Eating Cheerios?

Status
Not open for further replies.

DaisyDuke

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
247
So I had Sheldon roaming the kitchen I found him eating a Honey Nut Cheerio. I took it away but it was only a tiny piece, he had eaten most of it. Is it okay that he ate this or should I be worried?

I am not sure if honey or nuts for that matter are okay for him. I swept the kitchen and there doesn't seem to be anymore laying around.
 

Edna

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
1,536
Location (City and/or State)
Rawlins, Wyoming
DaisyDuke said:
So I had Sheldon roaming the kitchen I found him eating a Honey Nut Cheerio. I took it away but it was only a tiny piece, he had eaten most of it. Is it okay that he ate this or should I be worried?

I am not sure if honey or nuts for that matter are okay for him. I swept the kitchen and there doesn't seem to be anymore laying around.

I hope the answer from our experts is "yes, OK". They are opportunistic little guys, aren't they? Against my instructions, and over my protests, my boyfriend (55 years actual, 12 years functional) sneaks tiny bits of things to my Torty. He's tried biscotti crumbs, oatmeal cookie bits, and even tiny pieces of cheese. I try to flush it all through with lots of healthy greens and water.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Tortoises, like kids, will put any number of things into their mouths to sample whether or not its a food item. But just because they do (or because the BF does it) doesn't mean its good or ok.

That's just one reason I always say its not a good idea to let a tortoise roam around on the floor.

The occasional Cheerio isn't going to hurt your tortoise.
 

jackrat

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
2,321
Location (City and/or State)
Hamburg,AR
DaisyDuke said:
So I had Sheldon roaming the kitchen I found him eating a Honey Nut Cheerio. I took it away but it was only a tiny piece, he had eaten most of it. Is it okay that he ate this or should I be worried?

I am not sure if honey or nuts for that matter are okay for him. I swept the kitchen and there doesn't seem to be anymore laying around.
One Cheerio isn't going to hurt him. Better a Cherrio than something poison or sharp. Not to chastize you,but letting a tort roam the house is pretty risky at best.Oops! Yvonne beat me to it.Sorry.
 

DaisyDuke

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
247
I wasn't letting him roam the house, just the kitchen :) Before I got him I spoke to some tort owners who said it's okay let him get some exercise that way. I live where it is cold right now so I can't take him in the yard again for a while :( He didn't find anything else or try to eat anything else. My kitchen is pretty much all floor with a few place he likes to hide, like behind the water bottles :) Glad to know the Cheerio won't harm him. I am sweeping before hand next time.

Thank you all for the replies:)
 

terryo

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
8,975
Location (City and/or State)
Staten Island, New York
I keep my RF's enclosure between 80 - 85 degrees all the time. When he's outside if it get's below 75, I take him in. I got this great little temp. gadget http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009O1G5K/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 It's the best thing I ever got. Just put it where you want to know the temp. and in one second you have it. It would be great if you got this and checked the floor where your tort will be roaming around so you can see them temp. there.
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Sorry ALSO.. those aren't tort owners that said it's important that you let them "out of his enclosure" on your FLOOR [ wherever it is.. the kitchen is the worst place because of the various chemicals used to clean the floor. I actually had someone tell me they didn't use chemicals on their kitchen floor.. they only used water. How do you "sanitize" with only water? ] Not to mention the temp variations subjected to!

Enlarge his enclosure to allow "exercise". I believe "we" have made the point............ NO, WRONG!!!

TQ change BF's if he won't respect your tortoises needs!!!

I'll probly hear about that last one.....

NERD
 

DaisyDuke

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
247
Thank you so much TerryO, I will do that:) I am working on a small room we have and turning that into space for him.

Terry K, It WAS tort owners who told me it was fine to let them roam the kitchen. They didn't say it was "important".
I am not worried about the chemicals and no matter what my reasons are you will just try to pick them apart.
I had a simple question and it was answered. But thanks for the reply anyway.
 

Stev0623

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
119
DaisyDuke said:
Terry K, It WAS tort owners who told me it was fine to let them roam the kitchen. They didn't say it was "important".
I am not worried about the chemicals and no matter what my reasons are you will just try to pick them apart.
I had a simple question and it was answered. But thanks for the reply anyway.

I think you may be taking Terrys reply a little too personally.

No one knows everything about these little vuys, and I assure you he wasnt trying to "pick your answer apart".

The fact is, we all know you care about your Tort based simply by the fact youre trying to get him excersize. Terry is right in the fact that your RF needs a bigger enclosure for the cold months. Thjs can easily be accomplished by $40-$60 at lowes and an hour of your time.

Believe me, everyone is trying to help. If you still have any questions, call the # in Terrys sig. He isone of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people Ive ever spoken with.


Steve

Ps, post some pictures of your tort! We love to share!
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
DaisyDuke said:
Thank you so much TerryO, I will do that:) I am working on a small room we have and turning that into space for him.

Terry K, It WAS tort owners who told me it was fine to let them roam the kitchen. They didn't say it was "important".
I am not worried about the chemicals and no matter what my reasons are you will just try to pick them apart.
I had a simple question and it was answered. But thanks for the reply anyway.

DaisyDuke you asked about a situation you experienced with your redfoot and explained how it occured. You have been advised and encouraged to not let your redfoot walk around on your floor by caring "tort owners". Anyone who says it's o.k. to allow your redfoot to walk around on your floor are not truly "tort owners'.. they are just those that have tortoises in captivity. And one of the main reasons that allowing your redfoot to roam around on your floor is not good is because of the multitude of things that your redfoot might find that they could and most likely would smell, lick or bite [ regardless of the source ] that could make them ill or dead.

Providing a room that you can build a "large" tort-table is the smart thing to do.. but not allow him to roam around in.

We have attempted to provide for you what we have found is best for redfoot tortoises.. based on a few decades of personal "hands-on" experience.

NERD
 

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
Agreed to make the enclosure large enough that letting the tort out for exercise isn't needed. Kitchen floors especially are bad because of the cleaning products, likelihood for food/dust/hair, and that most floors are tile or linoleum (ie. very cold and drafty). Torts need the safety of home with hiding spaces. Letting a tort out into a secure backyard pen with hides and water (not just the run of the whole yard if its much much larger than their indoor enclosure, because this too can be stressful) when its warm enough is great.
 

DaisyDuke

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
247
Steve, sorry if my wording came off as taking it personal. I didn't take it personally. I am sure no matter what I say I clean my floors with, what is in my kitchen, etc, no matter what it would get picked apart. I've seen how some of these discussions go and only want to keep it peaceful. Right now his enclosure is fine, but very temporary. I have an extra room. Small, not a closet but not quite a bedroom either. I am planning an enclosure for in there that will take up most of the room :):) I've been reading so many threads on here and getting so many ideas. I'm sure I will be back with questions to help with that :) I posted some photos in this thread,
http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Sheldon-pics-questions-etc

Terry K, I think it is quite rude to say they aren't truly tort owners. You do not know these people personally. They are not telling me to clean his enclosure with chemicals, feed him bad foods, etc. You have never been in my kitchen, you do not know what I clean my floors with, etc. I don't have him roaming 24/7 or even hours. He was out for at most 45 minutes with me sitting on the floor with him. The Cheerio was behind a water bottle. I took what was left away and swept. There is too much that you do not know about the situation. I read your advice, you keep repeating it. There is no point in arguing.

Kate, he doesn't have the run of the whole yard. I don't have him out of his enclosure for very long, even outside. The longest he was outside was a few hours. It was perfect weather but of course those days are gone for a while where I live :/ Outside he has water, food and hides. I still won't have him out unless I am out there though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top