Star tortoise baby tries to eat vermiculite?

[thompsono]

Hi there - I am new to baby tortoise care. I have 2 star tortoise and I like to give them some sun time in a container I have planted with a tortoise mix. I notice the one star really focuses on the soil, interested in tasting / eating small bits, in particular an occasional piece of vermiculite. There are very few in there , but I wonder if eating vermiculite (like 1 piece, not regularily is dangerous? ( I know perlite is)

The other baby star goes right for the young plants but the other is pretty obsessed with the foraging in the soil. Does that perhaps indicate something?

Thanks for any tips

 

[thompsono]

BTW this is what it looks like. Its organic soil and not sure how the little bit of vermiculite got in there anyway.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Do u have a back yard that is pesticide free?

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

How old are ur babies? U can make a simple pen using garden blocks (3 bucks a piece and 4 2x’s. Like these

Oldcastle 7.5 in. x 7.5 in. x 5.5 in. Tan Brown Concrete Planter Wall Block 16202336 - The Home Depot

Reinvent your garden with the Oldcastle Planter Wall Block. This functional wall block allows you to easily create a raised garden bed, border or even outdoor furniture. Simply stack and link the blocks

www.homedepot.com

 

[zovick]

BTW this is what it looks like. Its organic soil and not sure how the little bit of vermiculite got in there anyway.
View attachment 360564

I wouldn't knowingly let the tortoise eat vermiculite. It is probably just about as digestible as perlite (maybe even less) and most likely will eventually cause an intestinal blockage.

 

[wellington]

And not only should you not be using it, you do know they will eventually need to be separated. They should be housed in a closed chamber and only outside for a very short time.
Tortoises should never be housed as a pair.

 

[wellington]

Thread 'The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...se-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181504/

 

[TammyJ]

Fine grade orchid bark (Reptibark) is the best substrate for your tortoises. Don't use any "soil" as substrate. Sand is the worst.

 

[thompsono]

I probably wasn't clear enough. The image is tortoise mix from seed in a 3 x 4 foot container, they cant escape. Its not their housing. I have put them in it 30-60 minutes for sunning and foraging. The soil is organic. This is not a picture of my backyard. I wouldnt put baby tortoise in my backyard... But thanks for the replies!

 

[wellington]

I probably wasn't clear enough. The image is tortoise mix from seed in a 3 x 4 foot container, they cant escape. Its not their housing. I have put them in it 30-60 minutes for sunning and foraging. The soil is organic. This is not a picture of my backyard. I wouldnt put baby tortoise in my backyard... But thanks for the replies!

I think we understood that the container was what you put them in to be outside. However, soil, even organic, has junk in it that tortoises shouldn't be with, like the vermiculite you are finding. So don't use the container for them, just cut off the weeds and feed to them and use something else to give them outside time. Use coconut coir or orchid/fir bark for the inside and outside enclosures/container.

 

[Tom]

I probably wasn't clear enough. The image is tortoise mix from seed in a 3 x 4 foot container, they cant escape. Its not their housing. I have put them in it 30-60 minutes for sunning and foraging. The soil is organic. This is not a picture of my backyard. I wouldnt put baby tortoise in my backyard... But thanks for the replies!

That was all clear to me. I have had the same problem that you are having when I did the same thing you are doing. Simply, don't put tortoises on any kind of soil. Grow the food in soil, but don't let the tortoises have access to the soil. There is no bought-in-a-bag soil that is safe for tortoises to be on, even if its only in the outdoor sunning enclosure for a short time.

In my case it was a 4x8 foot planter box, and there was some not-so-completely-composted toxic jacaranda leaves still in the mix. I had to pull it out of the baby tortoise's mouth.

 

[thompsono]

Thanks for underscoring the importance to keep the tortoise away from soil @wellington @Tom . Understood!