General Care Discussion :: biting problem

[Simba]

I make sure there is always cuttle bone in his home. I'll give him a piece, about the size of a half dollar (she is about 6 inches long) and it will be gone by the time I get home from work. I'll feed her (reptomin, I give her about the size of her head) and as soon as I put her back home, she'll go gnawing on the bone again.

And she eats eveything in site while I'm at work. I had to remove the turtledock, which I used as a ramp to her basking area, because first she ate the underside, then once we removed it she started eating the side.

She is constantly biting at the rock, the poles that hold up her basking area and absoutly everything she can.

Is she missing something in her diet, perhaps? What else can I do! I swear I'll spend my life savings on the damn cuttlebone :p

[SpotsMama]

She is a hungry little girl. I've heard of some other turtles like that - they'll eat everything they can get in their mouths.

Try dividing up her pellets into two feedings a day. At 6", she really should only have a headfull of pellets every other day, but you can divide it all up so she gets several (very) small servings a couple of times a day. May make her feel better.

You can give her more veggies. Some turtles will eat a leaf of lettuce as big as or bigger than themselves every day. Unless she starts having diarrhea, she can have all the green leafy things or water plants she wants.

Usually turtles self regulate where cuttlebone is concerned but I would think a piece the size of her head every day would be enough.

Does she have things in her tank to keep her occupied? Like some river rocks on the bottom, water plants, maybe some minnows (unless she just instantly gobbles them down). Maybe she eats because she's bored.

One thing I'd do if she were mine is take a stool sample to a vet to have it checked for parasites. Maybe she's eating for more than one!

[Simba]

Thank you, I shall try all that!

Get some plants and rocks. So far she won't eat any leafy greens, but I havn't tried the dipping it in tuna juice yet, which I read about.

I'll try some entertainment too. And hope I can keep her out of the vet :p

Thanks for all the tips!

[Simba]

So I have her all I had last night, a little shell and some of my bamboo. Tried to eat the shell... woke up this morning to find the bamboo completly devoured. Yet, I tried the tuna soaked lettuce and she still won't touch it. Now I'm just getting mad :p