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Today when I went out to see what my Desert Tortoise was doing I saw him sitting in a corner trying to eat rocks. I read on wikipedia that in the wild they do stuff like eat dirt and small rocks to sort of maintain their intestinal, digestive bacteria.

-He gets enough calcium from the greens he eats.

-Mustard Greens
-Collard Greens
-Endive
-Escarole

-What should I do, and is this okay???

The "Desert Tortoise Diet" link is to the wikipedia page, under diet is where it says what I was talking about.

Desert Tortoise Diet

Nobody can really 'know' why they eat rocks. Some speculate that they are looking for calcium but I've seen them eat quartz rocks and other non calcium based rocks. Why did dinosaurs eat rocks. Some say to aid in digestion... hmmm, there's a thought. If they are healthy... what goes in should come out.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I need to mention that this bothers me with my tortoises but there is no way I'm going to be there day and night to prevent them from doing this in the yard.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Yeah it bothers me too but he seems okay and the rocks all pass and come out whole in his poop.

-Tony C

My two three year old DTs are also obsessed with eating rocks or anything white or shiny. This includes dirt, perlite, styrofoam that falls out of potted plants (mixed with the potting soil) gum wrappers, a spoon I use to dig in the garden, bird droppings- virtually anything they shouldn't be eating is a magnet. Especially anything white. They will spend ten minutes trying to eat a white spot off the brick walkway.

It was suggested to me to give them a cuttlebone to chew on, and they immediately took small bites of that, but continue to go after other things too. Last night Koko tried and rejected a June bug. He has previously eaten and enjoyed sowbugs, though...

It's disappointing that they have a wonderful garden full of tasty plants and grasses, but they'll go out and push the plants aside and chow down on dirt. I really have to watch what's on the ground- they'll eat anything.

Nanci

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