Eating dog poop?

[Crystal2807]

I just adopted my first tortoise from the Colorado reptile rescue, she is an awsome redfoot, about 5 years old. I've only had her for 2 days now and this morning I was watching her run around the yard grazing on different things. She stoped at one spot and stayed their picking at something for quite a while, I went over to see what plant she liked so well and discovered she was eating a piece of dog poop! I took it away and made sure all poop was scooped, she then found a grease spot from the grill on the patio and started picking at that too. I'm wondering if their is something missing from her diet, any feedback as to if this is normal or what may be missing from her diet would be helpful! Thanks-Crystal

 

[dmarcus]

They like to try things to see if its edible or not, my suggestion to you is too go over your yard or the area she will be walking around and make sure to pick up anything you don't want your tortoise to eat especially any and all dog poop.

 

[bigred]

Redfoot torts and most other torts will sniff out poop very fast. Mine know the spot where my cats go poop and head to that spot as soon as I let them out. Its just what they do and they are good at it. All you can do is try your best to keep it picked up. But they will find it regardless

 

[Jacob]

They are curious and will try anything, just make sure it doesnt have access to any poop or anything dangerous

 

[Tom]

If you are treating your dogs with any heartworm of flea stuff, the poop could be toxic to them.

How about building a tortoise enclosure and keeping the dogs out of it?

 

[Crystal2807]

If you are treating your dogs with any heartworm of flea stuff, the poop could be toxic to them.

How about building a tortoise enclosure and keeping the dogs out of it?

She does have her own 12'x24' enclosure with plants just for her and no dogs go in it. I love for her to get out and explore new area's in the yard. I just thought it was weird to eat poop, apparently it's just a tortoise thing...good to know.

 

[Mojo's Mom]

Yeah... Torts are weird in that area. But gotta love 'em.

I wouldn't let mine eat it because I've heard it can lead to disease every once in a while.

So like other's before I would scan the area first, then let your tort out.

 

[coreyc]

If you are treating your dogs with any heartworm of flea stuff, the poop could be toxic to them.

How about building a tortoise enclosure and keeping the dogs out of it?

She does have her own 12'x24' enclosure with plants just for her and no dogs go in it. I love for her to get out and explore new area's in the yard. I just thought it was weird to eat poop, apparently it's just a tortoise thing...good to know.

Also make sure there is no fertilizer or pesticides on the grass its' better to keep them in an enclosure that you know nothing can harm them

 

[jason g.]

My tort finds poop everywhere. Even very old stuff. Anytime his head was at the roots I knew he found something. As others said I had to put him in his temporary enclosure till I get the permanent one finished. I couldn't keep up with him. He's a poop finding machine and I thought he would get sick. He found poop that looked like dirt it was so old so if your dog roams free like mine does you'll never find it all. Even with your torts help.

 

[Laura]

gotta ditto Tom here...
if she has her own enclosure.. use that.. its safer and cleaner.. more controlled.

 

[cemmons12]

"Dog poop, the other white meat!" Or
"Dog poop, the new Mazuri!" Try'n to come up with a new slogan.
Sorry, I'm just a jerk.
Have a great night!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi crystal2807:

Well, redfooted tortoises DO eat animal protein, so grease from the grill and meat based dog poop aren't a far stretch from what they normally would eat.

Most tortoises are opportunistic eaters, that is, they will eat anything that looks interesting to them, whether its edible or not.

 

[cemmons12]

Hi crystal2807:

Well, redfooted tortoises DO eat animal protein, so grease from the grill and meat based dog poop aren't a far stretch from what they normally would eat.

Most tortoises are opportunistic eaters, that is, they will eat anything that looks interesting to them, whether its edible or not.

If I EVER see a pile of poop that looks interesting enough to chow down on, one of u better put the bullet in my temple!
Just teasing with u Yvonne!

 

[tobyandlydia❤]

My beautiful tortoise ludia ate cat poo and now she is blind bless her :'(

 

[Crystal2807]

"Dog poop, the other white meat!" Or
"Dog poop, the new Mazuri!" Try'n to come up with a new slogan.
Sorry, I'm just a jerk.
Have a great night!

Funny-I love it!!!

---

Thank you all for your information, I'm glad to know that she's just doing normal tortoise stuff. I really thought there might be something horribly wrong with her diet! I will do my best when I let her out to get a bit more exercise to get all the poop picked up since I do treat my dogs with heartguard and frontline. I don't fertilize our back yard as that is where the dogs go to play so that part is ok. It's a learning experience for sure and I'm sure I'll have a million other questions for everyone, Thanks so much.

 

[clare n]

Tobyandlydia, what caused the blindness? Had the animal the poo belonged to been de wormed? That's sad I'm sorry

 

[Crystal2807]

Huh? I have no idea what your talking about, nobody went blind-she just likes poop!

 

[clare n]

It was a post on this thread further back, by toby&lydia saying that their tortoise ate poo and went blind, have a look further back x

 

[Crystal2807]

It was a post on this thread further back, by toby&lydia saying that their tortoise ate poo and went blind, have a look further back x

Now I see it, I was confused, I wonder how that caused her to go blind. Do you think it was from heartworm meds clare n?

 

[clare n]

I have no idea, hoping they reply as I'm curious and would also like to know how both parties cope with that, and if the tort has adapted and happy