nibbling on rocks

[tequillakma]

I keep my little leopard tortoise inside for now. I placed a flat slate rock into the vivarium for her to bask on. It looks like she tries to eat it! I'm thinking "ok, what's up with THAT?!?!?" I left it in there for a bit, but she never stopped nibbling on it, so I took it back out...

I took her outside into the backyard and she walks over to the concrete and starts nibbling on THAT...

So, what is up with that? I know some animals taste their surroundings to get a feeling for things, but this little girl only does that with rock like objects. She doesn't do that to her food and water crops, that look like rock...

Do yours do this?

 

[jackrat]

My redfoots will sometimes gnaw on a chunk of petrified wood that's in their enclosure.

 

[ascott]

Maybe she is simply grooming her beak....likely just feels good.....

 

[Guggie]

I have some slate with broken edges (found them at Lowe's, got them cheap) in my table and i notice that the layers of rock will come off pretty easily. I don't know if that's a problem, but it may be something to think about. I haven't seen mine chew on the slate for months, so I'm not too worried about it. If it's a polished edge of a tile, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[wrmitchell22]

Boulder does that all the time

 

[Tom]

She might be feeling the need for more calcium or minerals. Offer her a cuttle bone. You can get them really cheap in the bird section of any pet store. There is a supplement called "Miner-All". Several people here have sworn by it, saying it cuts down on their torts wanting to eat pebbles and rocks. I use calcium carbonate powder (Rep-Cal) and it does the same thing for me. It takes A LOT of calcium to go from 21 grams at hatching to 13,608 grams (30 pounds) at adult hood.

I've said before that our tortoises tell us everything. We just have to learn to listen...

 

[bobbymoore]

when i had my leo it nibbled on everything my deck my picnic table and one day it was walking on my chest and it slowly walked up my chest and tryed taking a bit out of my go-t! i have it on video but dont know how to uplaod it

 

[tequillakma]

when i had my leo it nibbled on everything my deck my picnic table and one day it was walking on my chest and it slowly walked up my chest and tryed taking a bit out of my go-t! i have it on video but dont know how to uplaod it

haha! too funny!