ROCK EATING-WHAT ARE THEY MISSING?

[Xenaze]

Ahh!!! I am so glad someone brought this up!!

CALCIUM!!!

My Russian was trying to eat rocks for the longest time... I looked it up on russiantortoise.org, which is where I usually get all of my information, and they say it's from a lack of calcium

All I did was get a little 3oz. container of calcium powder by ZooMed called Repti Calcium looks like this it was only $5... I've been using this 2-3times a week for about 4 months and it looks like I haven't even used it! It's lasting really well

 

[Julius25]

i think they do this to help them to grind grenn in their stomac.
don't think they do it for mineral carence

 

[Redstrike]

Ahh!!! I am so glad someone brought this up!!

CALCIUM!!!

My Russian was trying to eat rocks for the longest time... I looked it up on russiantortoise.org, which is where I usually get all of my information, and they say it's from a lack of calcium

All I did was get a little 3oz. container of calcium powder by ZooMed called Repti Calcium looks like this it was only $5... I've been using this 2-3times a week for about 4 months and it looks like I haven't even used it! It's lasting really well

Yep, mine get calcium 4-5 days per week, still one persistently tries to eat rocks/dirt so this theory doesn't provide firm grounding as an explanation in my situation.

After about 1.5 weeks with Miner-All I still have the one that is still gunning for rocks, but I'm going to give it more time before I draw any conclusions.

 

[wellington]

Ahh!!! I am so glad someone brought this up!!

CALCIUM!!!

My Russian was trying to eat rocks for the longest time... I looked it up on russiantortoise.org, which is where I usually get all of my information, and they say it's from a lack of calcium

All I did was get a little 3oz. container of calcium powder by ZooMed called Repti Calcium looks like this it was only $5... I've been using this 2-3times a week for about 4 months and it looks like I haven't even used it! It's lasting really well

From the ones that have had the problem or have used miner-all, I don't think their torts would have a lack of calcium. Not seeing that as the problem.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

I have been using miner-all for a good while now, I really like it along with tnt. seems like my tort like it also. he will sniff a rock and maybe bite at it but when he realized its not a chunk of cuttle bone he moves on.

 

[Xenaze]

Yep, mine get calcium 4-5 days per week, still one persistently tries to eat rocks/dirt so this theory doesn't provide firm grounding as an explanation in my situation.

From the ones that have had the problem or have used miner-all, I don't think their torts would have a lack of calcium. Not seeing that as the problem.

His floor is made of pea rocks, and ever since I got the calcium, he hasn't tried eating the rocks. Idk what the difference is, but it works for me.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

yikes pea gravel, is just asking for trouble. much better choices for your tort, he could develope leg problems from the pea gravel also, since hes prolly not getting very good footing on them.

 

[wellington]

Yep, mine get calcium 4-5 days per week, still one persistently tries to eat rocks/dirt so this theory doesn't provide firm grounding as an explanation in my situation.

From the ones that have had the problem or have used miner-all, I don't think their torts would have a lack of calcium. Not seeing that as the problem.

That is great. That's all we can do, is what we think works for us. However, I wouldn't risk it and get rid of the pea gravel. By the time you find out he might still be eating it, it could be to late. Besides that, Russians love to burrow, a more natural substrate is what you should have.
His floor is made of pea rocks, and ever since I got the calcium, he hasn't tried eating the rocks. Idk what the difference is, but it works for me.

 

[stinax182]

My accidental dried krill spill and my leopard loving it, and the posts i got on that thread, made me think about rocks. So many tortoises chew, bite, or eat on rocks. So many, have had medical problems due to eating them. What could be missing from our torts diet, that would make them want to eat rocks? Minerals, of course comes to mind. However, which mineral and is there anything we can supplement. I have always wondered about salt. Most of the species of torts come from places that are near or on salt waters. I know how salt can spread and cover a lot of things, (I have a 100 gallon salt tank). I often wondered if a salt lick, like those for horses, but hopefully much smaller, would be a good idea? Any and all knowledge, thoughts opinions welcome.

my first thought is obviously that they are missing a key mineral they need in their diet. salt is actually a GREAT idea, hm. although hopefully no one will put table salt on their tortoise salad after this post (maybe a few grains of sea salt?)


but i also think of my chickens, i have 3. they eat pepples to store in their gullet which helps break down food. and my chickens MOW down the lawn, so they do eat a lot of grass. i know tortoises don't have gullets, but maybe they knaw on them to ground their beak down and accidently swallow them? lol, just throwing stuff out there, haha.

 

[Redstrike]

At just over two weeks using Miner-All, today was the first day Rafiki wasn't gunning for rocks/soil.

 

[wellington]

Sounds like it works. That's great. I didn't get any yet. Does anyone know what kind. They have indoor kind and outdoor kind. I was going to assume outdoor, but you all know what that means

 

[Redstrike]

I got the outdoor, this way I could use it every day or every other day without worrying about giving them too large a dose of Vitamin D. I just wanted minerals, no vitamins, so the outdoor was good for this.

 

[wellington]

I got the outdoor, this way I could use it every day or every other day without worrying about giving them too large a dose of Vitamin D. I just wanted minerals, no vitamins, so the outdoor was good for this.

That's what I thought too, but wasn't sure. Thanks.

 

[Redstrike]

I got the outdoor, this way I could use it every day or every other day without worrying about giving them too large a dose of Vitamin D. I just wanted minerals, no vitamins, so the outdoor was good for this.

That's what I thought too, but wasn't sure. Thanks.

 

[mainey34]

OK, so I've heard it was minerals too, but then someone also has told me that it could be lack of fiber. Makes me curious.

 

[wellington]

OK, so I've heard it was minerals too, but then someone also has told me that it could be lack of fiber. Makes me curious.

Many has already used the miner-all with good results. If I were you, I would go with that. Read the other post on this thread. Highly recommended.

 

[Redstrike]

OK, so I've heard it was minerals too, but then someone also has told me that it could be lack of fiber. Makes me curious.

...could be? Mine get mostly lawn weeds (common mallow, wild grape, dandelion, plantain, opuntia cactus, rose of sharon & hibiscus leaves, etc.) so they do get lots of fiber! Despite all the fiber, one of my four was continually trying to eat rocks/dirt. Rocks are a conglomeration of minerals, and "dirt" is usually organic matter and broken down rock materials, so it makes sense to me that they would be seeking out a trace mineral that is lacking in their diet rather than fiber.