Rock eating

[turtlepiano]

My sulcata eats rocks. I have read never to put their food on gravel so they don't accidentally ingest rocks. I wasn't sure if he was actually eating them at first but now it is extremely relevant in his stool. He is acting normal otherwise. Any advice out there? Thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Trent:

Of course, the easy answer is...remove the rocks.

There's a product called Miner-All made by Sticky Tongue Farms. It contains minerals and calcium and helps add the minerals that pet animals don't seem to get in their food.

Some animals just insist upon eating what they're not supposed to. My sister has a young tortoise that was eating the cypress mulch. So she changed that out to orchid bark. He ate that. She changed it to garden soil. He ate that. The tortoise had Miner-All sprinkled over his food daily and it didn't help. She finally had to go with keeping him on newspaper. It was two weeks before she saw a clean stool.

 

[griefold]

My sulcata eats rocks. I have read never to put their food on gravel so they don't accidentally ingest rocks. I wasn't sure if he was actually eating them at first but now it is extremely relevant in his stool. He is acting normal otherwise. Any advice out there? Thank you

I was told it is a mineral deficiency and they are trying to make up for it. My hatchling is trying to eat rocks right now too. I am working on getting more calcium into its diet by way of healthier foods.

 

[Laura]

if it doesn't stop, you will have a big problem on your hand.. $$$ Vet Bill and or a dead tortoise..
I agree. its usually a dietary issue.
Also get a Cuttle Bone, and make sure he has access to one at all times..

 

[Yvonne G]

I forgot to ask about a red light. Sometimes when we have the red light on during the day, it makes the substrate look like food to a tortoise. Do you use a red light?

 

[Kirin]

My leopard was trying to eat dirt and rocks. I now give him a multi vitamin twice a week with his calcium and he is no longer trying to eat those things.