Moron Eating Cypress Mulch?

[daniellenc]

Ive mentioned Skurt hates calcium powder on his food. I can normally sneak some into his fruit though and he has a cuttlebone at all times. I’ve never provided vitamins and he eats a pretty varied diet despite his pickiness. Today for the first time I busted him full on eating his cypress mulch. It’s not fine grade and rather large. I got what I could out of his mouth and placed him in front of his food. He continued gnawing mulch for another 20 minutes, didn’t eat his dinner, and finally got sick of me stopping him and retreated to his hide. Why is he doing this and how do I stop him?

 

[JoesMum]

Firstly, do you use coloured lamps? These reason I ask is because torts associate some colours with sweet tasy foods, they have excellent colour vision, but don't use their intelligence to work out that not everything coloured is actually good for them to eat.

Coloured lamps are not recommended

 

[Bambam1989]

Do you give multi-vitamins? My tort was trying to eat a rock bigger than him. He was so adamant about it I thought he was going to hurt himself, and I would find grit in his poop from where he successfully ground some off.
I started him on multi vitamin powder and he stopped after 2 doses (1 week)

 

[daniellenc]

No colored lights but no multivitamin. I dust his fruit twice a week with calcium with D3. What multivitamin do you use @Bambam1989 ? He doesn’t like the small sprinkle of calcium powder as it is.

 

[JoesMum]

Only use a very tiny pinch of any powder and sprinkle very finely. That way they're less likely to detect it. You can overdose, so it is important to use it sparingly

 

[daniellenc]

Only use a very tiny pinch of any powder and sprinkle very finely. That way they're less likely to detect it. You can overdose, so it is important to use it sparingly

Yeah I do.....like really small and then mix his fruit into his greens. You’d think with all the weeds and stuff he’s given he’d be getting what he needs. Plantain, hasta, dandelion leaves, clover, testudo mix I grow, rose of Sharon leaves and flowers, rose leaves, lilac leaves, honeysuckle. From the store endive, radicchio, arugula, and some weird yuppy green mix, cactus, mushroom, beet leaves.....

 

[Bambam1989]

No colored lights but no multivitamin. I dust his fruit twice a week with calcium with D3. What multivitamin do you use @Bambam1989 ? He doesn’t like the small sprinkle of calcium powder as it is.

I've been using herptivite by rep-cal. Miner-all by sticky tongue is also good

 

[jacksknight]

Give him snail shells, they annihilate them and it's a great source of calcium.

 

[daniellenc]

Where does one get snails?

 

[Redstrike]

You could also try sticky tongues miner-all. I use the indoor (no D3) and it’s berry flavored so it goes well on fruits.

 

[daniellenc]

You could also try sticky tongues miner-all. I use the indoor (no D3) and it’s berry flavored so it goes well on fruits.

Now berry flavored will hopefully work!

 

[TammyJ]

If he keeps eating the cypress mulch, see what other substrate you might try.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If you can find it. ( I no longer can)
I found that the brown colored REPASHY Redfoot supplement was eaten without any fuss at all. Ever.

 

[daniellenc]

If you can find it. ( I no longer can)
I found that the brown colored REPASHY Redfoot supplement was eaten without any fuss at all. Ever.

I’m actually friends with Allen Repashy. I’ll message him and see if it’s still produced.

 

[daniellenc]

If he keeps eating the cypress mulch, see what other substrate you might try.

I’ve tried moss which he also ate. I’m waiting on his AP cage and trying orchid bark. However, I haven’t caught him doing it since. He’s on a tough love diet now that the weeds are back he’s forgotten he liked them. So this happened right when I got strict with more weeds and less softer grocery store greens. I’m lucky to have a store with a great selection of healthy greens but weeds are free he needs to get with the program lol.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I’m actually friends with Allen Repashy. I’ll message him and see if it’s still produced.

That would be a good friend to have.
I love his products. The ones I've used anyway....

 

[daniellenc]

I do as well!! All my cresteds and chahouas were raised on repashy products. I shot him an FB message so we’ll see if it’s still available.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Its a calcium, mineral supplement meant specifically for Redfoot.
I no longer use it since my remaining animals live outdoors full time. Just the odd cuttlebone tossed in.

 

[daniellenc]

@ZEROPILOT is this it? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CFK4ZP4/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes.
it seems as though my memory was off.
I thought it was for redfoot exclusively.