I think my turtle ate a rock
This is not a good thing to happen, however, they can survive. You must take them to the vet. They will take x-rays to see if it should be surgically removed.
No one knows why turtles eat rocks, maybe they are just bored. To prevent your turtles from eating rocks, either use rocks big enough that will not fit in their mouth or don’t use any rocks at all. Blockage can also occur with eating sand. The sand can build up and block its intestines.
The video below shows a diamondback terrapin that is eating crushed coral. Since turtles have a beak that needs to be worn down, the crushed coral can be a good thing.
Basically to sum it up, if your turtle eats a rock, all you can do is make sure their environment is clean, set to the right temperature, and you have removed any possibilities for the issue to happen again.
We don’t recommend small substrates like gravel for aquatic turtles, so if you are going to use rocks, make sure they are round with no sharp edges and are large enough to where the turtle cannot eat them.
What Next? Well… Check out the links below!
- Pet Turtle Care
- Land Turtle Care
- Sick or Injured Turtle
- Turtle FAQ
- Turtle Definitions
- Turtle Rescue and Adoption