tort_us

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Sep 4, 2018
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I turned around for two seconds to weed a plant and found my 3-year-old Russian tortoise eating miracle gro potting mix. He took between one and three bites of dirt and may or may not have eaten perlite pellet(s).

I’m really worried but it doesn’t have any sort of insecticide or weed killer— just perlite and fertilizer (ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, phosphate, soluble potash).

Do you think he’s fine?? I put him in the bath and fed him zucchini for water to help him pass the perlite, but I’m worried about the fertilizer.
 

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Hamiltondood

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I usually lurk a lot, but I recommend lots of watery and food with a lot of fiber. spineless cactus pads is gonna help the perlite pass. I’ve seen tortoises eat perlite a few times without much harm, don't forget to soak him daily!
 

tort_us

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Sep 4, 2018
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Location (City and/or State)
New York
I usually lurk a lot, but I recommend lots of watery and food with a lot of fiber. spineless cactus pads is gonna help the perlite pass. I’ve seen tortoises eat perlite a few times without much harm, don't forget to soak him daily!

Thank you, yeah, he'll be getting daily soaks and lots of watery foods for the next week or two to push it out. I'm more worried about the fertilizer-- I don't know in what quantities those ingredients are harmful to him. :/
 

Tom

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No way for us to predict anything here. It will most likely be fine. A small amount one time shouldn't do any harm.

How did your tortoise have access to that soil?
 

tort_us

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Thanks for your reply. He was out with me on the patio and found some that had spilled out of a potted plant.
 

tort_us

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Wanted to update to let anyone reading this know that he’s doing fine! So a bite or two likely isn’t dangerous to tortoises. Just treat with two soaks per day and watery foods.
 
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