Tortoise deficates in her food bowl!

[EmmaShelby]

Hi all,
My young Hermann's tortoise poops in her food bowl any time she in unhappy with me! If I feed her an hour later than she'd like or if I take her out to clean her cage.
Is this normal?

Thanks!

Emma

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Not sure if it's normal. But my Russian always poops or pees in his food bowl and my leopard always poops in his water bowl
I do know its nothing personal against you. Maybe a marking thing. This is my food or just too lazy to stop eating to go do their duty where they should.

 

[HermanniChris]

Your tortoise is behaving normally. Just about all of them defecate in their water dishes and/or food bowls. Nature of the beast. He/she is not mad at you because they do not experience such feelings, just "doing his/her thing". It's get's quite nasty with adults but it's all part of the job!

 

[Matt1]

I've read that in the wild, this is their means of sustaining the plants they feed on - by providing the plant with water (urine) and fertiliser (poop), they help it to grow back, hopefully providing more food in the future.

Another behavioural trait is how they never completely clear their food bowl in one sitting, but instead return to it several times: same in their natural habitat, they would leave at least part of the plant intact so as not to kill it off, but allow it to produce new growth.

As for us owners though, them taking a dump in the food bowl ain't counted exactly as pristine table manners!

 

[Moozillion]

My Hermann's, Elsa, ALWAYS pees in her food dish and usually poops too. It's gross to us, but it's what they do!