Little stone eater

[Nibs]

Hello all,

One of my sully's has taken to eating any small stones that she can get hold of now that she is spending time in her outside enclosure. Has anyone experienced this and have any advice on whether it is something I need to stop, and if so, how?

In terms of food, has lots of fresh food available to her in the food tray and she has access to plenty of greenery in terms of grass and tort safe weeds and flowers,and has supplements of calcium powder. My other sully is fine on the same diet and never tried to eat stones- but she will always seek out any stones and slightly rotting vegetation she can find, preferring that to the green stuff.

 

[Yvonne G]

You have to go around the habitat on your hands and knees and pick up anything small enough for the tortoise to try to eat.

Another thing would be to sprinkle some Miner-all over the food occasionally:

 

[Tom]

Hello all,

One of my sully's has taken to eating any small stones that she can get hold of now that she is spending time in her outside enclosure. Has anyone experienced this and have any advice on whether it is something I need to stop, and if so, how?

In terms of food, has lots of fresh food available to her in the food tray and she has access to plenty of greenery in terms of grass and tort safe weeds and flowers,and has supplements of calcium powder. My other sully is fine on the same diet and never tried to eat stones- but she will always seek out any stones and slightly rotting vegetation she can find, preferring that to the green stuff.

This is most commonly seen in tortoises that are fed a lot of grocery store greens, or in tortoises that are over-supplemented with calcium carbonate.

Using the product that Yvonne showed and reducing the amount of grocery store greens in favor of more grass and weeds, will usually help.

 

[Nibs]

Thanks both - she does have grocery greens occasionally, and calcium often so I will change those accordingly.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If I don't provide cuttlebone, my torts will seek out and eat rocks too.

 

[Nibs]

If I don't provide cuttlebone, my torts will seek out and eat rocks too.

Thanks - they have cuttlebone through the winter, but I hadn't thought to provide it outside. Will pop some in her enclosure.

 

[Speedy-1]

Speedy has cuttlebone outside and chews it . I have never really given him calcium powder , he likes grape lives and cactus and I sprinkle a bit of crushed up egg shell over his food when I think of it !

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Speedy lives outside?
With natural sunlight, I wouldn't give much if any calcium powder.

 

[Tom]

Speedy has cuttlebone outside and chews it . I have never really given him calcium powder , he likes grape lives and cactus and I sprinkle a bit of crushed up egg shell over his food when I think of it !

I think you are fine.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

You'll both be fine.

 

[Nibs]

Thank you for all your help

 

[Speedy-1]

Speedy lives outside?
With natural sunlight, I wouldn't give much if any calcium powder.

I am just bringing him in overnight , it drops to mid 40s during the night . Just that time of year I guess ! I have actually never given him calcium powder .

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes. I wasn't paying attention and mixed up the two members.