UK Heat Wave

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Rambotron

Does eating dirt not pose a risk of impaction then? I'm confused because everything i've read says that eating substrate of any kind in large quantities is dangerous, I assumed this would include outside topsoil as well.

Too many inexperienced keepers post these things, as it frightens them rather than the tortoises. They read but dont actually experience it.
Most impaction is caused by bladder stones in turn caused by dehydration.
Tortoises are a lot tougher than you think, they would not have been around for millons of years if they weren't.

[CherryBrandy]

two million years 28 days , 2 hours and 45 minutes ! one of mine eats stones for England. even though has cuttle fish, limestone biscuits and weeds galore. I think it is attention seeking behaviour ! CB

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by CherryBrandy

two million years 28 days , 2 hours and 45 minutes ! one of mine eats stones for England. even though has cuttle fish, limestone biscuits and weeds galore. I think it is attention seeking behaviour ! CB

Maybe eating stones aids digestion or something, there's most likely a reason for them doing it but it's not like we can ask them

[Rambotron]

Thanks Guys, i is still a little worrying watching her chow down on so much mud because she reeeeally has a taste for it! but yesterday I put her in the garden and she seems no worse for ware

[Rambotron]

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Rambotron

Thanks Guys, i is still a little worrying watching her chow down on so much mud because she reeeeally has a taste for it! but yesterday I put her in the garden and she seems no worse for ware

Your tortoise will thrive outside:0)
We all when we started, went through what you are now going through. But asking and doing is the way we learn. Which can only be the better for tortoises:0)
Its a bit like children they go through a stage when they eat things that dont seem normal, but they survive. As long as its not poisonous then it will be fine:0)
There is never a question that is too stupid to ask, if you need to know you need to know. And someone will always try to answer:0)
The only stupid question is the one not asked.

[Rambotron]

I do feel like i ask a HELL of a LOT of questions lol
but thankyou all so much for the advice and support!

[Jan W]

Do you think she could be eating soil for the minerals?

My geese do that at mating time.

Do you have a cuttlefish? She may enjoy nibbling that. Beatrice always nibbled on white stones until I made sure cuttlefish was always available.

[Rambotron]

Originally Posted by Jan W

Do you think she could be eating soil for the minerals?

My geese do that at mating time.

Do you have a cuttlefish? She may enjoy nibbling that. Beatrice always nibbled on white stones until I made sure cuttlefish was always available.

Maybe! I know I mentioned shes recovering from MBD so its entirely possible shes munching dirt for the extra minerals, even though she is still being given daily 0.1mg Zolcal-D.

She had a cuttlefish bone originally when i picked her up, but it had never been touched. I watched her with it for a while and she showed zero interest in it! So I brought her one of those Zoo Med blocks (Cactus Flavour one) to try and stimulate a bit of interest in it....Alas she ignored that too...until one day recently where I caught her 'ramming it' like it was a threat in her territory So I took it out again before she hurt herself.

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Rambotron

Maybe! I know I mentioned shes recovering from MBD so its entirely possible shes munching dirt for the extra minerals, even though she is still being given daily 0.1mg Zolcal-D.

She had a cuttlefish bone originally when i picked her up, but it had never been touched. I watched her with it for a while and she showed zero interest in it! So I brought her one of those Zoo Med blocks (Cactus Flavour one) to try and stimulate a bit of interest in it....Alas she ignored that too...until one day recently where I caught her 'ramming it' like it was a threat in her territory So I took it out again before she hurt herself.

If your tortoise was ramming something, then its possibly a male tortoise:0)
Male tortoises will ram feet, stones, statues and mate with old shoes:0)
Tortoises prefer well weathered cuttle bone, than fresh ones. If left in the enclosure they will eat it. More so if females, as they need the extra calcium for future egg laying.