Eating rocks

[Leigh]

Mine ate a 3/4" stone last september{like in my avatar}. I laughed as he picked it up, thinking he'd try a chomp then let go,then PANIC set in as he just tilted his head back and down the hatch it went,he had a "lock on" for a second but I yanked it out of his mouth, he hasn't been compacted and I've never found the offending stone, I thought he might use them to grind up food in his belly.

[Bird_Brain]

Kristine- It was Pica that i was thinking of. Thanks.

[Dawn]

Kristine- It was Pica that i was thinking of. Thanks.

Yep Pica....some pregnant HUMAN women get that too. The may crave and eat paint chips and dirt and all sorts of things. It is a deficiency in something.

[KyleWeiss]

I personally think that it is a serious risk. When you guys are saying that you have heard of them doing this, doesnt give a reason to just blow it off as if eating rocks is ok.

I also agree with you. There's also a subjective consideration that the species hasn't suddenly become extinct, since there's billions of rocks where they come from. No one condoned the feeding of or unchecked eating of rocks, the point is, supervise your pet, and don't pass a kidney freaking out if a small pebble or two is eaten. Or else there'll be 40 threads on here with people freaking out that really don't need to.

KW

[Tigergenesis]

I personally think that it is a serious risk. When you guys are saying that you have heard of them doing this, doesnt give a reason to just blow it off as if eating rocks is ok.

I always hear about dogs eating random things, such as rocks, corn husks, carpet, towels, socks, etc. And a the majority of these end up at the vets office for an emergency surgery. Just because they do it, doesnt necessarily mean that its a normal/safe behavior.

Ditto

[Zach]

Jerri likes to eat small rocks and the occasional dirt clod. Have to keep a close eye on her. Think its because she's related to Zach.

Belle on the other hand, has never tried to eat stuff outside.

Bandit just tries to eat me.

Steve

I missed this until just now....


I'm not sure if we're all talking about the same sort of pebbles....I often let my blueys out in the dirt, and they rummage around, moving stuff with their noses, tasting the earth, and here and there eat a pebble smaller than a watermelon seed. I'm quite comfortable with it. Maybe I'm a minority on this one....

[Bird_Brain]

I guess my whole idea is if it is ok/safe/etc for a bluey to eat a small pebble, then why does everyone make such a big deal about using sand as a substrate for reptiles that the threat of impaction?

Another way that I am seeing it is like a person playing chicken with an on coming car. Sure, most of the time the other car is going to get out of the way, but doing this daily/often/constantly, your chances that the other car is going to get out of your way everytime is very low. Why take the risk?

So, Yes, I am sure that there are blueys that eat rocks and other items that shouldnt really be eaten, just like any other animals (dogs and shoes, cat and ribbon, goats and clothing, etc). But all it takes is one time for it to plug them up and cause life threatening problems.

I just personally think that the last thing that the forum should be doing is telling people that blueys eating rocks is perfectly normal and that you shouldnt worry about it.

[Tigergenesis]

Ditto.

[Leigh]

I just personally think that the last thing that the forum should be doing is telling people that blueys eating rocks is perfectly normal and that you shouldnt worry about it.

I must of misunderstood what I read, as I didnt think anyone was condoning it , just adding what happened to them

[Bird_Brain]

I just personally think that the last thing that the forum should be doing is telling people that blueys eating rocks is perfectly normal and that you shouldnt worry about it.

I must of misunderstood what I read, as I didnt think anyone was condoning it , just adding what happened to them

There are people adding what happened to them about their bluey eating rocks. However, I still feel that their are several posts in here that are basically saying, "If its small, then dont worry about it. It wont cause a problem."

Or use my previous analogy, "Oh that driver is smart, s/he will eventually get out of the way. You have no need to worry about wrecking into them."

Both situations are out of our control. We have no idea what the outcome will be either way, but after repeated exposure to both, the likelihood of an impaction (wreck) is much higher each time.

[Leigh]

I see you, mean bluey roulette{how ever you spell it}

[Arkangel]

Freaking out and worrying is what I do best.

[KyleWeiss]

I'm not sure if we're all talking about the same sort of pebbles....I often let my blueys out in the dirt, and they rummage around, moving stuff with their noses, tasting the earth, and here and there eat a pebble smaller than a watermelon seed. I'm quite comfortable with it. Maybe I'm a minority on this one....

Yep, pretty much what I'm talking about too... even watermelon seeds I'm leary of. Rollie eats a few lentil-sized pebbles and that's it... glorified sand really.

That's why I didn't want people freaking out if their skink ate one; I'm 99% sure if they ate a pebble that small, even two, everything will be fine.

Mouthfuls/marble-sized stones: Bad

Tomato-seed sized pebbles: Most likely harmless

Here's to sleeping well at night... *raise glass*

KW

[KyleWeiss]

I see you, mean bluey roulette{how ever you spell it}

Roulette with round-tip kiddie scissors.

KW

[KyleWeiss]

I guess my whole idea is if it is ok/safe/etc for a bluey to eat a small pebble, then why does everyone make such a big deal about using sand as a substrate for reptiles that the threat of impaction?

Another way that I am seeing it is like a person playing chicken with an on coming car. Sure, most of the time the other car is going to get out of the way, but doing this daily/often/constantly, your chances that the other car is going to get out of your way everytime is very low. Why take the risk?

So, Yes, I am sure that there are blueys that eat rocks and other items that shouldnt really be eaten, just like any other animals (dogs and shoes, cat and ribbon, goats and clothing, etc). But all it takes is one time for it to plug them up and cause life threatening problems.

I just personally think that the last thing that the forum should be doing is telling people that blueys eating rocks is perfectly normal and that you shouldnt worry about it.

Again, and once again, no one is condoning the eating of rocks.

Ingesting substrate is a problem when the animal goes to eat live prey and gets a huge mouthful of whatever you keep them upon along with the target.

There are plenty of people that keep their blueys in outdoor enclosures, which I'm sure aren't manicured to be pebble free, so, should this now be considered hugely dangerous?

KW

[Zach]

I guess my whole idea is if it is ok/safe/etc for a bluey to eat a small pebble, then why does everyone make such a big deal about using sand as a substrate for reptiles that the threat of impaction?

Another way that I am seeing it is like a person playing chicken with an on coming car. Sure, most of the time the other car is going to get out of the way, but doing this daily/often/constantly, your chances that the other car is going to get out of your way everytime is very low. Why take the risk?

So, Yes, I am sure that there are blueys that eat rocks and other items that shouldnt really be eaten, just like any other animals (dogs and shoes, cat and ribbon, goats and clothing, etc). But all it takes is one time for it to plug them up and cause life threatening problems.

I just personally think that the last thing that the forum should be doing is telling people that blueys eating rocks is perfectly normal and that you shouldnt worry about it.

Again, and once again, no one is condoning the eating of rocks.

Ingesting substrate is a problem when the animal goes to eat live prey and gets a huge mouthful of whatever you keep them upon along with the target.

There are plenty of people that keep their blueys in outdoor enclosures, which I'm sure aren't manicured to be pebble free, so, should this now be considered hugely dangerous?

KW

Precisely -- I did say however that eating tiny bits of pebble here and there is harmless, and I do believe that. I'm not saying let your bluey go outside and eat rocks as fast as he can. I'm saying when mine go outside, then lick the earth and explore and taste just about everything. And yeah, a marble sized rock? I'd get that away from them as fast as I could.

Substrate is a whole other issue, as was said, when the animal goes for food, he can help but ingest large mouthfuls of substrate -- if it's something big like aspen, he can spit it out, but if it's sand or something similar, it easily goes right on down. Typically, they can pass that just fine, and oftentimes you won't see any waste for a few days, then one GIANT impacted mass of feces just filled with the fine substrate.

[Arkangel]

In my many years experience working and being around animals I have come to the very scientific and precise exact determination that the more you worry about something, the more likely it is to happen.

And there is truth to the saying, "God protects fools and drunks."

I have seen owners who feed their dogs chicken and pork bones, horse owners who keep horses in pastures with poisonous plants and trees, and people who expose their pets (and sometimes kids) to many, many, flagrant disregards. And never have a problem.

I just know the minute I spot a possible potential problem, it bites me in the butt.

DAY ONE "hmmmm. Did you see that small innocent pebble just a second ago?"

DAY THREE [Veterinary Hospital Setting] "Here is your bill for the emergency veterinary services. We deducted several hundred dollars from the thousands you owe, just because we felt bad for you. Good to see you again."

DAY FIVE [Doctor Office Setting] "Your insurance company won't pay your medical deductable because they claim it is the 10th time this year that you have ulcers and migraines."

Welcome to my life.


I need to sleep where Kyle is sleeping. It must be that dry desert air.
Either that or I need to start drinking and let God work for awhile.

I totally agree that a chance encounter with a small pebble on occasion shouldn't be an issue.

For someone else!

[KyleWeiss]

It is quite nice here, I might add.


KW

[Zach]

I will say, tiny underground gutter openings ARE something to worry about! No matter how small they look!


BAD EUGENE.

[kvega92]

I have been really lucky that Tink has not tried to eat any rocks.