Tortoise eats EVERYTHING

[luc-ox]

Hi guys, I've had my Hermann's for about 2 weeks now and I've noticed he's literally eating everything. I had him on 'repti bark' for about a week and noticed he was even trying to eat that. I've now got him on 'tortoise life' and he's eating that too. I know it shouldn't be harmful if he does but I'm still worried.
He even eats it when he's got weeds right in front of him.. He's also trying to eat the artificial plants in his table!
Is there any way of stopping him or has anyone got any advice to help?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi luc-ox:

Please take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself.

When confronted by a tortoise that eats substrate, I like to add a sprinkle of Miner-all (by Sticky Tongue Farms) over his food daily for a couple weeks. I think it usually means that they're lacking some important minerals in their systems. Don't use it to the exclusion of a sprinkle of calcium, but in addition to.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Or maybe that simply means he's hungry and you aren't feeding him enough. I don't know what tortoise life is. I recommend cypress mulch. Keep it slightly damp for a Hermann's. Feed him twice a day for a while. What are you feeding him? Maybe you are not feeding him correctly. So why don't you tell us what you are feeding him and how you have him set up...that will help us to give you good advice.

I certainly don't mean to say that Yvonne is wrong about the Miner All I used it for a substrate eating tort I had and it seemed to work fine...
I just wanted to look at other options...

 

[Doritoinmontucky]

I agree a mineral supliment given with food could help, maby he feels he is lacking something... as for the plant eating ( or in this case trying to eat) i think yung torts try to expierement with diffrent foods or things they think could be food. When my Russian was verry small he would nibble at anything to see if "maby this is food". Maby try offering more food.