Food Bowl?

[yuri2012]

Hi Guys.

So my turtle loves to hop on top of his food bowl and eat while on top of his food and in most cases he urinates and goes to the bathroom in his food bowl. I'm constantly cleaning it to make sure he doesn't get sick. Is this normal? Should I just place his food in a corner of his cage without a bowl?

His bedding is currently substrate which is OK if he digests it (according to the pet store and according to the product instructions.)

Would you guys recommend this? Just to drop food on the substrate without a bowl? If I do this it would free up some room in his cage and therefore giving him more room to wander around.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Jacob]

I Prefer feeding a slate or piece of flat rock, it helps with keeping the beak trimmed.
What kind of substrate are you using?

 

[yuri2012]

I Prefer feeding a slate or piece of flat rock, it helps with keeping the beak trimmed.
What kind of substrate are you using?

Hi Jacob. I'm using something similar to this for his substrate:

http://www.petco.com/product/104906/Zoo-Med-Eco-Earth-Loose-Coconut-Fiber-Substrate.aspx

Zoo Med Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber Substrate

 

[wellington]

I also would not just put it on the substrate. I would guess, unless it is coconut coir, you really don't want him to eat it. I really wouldn't want my to eat a lot of coir either. Maybe try a smaller bowl, or piece of slat/flat rock that he can't fit on and still eat.

 

[yuri2012]

I also would not just put it on the substrate. I would guess, unless it is coconut coir, you really don't want him to eat it. I really wouldn't want my to eat a lot of coir either. Maybe try a smaller bowl, or piece of slat/flat rock that he can't fit on and still eat.

Yes, the substrate is coconut and what if I put flat rock on top of the substrate and put the food on top of the rock? Would that be normal and OK for him?

 

[wellington]

I also would not just put it on the substrate. I would guess, unless it is coconut coir, you really don't want him to eat it. I really wouldn't want my to eat a lot of coir either. Maybe try a smaller bowl, or piece of slat/flat rock that he can't fit on and still eat.

Yes, the substrate is coconut and what if I put flat rock on top of the substrate and put the food on top of the rock? Would that be normal and OK for him?

Yes, that is exactly what most of us do. Don't make it so big though that he can fit on it. Hope it works for you.

 

[yuri2012]

I also would not just put it on the substrate. I would guess, unless it is coconut coir, you really don't want him to eat it. I really wouldn't want my to eat a lot of coir either. Maybe try a smaller bowl, or piece of slat/flat rock that he can't fit on and still eat.

Yes, the substrate is coconut and what if I put flat rock on top of the substrate and put the food on top of the rock? Would that be normal and OK for him?

Yes, that is exactly what most of us do. Don't make it so big though that he can fit on it. Hope it works for you.

Great. I'll give it a shot. Thanks!