Update/Eating Orchid Bark

[GeorgeUK]

Evening all
I haven't had chance to come on here for a while as I've started on a big fitness regime & it's brutal

Lady Dorothy is doing great, she's grown quite a lot since I got her, which has been a pleasant surprise as she was super small for a four year old. Here's a picture from earlier this month:



Anyways, I hope everyone is doing great and enjoying 2016.
Just a quick question, it's spring here in the UK and Lady Dorothy is enjoying eating lots of weeds, grasses and leaves. It's not quite warm enough for her to go outside yet, but I'm excited for that as I don't believe she has ever been outside before.

I've noticed lately she sniffs her Orchid Bark, and then nibbles at it. Twice now I have noticed she has eaten a small piece.

During her bath the other day she passed 5 large poops. I couldn't quite believe my eyes haha
So I don't think she's been impacted at all, but this is a worry for me. I've grown so attached to her, and I thought I best check here. Will this affect her at all? Or can she digest/pass the bark?

Thanks everyone, have a nice week

 

[Tom]

Small amounts should pass, but they should not be intentionally eating their substrate.

Are you using any red or infrared bulbs? How about coil type UV bulbs?

What do you feed her? Any grass? Weeds?

 

[GeorgeUK]

Thank's Tom
She's on an MVB, 95-105F 12 hours a day. Daily soaks, mists, and is fed daily on grass, dandelion leaves, and organic leaves from the grocery store (all safe on the tortoise table website). I mist her food twice/three times a week with calci supplement.
No coil bulbs or red lights.

When I caught her eating the bark, she sniffed it, then went for it the same way as she grabs at the leaves and grass, like a terrier dog. She did try to take it out with her front leg, but by the time I had removed the padlocks from her enclosure door she had swallowed it. That's happened twice now.

If I need to change the substrate that's not an issue as I live near a huge pet supply store. I'm just wary of other substrates as everyone seems to recommend the orchid bark.

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, eating substrate isn't a desired function, but one of the reasons I like orchid bark is that it's not toxic. Just make sure the tortoise is well hydrated and substrate should pass through ok.

Have you tried coco coir? Quite a few of our members swear by it.