I have a Horsfield tortoise for about 6 years and this last year he has taken a liking to cat food. I have 3 cats so its not as if i can take it away, i know this isnt normal but will it harm him he seems to be fine.Does it mean he is hungry and that i am not feeding him enough?

thanks for reading any advice would be great.

Shouldn't your tort be kept in a tort table and fed the food most suitable for it, which would mean that catfood would not be available, unless your cats enter the tort table and you feed them there. Torts can get so stressed if given the run of the house and it is not really safe for them. It is not good at all for a horsefield to have  meat of any kind. they are herbivores.

Janice.

well he does have a tank of his own only a small one because we can not afford a bigger one thats why we let him walk around the house. he seems to be fine i dont think he eats alot of cat food because you know how hard it is for them to eat, but as soon as we get him out he heads straight for it. He seems to be fine with it is there anything i can do or can i train him to stop ?

Hi,

Firstly you cannot train a tortoise! What you can do is stop him being allowed anywhere near the cat food in the first place, you are not doing him any favours by letting him eat this. I also have 3 cats but my tortoises have never eaten their food. When you say you are keeping him in a tank do you mean a vivarium? You can make a good size tortoise table for around £10. It is not natural for your tortoise the way you are letting him roam around and eating catfood is going to make him ill if you continue to let him do it!

Ali (TPG)

thanks for the advice i will act on it

Hi I too have a Horsfield and if it wasnt for sites like this, he may have ended up in a tank eating all the wrong foods!  Unfortunately lots of people who have kept torts for years pass on confusing advice, One of my neighbours told me to feed trevor worms!!! Luckily I chose to ignore that advice he lives on weeds and flowers.  I keep him in the bottom of one of those large indoor rabbit cages which I brought from a car boot for £5.00, It has a plastic tray which I fill with 50% childrens play sand and 50% sterile top soil (you can get a big bag for £3 from homebase.)and I have recently changed his Lamp to one of those combined heat and light lamps which has made an amazing difference, from the strip light and heat lamp I was using before.  the best thing about those cages is that in the summer I have been taking him outside in it and using the wire top to protect him from birds etc.  Hope this helps, I think if you change his habaitat to one more natural you will see a big difference in the health and happiness of your little friend.

Kerry

aww kerry thanks that brilliant advice i felt like i was getting shouted at before lol my own fault i know but i just thought it didnt seem to be hurting him so just left it. I have now moved him into my bedroom and let him walk around there out of the way of catfood now. Thanks again for the advice thats a great idea with the rabbit hutch xx

Abbie

hi abbie i was wondering have you actualy done your research before you have bought your tortoise .

i think you need to take action as feeding him cat food WILL KILL him and keeping him in a small tank WILL make him stressed and may even be LETHAL

but it shows you realy care for him.