eating rock

kaz9t9 · 14-04-2007, 12:57 PM

i have a few cotswold stones in my outdoor enclosure and my hermanns keep trying to eat them. is this them trying to take in calcium? if so should i put a cuttle fish bone outside for them? they have a daily dusting of limestone flour so im not worried about deficency or anything i am just curious as to why they are doing it. if anything its keeping their beaks nice and trim

KearasNana · 14-04-2007, 02:53 PM

maybe thats why they are doing it to trim their beaks!

piglet · 14-04-2007, 03:04 PM

Tortoises often try picking up small stones, this maybe an attempt to add calcium to there diet instinctively seeking out limestone pieces.
Also many reptiles eat stones to aid digestion as they feed on tough fibrous materials the stones act in the same way as grit does in a birds gizzard grinding together pulverising the plant matter

D

kaz9t9 · 14-04-2007, 03:36 PM

thanks darren

Bride2b · 14-04-2007, 05:24 PM

Have you tried to make a calcium cake for them? Have a look at the one Darrn made my 2 have started to nibble it as well as walk into on a daily basis.

Tanya

kaz9t9 · 14-04-2007, 05:32 PM

no they werent interested in it so i took it out, made a lovely mess though

Bride2b · 14-04-2007, 05:48 PM

I got into a lovley mess lol!!!

Tanya

HarryHermioneRonGinny · 14-04-2007, 06:45 PM

ummm.... I made some limestone blocks today... only my 18 month old little girl tried eating one before my torts even got a look in!!!!

twiggy · 15-04-2007, 08:57 PM

Aah, my tort has been doing this, trying to eat the little stones that had fallen off my pebbledashed garage wall.
I moved him away as was worried he would choke on them.
Maybe I should get him a cuttlefish?, He has a dish of limestone powder mixed with nutrobol which he tucks into.

14-04-2007, 12:57 PM	#1
kaz9t9 Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: southend-on-sea Posts: 1,449	eating rock i have a few cotswold stones in my outdoor enclosure and my hermanns keep trying to eat them. is this them trying to take in calcium? if so should i put a cuttle fish bone outside for them? they have a daily dusting of limestone flour so im not worried about deficency or anything i am just curious as to why they are doing it. if anything its keeping their beaks nice and trim __________________ Kristy

14-04-2007, 02:53 PM	#2
KearasNana Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 1,795	maybe thats why they are doing it to trim their beaks! __________________

14-04-2007, 03:04 PM	#3
piglet Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,976	Tortoises often try picking up small stones, this maybe an attempt to add calcium to there diet instinctively seeking out limestone pieces. Also many reptiles eat stones to aid digestion as they feed on tough fibrous materials the stones act in the same way as grit does in a birds gizzard grinding together pulverising the plant matter D __________________ 17 years old 25 years ago

14-04-2007, 03:36 PM	#4
kaz9t9 Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: southend-on-sea Posts: 1,449	thanks darren __________________ Kristy

14-04-2007, 05:32 PM	#6
kaz9t9 Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: southend-on-sea Posts: 1,449	no they werent interested in it so i took it out, made a lovely mess though __________________ Kristy

14-04-2007, 05:24 PM	#5
Bride2b Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,301	Have you tried to make a calcium cake for them? Have a look at the one Darrn made my 2 have started to nibble it as well as walk into on a daily basis. Tanya

14-04-2007, 05:48 PM	#7
Bride2b Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,301	I got into a lovley mess lol!!! Tanya

14-04-2007, 06:45 PM	#8
HarryHermioneRonGinny Member Hatched Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 307	ummm.... I made some limestone blocks today... only my 18 month old little girl tried eating one before my torts even got a look in!!!! __________________ Charlotte 0.4.0 Testudo Hermanni Boettgeri (Hercegovinensis)

15-04-2007, 08:57 PM	#9
twiggy Member Egg Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 53	Aah, my tort has been doing this, trying to eat the little stones that had fallen off my pebbledashed garage wall. I moved him away as was worried he would choke on them. Maybe I should get him a cuttlefish?, He has a dish of limestone powder mixed with nutrobol which he tucks into.

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