Eating substrates

[delpiero]

I have just changed my hermann's substrates to cypress mulch, but as soon as I put her in the enclosure, she starts eating the substrates.
Should I remove the substrates? Will it cause any harm?

Thanks,
Ivan

 

[Laura]

it can.. does she get enough to eat of her real food? vitamins? calcium?

 

[delpiero]

Yes, I usually leave a little bit more than what she can finish in a day on her plate every morning.
I have calcium mix with her food twice a week as well as a cuttlefish bone in the enclosure.

 

[Tom]

Are you using any "colored" lights for heat? Like any infrared heat bulbs? They often cause that reaction in torts.

 

[delpiero]

No, I have a basking spot light & 10.0 UVB compact lamp on one side.
Also have another T8 UVB tube over the top (all from zoo med)

 

[Tom]

Well it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I'd keep an eye on it and offer some much more interesting food around the clock for a while. In a day or too, they will normally get over the "novelty" of the new stuff and stop sampling it. In the mean time just keep him/her full of other stuff and not hungry.

 

[delpiero]

Alright! Thanks Tom.
So will they just pass the substrates back out if really swallowed?

 

[onarock]

do you feed her in the evening? when did you notice her eating the mulch?... in the morning or mid day?

Yes, I usually leave a little bit more than what she can finish in a day on her plate every morning.
I have calcium mix with her food twice a week as well as a cuttlefish bone in the enclosure.

 

[delpiero]

I normally feed her in the morning.
she ate the mulch right after i change it this evening but she still have food there on her plate when that happen,

 

[delpiero]

She seem fine when I checked on her this morning. But I'm still a little worry about impaction.

 

[Neal]

She seem fine when I checked on her this morning. But I'm still a little worry about impaction.

How much of the substrate did the tortoise eat? If it just nibbled at it, it should be fine. Either way, I'd keep it well hydrated so it has some help "pushing it out" the other end.