RT keep's excreting in food area?

[TayefA08]

My RT, Rammus, cna never hold his bowl when eating his food and keeps excreating in his food bowl is this natural and if it isn't how can i prevent this? Also if it is natural hiw can I prevent this as it is a big hassle always cleaning his food bowl lol
Thank you in advance

 

[JoesMum]

What gets eaten gets pooped out. Frequently eating triggers pooping so it's not uncommon for it to happen in the food bowl.

You cannot and will not toilet train a tortoise. You just have to sigh and clean up. Sometimes you may even get to it before your tort eats poop covered food, but don't panic if you don't.

 

[TayefA08]

What gets eaten gets pooped out. Frequently eating triggers pooping so it's not uncommon for it to happen in the food bowl.

You cannot and will not toilet train a tortoise. You just have to sigh and clean up. Sometimes you may even get to it before your tort eats poop covered food, but don't panic if you don't.

Thank you really helpful I'll just have to clean his food bowl everytime

 

[Tom]

I have five large female star tortoises in an indoor 4x8' enclosure right now. If you saw the mess they make on their food tray every single stink in' day, you'd want to cry.

I just have to pull it out, wipe the large stuff off into the trash, hose it off outside, and then bring it inside to the "dog" sink and scrub it down with hot water. Every day. Sometimes twice a day. Ughhhh… I can't wait to move them outside full time in the next couple of months when Spring arrives and things warm up.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Haha, yep, that is pretty normal. A few things you can do to cut down on the mess:
1. Soak your tortoise before feeding time. Many tortoises will poop during their soak. Then they are less likely to poo on their food. However, do t soak a healthy adult tortoise every day. Just maybe 2-3x per week... so only a partial solution.
2. Feed higher fiber foods. Weeds and grasses will result in fibrous, fully formed turds. They might roll around, but shouldn't smear. During the winter, when I have to buy grocery store greens to supplement, their poop is more messy. Once weeds start growing it becomes a non issue.
3. Paradigm adjustment on your end. Tortoises poop. Tortoises walk through it, and probably end up eating some. Maybe they get out a few extra nutrients. We humans seem to be the only ones bothered by it... so... yes, clean it up daily, but don't let it stress you.

 

[TayefA08]

Haha, yep, that is pretty normal. A few things you can do to cut down on the mess:
1. Soak your tortoise before feeding time. Many tortoises will poop during their soak. Then they are less likely to poo on their food. However, do t soak a healthy adult tortoise every day. Just maybe 2-3x per week... so only a partial solution.
2. Feed higher fiber foods. Weeds and grasses will result in fibrous, fully formed turds. They might roll around, but shouldn't smear. During the winter, when I have to buy grocery store greens to supplement, their poop is more messy. Once weeds start growing it becomes a non issue.
3. Paradigm adjustment on your end. Tortoises poop. Tortoises walk through it, and probably end up eating some. Maybe they get out a few extra nutrients. We humans seem to be the only ones bothered by it... so... yes, clean it up daily, but don't let it stress you.

My tortoises poop does seem a little runny and does smear the problem is im not really sure where i can find any weeds and grasses in a grocery store that haven't used fertilisers i was planning on growing my own but thats would take really long ill just have to keep searching

 

[JoesMum]

Hi

I see you're in Wales

You can buy tortoise friendly weed seeds in the UK from the Shelled Warriors shop
http://www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk/seeds---grow-your-own-food-302-c.asp

Here's a list of suitable greens

Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

 

[TayefA08]

Hi

I see you're in Wales

You can buy tortoise friendly weed seeds in the UK from the Shelled Warriors shop
http://www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk/seeds---grow-your-own-food-302-c.asp

Here's a list of suitable greens

Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Ive had a look at the website, what would you recommend i get? and once grown would i rip the plants and place them in our grow the plants in my tortoise enclosure?

 

[JoesMum]

I'd get a small packet of one of their seed mixes or the Shelled Warriors growing kit