and acts fine it's ok . Does he live in the same yard as your dog ? If so if you give your dog wormers and the dog poops and your tort eats it it could kill your tort. And this forum is full of bad post with dogs using torts as a dog bone . You may need to build you a spot just for your tort.

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## mainey34 (Jul 16, 2013)

I never had a problem with my sulcata doing that, just my redfoot. I would make sure you remove the food from the area immediately. Protein is not good for sulcatas. Get mazuri, or find some other treat for your tort.


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## Hippytort (Jul 23, 2013)

mike taylor said:


> It looks and acts fine it's ok . Does he live in the same yard as your dog ? If so if you give your dog wormers and the dog poops and your tort eats it it could kill your tort. And this forum is full of bad post with dogs using torts as a dog bone . You may need to build you a spot just for your tort.
> 
> Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app



Thanks for the advice. Yes I keep the dog poo cleaned up at all times. He loves it!
As far as the dogs using him for a chew toy, I think it would be the other way around! He weigh's 31 lbs, the dogs 5 lbs ea (chihuahua's)and they get along fine.




mainey34 said:


> I never had a problem with my sulcata doing that, just my redfoot. I would make sure you remove the food from the area immediately. Protein is not good for sulcatas. Get mazuri, or find some other treat for your tort.



Thank you but this is the 2nd reply suggesting I get mazuri for him. Perhaps you misunderstand, I do not feed him dog food. He has on occasion gotten into it when I accidentally forget to put the bowl up when the dogs finish. I will be more diligent in the future. Maybe I'm missing something, Feeding mazuri will make him NOT want dog food? I think not.


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