Must Eat in Food Bowl?

[daniellenc]

Is Skurt the only one? Sorry for my blurry pics it's taken outside his tank but he ALWAYS eats in his dang food bowl! What gives? It cracks me up and grosses me out at the same time. I always see pics here with tortoises eating politely by their food but this fruit loop launches forward into his dish evertime!

 

[Tom]

Most of mine also like to sit on the food pile while they eat.

 

[daniellenc]

@Tom now I don't feel so bad lol

 

[Tom]

@Tom now I don't feel so bad lol

What drives me crazy is why they have to poop and pee all over the food and the food tray. Is it really that hard to take a few steps and not unload all over the food that I've worked so hard to grow and collect???

 

[daniellenc]

Thankfully he hasn't done that yet but I always soak in the evening and then feed. Quit shocked he hasn't done his business in his breakfast but for all I know he has and ate it

 

[TammyJ]

If I had to climb up into my breakfast, I would sit in it and eat too.
How about a flat food eating area, like a tile (rough side up)? Mine eat on a tile, it's easier to get to and they don't have to dive into it.

 

[daniellenc]

It is flat with his substrate buried in which may be hard to see from the picture. He just prefers sitting in it apparently, lol

 

[Yvonne G]

I have always figured they are protecting the food from other tortoises. Likewise, that's why they poop and pee on it.

 

[TammyJ]

I have always figured they are protecting the food from other tortoises. Likewise, that's why they poop and pee on it.

Totally! Makes 100% sense.

 

[daniellenc]

That does make sense!!

 

[Oldbattleaxe]

When my sister wants to protect food from my children, she just lets them see her lick it.

 

[Scubaroo]

This is normal for my guy. He will then climb off it and get in the middle facing the other way to clean up what he misses.

 

[daniellenc]

Yes lol it cracks me up!!