dog poop

[sheenaschlytter]

Kinda gross but I have caught my sulcata eating dog poop!!! has anyone else seen there tortoise do this and is it normal. I live in california and since it has been so nice my tortoise is loose in the yard she eats grass and the veggies from the garden all day and has full acess to food and water at all time. WHy would she eat dog poop. I pick it up three times a day but I think my tortoise runs over to it as soon as they go.
back ground on her she is aprox 4 years old five pounds and getting bigger every day. she was rescued from a home at 2 years old by me that kept her in a 10 gallon tank and only feed her carrots and regular lettus. she was only 4 inches when I got her and she has more the tripled since then.
She is outdoors all summer and in a lg tortoise enclosure with uvb and heat in the winter

 

[Jacqui]

Yes, eating dog poop is normal. Many tortoises find it to be the "bestest thing in the world". Sounds like yours may be one of them.

While it is gross to us, eating stool is natural to them and no doubt give them some trace food value they may be lacking. Of course, wild predator stools would give more then the common house pet's stools would because of what they eat.

That being said it's not wise to let them eat it. The biggest reason why is simple: eating dog poop can be deadly . Dogs that are getting Ivermectin type meds can pass that medicine on via the stools and it is deadly to tortoises. Think meds like wormers and heartworm meds.

 

[dmmj]

I can't say eating dog poop is "normal" but they do it often.

 

[sheenaschlytter]

Im soglad I thought mine was just crazy ! my dogs dont get wormed or heart worm meds ( ca does not really have that prob)

 

[Laura]

OH YES WE DO! heart worm is a big issue here.. where are you?

 

[Tom]

Its not good for them regardless of medicines or not. Dogs and torts need their own separate areas. Your tort should not have access to an area where there is dog feces.

 

[ascott]

I live in the high desert and heart worm has not been a problem here either????? I suppose I could use some type of something but there has not been a problem and I had my dog live a long time here before he had to be put down due to poor joints (he was a biggen).

Now, with that said I think that folks in areas prone to the problem should do what they need to do...as well as if the situation should get to changing in our area I would do the meds incase....but I don't believe in medicating if there is not a reason...