Trying to eat rocks normal?

Michael Malone

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It’s like he seeks out rocks and try’s to eat them I literally have to follow him around and make sure he doesn’t find one lol. Will it hurt him if he manages to actually eat one?
 

ZEROPILOT

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Usually that's a sign of a mineral or calcium deficiency.
Mine will occasionally eat rocks whenever cuttlebone isn't available to them.
Florida. At least this part of the state is full of coral rock. Full of calcium.
 

Tom

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What species are we talking about?

Rock eating is common, but not "normal". It appears to happen when there is a mineral imbalance of deficiency. I see most commonly in tortoise that are fed mostly grocery store greens, and supplemented with too much calcium.

What do you feed and how often do you supplement with calcium?

The solution is to feed better foods, supplement calcium in small amounts only twice a week, and use some MinerAll for a few weeks until the mineral balance returns.

Here are some feeding suggestions:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
 

Ray--Opo

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The fill I have here that they used before building the house is full of small broken up sea shells. After a rain they pop up here and there. I have to watch Opo. Sometimes he walks right by other times he smells them and on occasion he tries to eat. Found one that he passed in the soaking tub.
 

Ketta

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Usually that's a sign of a mineral or calcium deficiency.
Mine will occasionally eat rocks whenever cuttlebone isn't available to them.
Florida. At least this part of the state is full of coral rock. Full of calcium.
Can they eat cuttlebone?
 

Kristy1970

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Mine carries her cuddle bone around, sleeps next to it like someone will steal it, brings it when she self soaks, she nibbles it occasionally, pretty funny to watch
 

Ketta

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How do I know he is eating it? How does it looks when a tortoise eat it? Does anyone know?
 

Ketta

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Mine carries her cuddle bone around, sleeps next to it like someone will steal it, brings it when she self soaks, she nibbles it occasionally, pretty funny to watch
Lol! I guess yours is an adult mine is around 2 or 3 years old.. I think he ate some of it while I went to do other stuff cause I found it worn out but I thought it was my ideas.
 

Yvonne G

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It’s like he seeks out rocks and try’s to eat them I literally have to follow him around and make sure he doesn’t find one lol. Will it hurt him if he manages to actually eat one?
Some species of tortoise eat fruit, including the seeds. This is quite normal and if that species isn't fed the seeds of the fruit, they will eat pebbles. But Sulcata isn't one of those species. I know it's probably a hard job, but you should go around your tortoise's yard and try to pick up all the "mouth" sized rocks so he can't eat them. On a good day, what fits in the mouth should also fit out the cloaca, but that's on a good day. Sometimes the rock gets stuck inside and surgery is the only option. It's just better to keep him from eating them in the first place. Now that that problem is solved, see if you can find a product called Miner-all. It's a supplement made by Sticky Tongue Farms and when sprinkled over the food occasionally it gives them the minerals they are looking for when they eat dirt or rocks.
 

Ketta

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Some species of tortoise eat fruit, including the seeds. This is quite normal and if that species isn't fed the seeds of the fruit, they will eat pebbles. But Sulcata isn't one of those species. I know it's probably a hard job, but you should go around your tortoise's yard and try to pick up all the "mouth" sized rocks so he can't eat them. On a good day, what fits in the mouth should also fit out the cloaca, but that's on a good day. Sometimes the rock gets stuck inside and surgery is the only option. It's just better to keep him from eating them in the first place. Now that that problem is solved, see if you can find a product called Miner-all. It's a supplement made by Sticky Tongue Farms and when sprinkled over the food occasionally it gives them the minerals they are looking for when they eat dirt or rocks.
Interesting... Can they refuse the fruit if it doesn't have seeds?
 
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