Sulcata eating pine needles

[lizysexpistol]

I have a large 9 year old male sulcata eating pine needles. I have never seen him eat them but I've been seeing them in his poop. Is it safe for him to eat them?

 

[Tom]

I would say no. I have housed many tortoises in outdoor enclosures with pine needles on the ground and they've never eaten them. This makes me think something is amiss, most likely in the diet.

Are you feeding mostly grocery store foods?
What supplements, how much, and how often?
Mazuri?
Any weeds or grass?

 

[lizysexpistol]

I would say no. I have housed many tortoises in outdoor enclosures with pine needles on the ground and they've never eaten them. This makes me think something is amiss, most likely in the diet.

Are you feeding mostly grocery store foods?
What supplements, how much, and how often?
Mazuri?
Any weeds or grass?

Most of his diet is grass from the yard, I mix in a bit of romaine and mazuri. I also give him Timothy hay and clovers. I also spray his food with zilla calcium spray. I'm guessing that he is eating the pine needles while he waits for his food. Are the pine needles toxic?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Most of his diet is grass from the yard, I mix in a bit of romaine and mazuri. I also give him Timothy hay and clovers. I also spray his food with zilla calcium spray. I'm guessing that he is eating the pine needles while he waits for his food. Are the pine needles toxic?

From the Tortoise Table ref.

• Common Name: Pine
• Latin Name: Pinus spp.
• Family Name: Pinaceae

The highly scented needles of the Pine contain tannins, making them quite bitter to the taste, and the whole tree contains a volatile oil which can cause mouth, throat and stomach irritation if ingested, so it isn't one to have in an area where tortoises might nibble on fallen needles. Trees and shrubs from the Pinaceae family contain the substance terpene, an extremely sticky resin which is difficult to remove without using harsh cleaning agents, and this is a good reason not to have these conifers near tortoise enclosures where the resin could get on their shells. For identification purposes, the needles of Pine are attached to the twig in bundles of 2, 3 or 5 and have a brown sheath at the base.

Pine chips or shavings are sometimes sold as substrate for tortoise enclosures, but when heated they can emit highly toxic fumes and there is also a serious risk of impaction if eaten, so we advise against using them.

 

[Tom]

Most of his diet is grass from the yard, I mix in a bit of romaine and mazuri. I also give him Timothy hay and clovers. I also spray his food with zilla calcium spray. I'm guessing that he is eating the pine needles while he waits for his food. Are the pine needles toxic?

Sounds like a pretty good diet.

How often do you do the calcium spray? It should only be a couple of times per week. Daily is too much and that can cause odd mineral imbalances, which sometimes causes them to eat weird stuff.

 

[lizysexpistol]

Sounds like a pretty good diet.

How often do you do the calcium spray? It should only be a couple of times per week. Daily is too much and that can cause odd mineral imbalances, which sometimes causes them to eat weird stuff.

I do the calcium spray twice a week, it's the first time I find the pine needles in his poop. Is the pine toxic for him?

 

[Tom]

I do the calcium spray twice a week, it's the first time I find the pine needles in his poop. Is the pine toxic for him?

I don't think a little accidental ingestion once in a while is toxic. Eat mouthfuls on purpose on a regular basis might be.

 

[waretrop]

Alice eats a few pine needles once in a while. When she is getting grass and they are on top of the grass. I usually clean the large amounts of needles, away along with what my pear tree feeds her....

The needles have no effect on her but the pear is another story....she thinks they come from heaven...