Have any of you ever caught your turtles eating their feces? I know its disgusting but this morning I saw Magnum eating one of his droppings... Ugh 
. He has been on a good diet of fruits, veggies, and crickets, supplemented with floating sticks as a treat... He is fed every day in the morning after I turn on his lights. Just wondering if this is normal.
-----
1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Daisy, Dozer, and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie
0.2.0 Rats: Clementine and Elsie
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Gross Question
lilypad42
Nov 11, 2006 03:04 PM
Replies (2)
steffke
Nov 11, 2006 03:15 PM
If it smells like food or like it might taste good they'll eat it. Hatchlings are often fed their parent's feces in order to make sure they have the right gut flora to digest food. Some times they are fed heathy turtle feces to restore normal gut flora levels after an illness or treatment of antibiotics. I agree it is gross, but it is okay.
Tektum
Nov 11, 2006 03:21 PM
Steff is right, its called coprophagy and is normal as she said, it helps to keep the bio rythm im rythm
My African Spurred Tortoises do this too.
Many plant eating animals will do this i.e., Lagomorphs (Rabbits and Hares)
Its like Lizards and keratophagy (skin eating) gross but purposeful. Thanks, Leo
Skin & Scales
