Pooping pebbles

[Jodie]

So when I built my outdoor enclosure for my 5 year old Leopard, it seemed like a good idea to make a warm gravel hill for basking. I put hens n chicks around the border. I noticed yesterday he had rocks in his poop. I do not think he ate them on purpose. I think he ate them on accident when eating the hens n chicks. I put calcium on his food about every other day. He eats several different kinds of grasses, clover, Hollyhocks, x-mas cactus, dandelions.....a variety each day. I soak him daily. Per previous posts I found info on preventing this. He has a cuddle bone and occasionally chews on it. I have removed the rock garden from his enclosure. Is there anything else I should do to ensure he is able to pass the rest of any rocks he may have ingested?

 

[Yvonne G]

They usually ingest dirt or sand because it gets stuck on the food, but rocks or pebbles are USUALLY ingested on purpose.

 

[wellington]

I would give him daily warm soaks in an area that he can move around in. The moving and warm soaks should help.

 

[Jodie]

I would give him daily warm soaks in an area that he can move around in. The moving and warm soaks should help.

I have an industrial size sink I soak him in. He walks continuously when soaking. Thank you.

 

[Jodie]

They usually ingest dirt or sand because it gets stuck on the food, but rocks or pebbles are USUALLY ingested on purpose.

What else should I be giving him. He doesn't have a problem eating the calcium powder. He eats everything.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Ouch. I do remember participating in a thread about tortoises ingesting rocks on purpose and soemone (@Flipper, do you remember who?) suggested Miner-all .

 

[Flipper]

Ouch. I do remember participating in a thread about tortoises ingesting rocks on purpose and soemone (@Flipper, do you remember who?) suggested Miner-all .

Here is the thread where I was instructed to get the minerAll and I did, but Tallula is still eating dirt

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/eating-substrate-while-basking.96082/#post-895254

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Here is the thread where I was instructed to get the minerAll and I did, but Tallula is still eating dirt

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/eating-substrate-while-basking.96082/#post-895254

Maybe it's just a personal taste Thank you!!

 

[Jodie]

Mort seems fine. I took the rocks away from the hens n chicks and have not seen any sign of more. Thanks for the help. Crazy tortoises.

 

[mike taylor]

Ouch. I do remember participating in a thread about tortoises ingesting rocks on purpose and soemone (@Flipper, do you remember who?) suggested Miner-all .

It was Tom .

 

[Tom]

They sometimes eat rocks when they are either under supplemented OR over supplemented with calcium. Too much calcium interferes with the absorption of other minerals and trace elements, and the imbalance can lead them to eat rocks and pebbles. MinerAll will sometimes help restore the proper balance and then they quite eating the pebbles.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

It was Tom .

Thanks!