Tortoise biting stones

[Tinyhigg]

Hi all,

Why was my tortoise biting stones? He didn't seem to be trying to eat them... but he would repeatedly bite and move them, then find another one to do the same. We brought some of his calcium stones in case he was confusing them... but he would just sniff them and not touch them. Was he trimming his beak?

 

[Yvonne G]

They do that to keep the beak from getting overgrown.

 

[Tom]

Hi all,

Why was my tortoise biting stones? He didn't seem to be trying to eat them... but he would repeatedly bite and move them, then find another one to do the same. We brought some of his calcium stones in case he was confusing them... but he would just sniff them and not touch them. Was he trimming his beak?

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In addition to what Yvonne said, they will sometimes do this if there is a mineral deficiency or a mineral imbalance. Not a calcium deficiency necessarily. This behavior is most commonly seen in tortoises that are fed a lot of grocery store produce without proper amendments. What do you feed your tortoise?

 

[Tinyhigg]

In addition to what Yvonne said, they will sometimes do this if there is a mineral deficiency or a mineral imbalance. Not a calcium deficiency necessarily. This behavior is most commonly seen in tortoises that are fed a lot of grocery store produce without proper amendments. What do you feed your tortoise?

He's got a combination of plants/weeds... turtle vine (Callisia), dandelion, red clover, platain, salad burnet, prickly pear pads. Flowers as are able to acquire.

During winter, when we cannot get plants, we switch him to pellets.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

He's got a combination of plants/weeds... turtle vine (Callisia), dandelion, red clover, platain, salad burnet, prickly pear pads. Flowers as are able to acquire.

During winter, when we cannot get plants, we switch him to pellets.

Do you supplement with calcium? What is your schedule with that?

 

[Tinyhigg]

Do you supplement with calcium? What is your schedule with that?

Calcium stones.

We have powder. I used to sprinkle that in some loose plants and the prickly pad before he got a liking for the stones. He will just devour a big chunk of the stones at random. Since he eats them, I rarely use the powder. His plants get planted in his enclosure so we don't sprinkle those.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

On more question comes to mind, what kind of UVB do you provide?

 

[Tinyhigg]

On more question comes to mind, what kind of UVB do you provide?

Arcadia LumenIZE Pro T5 UVB Kit, D3+, 12% UV-B, 24 Watt

Help with light position

Hi We are finally upgrading the enclosure of our wee marginated Master Oogway AKA Grunt. We got a zen pvc enclosure 122x61x61cm, with mesh on top. The idea is that it can have more ventilation in the summer month, and we could partially close it if required during the winter by placing some...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

What is the UV index (I remember you got the solarmeter right?) and what schedule do you have lamp on (how many hours/day is it on)?

 

[Tillybud]

I didn't know this, I will add some stones to my torties enclosure. Should they be of any particular substance or size? I did buy him some cuttlefish but he has never bothered with them. I shall try him with some Calcium Blocks. Thanks.

 

[Tinyhigg]

What is the UV index (I remember you got the solarmeter right?) and what schedule do you have lamp on (how many hours/day is it on)?

UV is 4 directly under at full 100% from 12:00 to 14:00. Lamp turns on at 9:00 and gradually increases to 100% by midday then from 16:00 gradually decreases till it turns off by 19:00.

UV only covers basking area that has slate and a hide on a side.

 

[Tinyhigg]

I didn't know this, I will add some stones to my torties enclosure. Should they be of any particular substance or size? I did buy him some cuttlefish but he has never bothered with them. I shall try him with some Calcium Blocks. Thanks.

We used the powder first when we gave him loose leaves, but he'd leave them and it'd become a mess... having plants really seems to be much better for him, he goes around biting and chomping here and there. He particularly loves the Callisia as he achieves everything he needs/wants with it; he gets to climb, eat and sit in his food all at the same time.

Pic1: king of the plant. Pic2: caught! Pic3: dandelion done.

We also tried the zoo med block, but he barely touched it.

The pro rep calcium blocks come in different sizes so we just scramble them, normally on wee slates close to the plants.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

The pro rep calcium blocks come in different sizes so we just scramble them, normally on wee slates close to the plants.

The pro-rep calcium block is safe since it is 100% calcium carbonate. I don't know about the zoomed one though, so wouldn't recommend it. Plus the zoomed block is calcium sulfate, which is not as nutritionally available.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Should they be of any particular substance or size?

Look for ones that are 100% calcium carbonate, no additives.

 

[Tillybud]

Thanks Tinyhigg and Ed. I have now ordered a box of the pro rep calcium blocks (100%). Bit late in the year but ready for him when he is ready for them. Do I just tip the whole box out into his enclosure? Also looked at the callisia plant and will be buying one of those too. They are a bit more confusing as there seems to be many varieties. Are any varieties bad/poisonous to them? Thank you.

 

[Tinyhigg]

Thanks Tinyhigg and Ed. I have now ordered a box of the pro rep calcium blocks (100%). Bit late in the year but ready for him when he is ready for them. Do I just tip the whole box out into his enclosure? Also looked at the callisia plant and will be buying one of those too. They are a bit more confusing as there seems to be many varieties. Are any varieties bad/poisonous to them? Thank you.

No, the box comes with a lot. They will last you for quite a while. Just put 1 to a few in there.

I always buy tortoise safe (edible) plants. Try to have them from a place that guarantees no fertilisers. I also google them just to be sure they are not poisonous.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Thanks Tinyhigg and Ed. I have now ordered a box of the pro rep calcium blocks (100%). Bit late in the year but ready for him when he is ready for them. Do I just tip the whole box out into his enclosure? Also looked at the callisia plant and will be buying one of those too. They are a bit more confusing as there seems to be many varieties. Are any varieties bad/poisonous to them? Thank you.

Yeah, just put one at a time and put it on a slate rock or a terracotta saucer. This is because they might get bad when they get wet.