Harmful rocks

[Tort1419]

I got these rocks from outside, some have weird orange spots and weird green tints to them. I have already washed them are they safe to put in my tortoise enclosure

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

That looks like quartzite to me, micro-crystalline quartz, which is safe.
The green bits look like algae marks and the orange is probably a bit of iron staining.
Should be fine, in my opinion.

 

[Tort1419]

Ok are there any specific types of rocks that I should not have in the enclosure @Tidgy's Dad

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Ok are there any specific types of rocks that I should not have in the enclosure @Tidgy's Dad

Goodness!
Hundreds, but you probably don't get many where you are.
Most will be quartz or calcite based and are fine, but some of the ores and minerals, like cinnebar, galena, arsenopyrite and stibnite are potentially lethal.
Soft sandstones should also be avoided as the sand can be swallowed and cause impaction.
Limestones, granites, diorites, slates etc, should be fine.

 

[Tort1419]

Well my parents have a deck. Under the deck is a huge pile of rocks, my guess is most of the rocks are similar. So I should be fine I'll use all of them. Here is a picture of all of the though

 

[Tort1419]

 

[johnsonnboswell]

But what is the purpose of rocks in the enclosure?

Make sure they are too big to eat.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Well, i can't be certain without individually examining each one, but they all look like quartzite to me with one or two pieces of limestone or shale possibly.
I'd soak them all for a day or two in a bucket of water, just to be certain there's nothing bad stuck to them.
I agree with johnsonboswell also, other than a piece of flat slate to eat off, I can't see the point, other than to make it pretty, or an area of interest for the tort perhaps?
And yes don't put any in that could be swallowed.

 

[tortoise_world123]

Rocks are good for the tortoises to climb on and explore whilst keeping their nails down.

 

[Tort1419]

Yea I am having the rocks for multiple reasons, possibly fun and or interesting for tort, keep nails down, interesting for me. And to file his nails down

 

[Tom]

If you are worried about it, you can boil them.

In 36 years of keeping turtles and tortoises I have never used rocks in an enclosure to keep nails filed down. I've never had to do anything to keep their nails trimmed. I do use sandstone, flagstone or slate under the basking lamps, but thats it. Outdoors they are on native dirt or soil.

 

[Yvonne G]

If those pebbles are small enough to fit into your tortoise's mouth, don't use them in the habitat.

 

[Gillian M]

But what is the purpose of rocks in the enclosure?

Make sure they are too big to eat.

I've done the same, with BIG rocks so as to remain on the safe side.