Red foot eating poop?

[Alithany]

I have two new red footed tortoises. One I've had for a few weeks and the other a few days. When I let them roam in the back yard, I see them make a bee line towards my dogs poop. I have three dogs and though I keep up on the poop scooping---there's bound to be one I missed. And sure enough, these guys find it. I find it disgusting so I pull them away from it. My question is...are they lacking something in their diet that makes them make a meal of this? they have a cuttle bone and are fed greens, fruits and veggies. I also feed them some cat food for protein every week and a half. They have a water dish (plant saucer) that they can soak in.

Thanks!

 

[Madkins007]

Wild Red-foot tortoises eat poop- mostly each others and that of a mostly vegetarian local species of fox. Domestic dog poo and wild fox poo are very different things, and I am NOT saying that eating dog poo is good for your tortoise.

We don't KNOW why they eat poop so readily- trace minerals, flavor/taste (yuck!), etc. but many species that do this are looking for, at least in part, some of the healthy micro-organisms that flourish in the intestines and are found in poop.

By the way, the behavior is so common in animals that it has a name- cacophagy.

Clean it up, prevent it as best you can, but unless your dogs are on some sort of medication (ESPECIALLY worming pills), it is not the worst thing in the galaxy.

 

[tortoisenerd]

There is a dog heartworm med that is also toxic. I'd try your best to keep them away from poop besides their own. Dogs and torts shouldn't be in contact with each other nor share the same area. Get your torts regular fecal tests for parasites--immediately after you acquire one, a follow up 3-4 months later, and then yearly. Redfoots and Sulcatas both seem very prone to the "recycling" form what I've read--they seem to have a natural instinct to eat their poop, whether they think they can get more nutrients out of it or what. Parasites thrive in poop, so them eating their poop makes the parasites multiply faster, but it is natural and safe for them to eat their own poop.

 

[Alithany]

Thanks for the information. I caught them going after chicken poo today. *sigh. I've built half a pen--screwed some boards together to form a 16 by 4 foot area away from the dogs. I'm going to get some shade cloth tomorrow as it's in the sunniest part of the yard and hottest. What's the best way to collect a fecal sample?? I haven't seen a clean sample yet--it's always mixed up in their substrate.

 

[heyprettyrave]

i am so glad somebody else has this problem. my family has two dogs, and its like as soon as Ophelia smells it she runs for it lol, so i plan on cutting her off from that as best as possible

 

[kimber_lee_314]

My Cherries eat cat poop! I try my best to get it out of their enclosure as well - but it seems to be their favorite treat and puts such a smile on their little faces!

 

[TORTOMANIA]

this is a disgusting thread, but i have caught my cherryheads recycling their own poop,

 

[tyler0912]

My red footed tortoise (lola) does the same and i am glad i am not the only one who has this problem lol...

 

[Missy]

Is there anyplace we can buy dung beetles??? LOL

 

[terryo]

As soon as I see it, I take it out, otherwise it would be gone. Yuk!!

 

[LindaF]

I am glad I found your thread about eating dog poop. I've had my RF for about 4 months. I was always disturbed by him eating dog poop and wanted to know if it would hurt him. It seems the older and crunchier the better. It is impossible to get it all picked up. I joke he is doing yard quality control. I was just wondering since I have been trying to balance his diet should we consider the poop as animal protein? The only time it really makes me nervous is towards the 1st of the month when I know the dogs have had their heartworm prevention pills.

 

[Jacqui]

I am glad I found your thread about eating dog poop. I've had my RF for about 4 months. I was always disturbed by him eating dog poop and wanted to know if it would hurt him. It seems the older and crunchier the better. It is impossible to get it all picked up. I joke he is doing yard quality control. I was just wondering since I have been trying to balance his diet should we consider the poop as animal protein? The only time it really makes me nervous is towards the 1st of the month when I know the dogs have had their heartworm prevention pills.

Why are you only nervous then? I would be nervous all the time. The chemical in those meds doesn't just appear in the stools the day or two after the dog gets the meds, but it is in there on more days. I would be doing whatever it took, to keep my dogs from being able to use the area the dogs are in.

P.S. I would not consider dog poop as an alternative for animal protein. In the wild perhaps, but then the poop they come across would not be from animals eating man made foods that are usually high in cereal and chemicals.

 

[LindaF]

Jacqui, I was really just joking. I don't let him eat poop freely. When I catch him with some I move him away and dispose of it much to his disappointment. I try my best to discourage it and keep it from happening. When I said I was nervous, I just meaning I don't run him to the vet but I thought that would be the worst poop to eat. Also, I never let him eat enough poop to consider it part of his diet.

 

[Whinhill]

Mine five happily eat their own poop and Muffin my biggest red foot will make a bee line to any dog poo she can find if she's allowed to wander around the lawn (we do stop her before she gets there if she sees some!)

Most heart worm tablets contain Ivermectin so any tortoise eating dog poop from wormed dogs could easily be fatally poisoned.

 

[tyler0912]

My redfooted tortoise always tries to eat my dogs "poop" once i had to force it out her mouth (with my hands) as she wouldn't let go and im happy im not the only 1 having the problem! x

 

[Whinhill]

I don't think it a problem it's a red foot's hobby!

 

[Jessicap]

Okay, this makes me feel better. Last night I was watching Sidney (a RF) and he made poo. He kept stepping in it so I took him out, cleaned off his feet and shell and scooped out the poo. I then stuck him in his water dish on the other side of the enclosure to make sure he was rinsed off good. He made a bee line back to the food dish, rutted around and came up with a piece I had missed - YUK! He seemed to like it even more than his mushrooms

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

We have two German Sherpards. We pick it up in plastic bags each time they go. Never had a problem with this preventive messure.

 

[tortoises101]

This thread reminds me of the time I went to the Feb 28 reptile expo. They had 3 RF's in a tank and they were looking for something to eat. Then suddenly one of them started to defecate and the others were thinking "food!" and literally started diving for it! Seems really weird to me, but pretty funny if you actually witness it.

 

[LindaF]

One of the funniest things was when our RF pooped, and turned right around and started to eat eat. He was walking in the grass, then just seemed to stop and think to himself, I just made my own snack.....