Dogs and grass

[pierced_pixie]

I will soon be adopting a baby sully from Sulcatifornia and today I was thinking about the grass in my yard. I have 2 chihuahuas... Is it ok for my tortoise to eat grass that my dogs may have peed on/ near? Kinda gross but I want to make sure before I put him/ her out there. Thanks in advance!

- Scarlette

 

[Angi]

I wouldn't let mine on grass that dogs had been pottying on. That is why mine do not go in the back yard, but I am a little OCD....okay a lot OCD.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

I will soon be adopting a baby sully from Sulcatifornia and today I was thinking about the grass in my yard. I have 2 chihuahuas... Is it ok for my tortoise to eat grass that my dogs may have peed on/ near? Kinda gross but I want to make sure before I put him/ her out there. Thanks in advance!

- Scarlette

Hi, I honestly wouldnt want to chance it. i would begin making your soon to be tort a nice safe outdoor enclosure with a protective top for predators, such as your dog. Torts and dogs dont mix. also you will not want you tort to go near dog poo as he will see it as a yummy treat. dog poo usually has traces of heartworm medicine in it which would make your tort sick and possible die. just a few thing to think about. you want your tort to have his own personal outdoor space so hes happy safe and healty.

 

[dmmj]

Personally I would not risk it either, I can't say if it is harmful, but it does sound nasty to me, I would have a enclosure for them that the dogs can't get access to.

 

[Sulcatifornia]

I would assume that watering the area for a time, and keeping the dogs away from now on would take care of the issue? But I'm not an expert.

 

[Tom]

Hi Scarlette. Peepee grass will be fine, especially if it is regularly watered, in my opinion. The sprinklers wash the pee away and into the soil where bacteria convert it into nitrates. You know, plant fertilizers. My sulcatas wouldn't eat areas that had been freshly peed on.

Poopies on the other hand ARE a problem. Both for the Ivermectin(heart worm medicine) reason listed above AND for the bacteria and protein content. Those little chihuahua tootsie rolls can easily be missed even in short grass.

I would make separate areas for the doggies and torts. This will also prevent either of them from injuring the other. Luckily, little wa wa's don't need a whole lot of potty room, so you'll still have LOTS of tortoise space. Think in terms of a visual barrier to keep them separate. Sulcatas will sometimes continually try to push through anything like a puppy pen or chain link, to the point of hurting themselves.

 

[pierced_pixie]

Thanks for the responses everyone! They have helped me make an informed decision.