Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 10" female RES keeps eating the turtle dock I put in. It is the one that looks like paper mach`e, made by Zoo Med or something like that.The turle has removed about 25% in 4 months; sometimes it looks like she's swalllowing it, other times like she is spitting it out. The beak is longer than my male, but I don't see why it is since she keeps biting the dock.

Thanks,
Andrew

I suggest you get the dock out and replace with something else. If the turtle is eating it there is always a chance that she could get an impaction.

Why would she be eating it?

It must look like food to her.

It is one of those floating docks with the 4 suction cups. I can't see why she would see semi-plastic mush as food. I think it might be to wear down her beak. Do you think it is really harmful to keep it in there? She has been doing it since December.

Thanks,
Andrew

Yes it is harmful. That stuff is non digestible. It won't poison your turtle but can cause an intestinal blockage that could potentially kill your turtle.