Eating dirt, why?

[lovepicasso]

Yesterday I found dirt or old potting soil around the edges of Picasso's mouth and even what looked like a little bit of it inside his mouth....this morning I followed him into the sunroom where his huge tree is and watched him climb up the light cord go down to the soil and started eating it like he was starving to death, it is actually very old potting soil...why would he do this?......anyway he got in trouble and got removed from his favorite tree, then when I put him in the office he gave me this "why am I in trouble look".

 

[ReptileLove18]

cats and dogs sometimes do that when their bodies feel like they need more vitamins. i highly doubt thats what Picasso is doing because i kno you are very on top of what he needs! hope someone else chimes in soon because i would also like to know

 

[DavidBuchan]

My guess is that he's a bloody idiot who doesn't know what's good for him.........bad Picasso, bad .
My advice is to always be ludicrously careful with free-ranging.......as you have been. You saw it, and it was probably the only time it's ever happened. I advise to put the old 'river rocks' over the soil so he can't do it again. Next time he poops you can be sure there is no big deal.

 

[Lathelia]

cats and dogs sometimes do that when their bodies feel like they need more vitamins. i highly doubt thats what Picasso is doing because i kno you are very on top of what he needs! hope someone else chimes in soon because i would also like to know

I heard chams do that for the same reason. My boy did it once, I put rocks on top of the soil now.

 

[Todnedo]

Chameleons eat soil and should have access to fine sifted forest soil.

 

[Olimpia]

Yes, they may eat it to fill in any gaps they feel they have in mineral intake, so I would also re-evaluate your gut loading/supplementing to make sure everything is ok, or see where perhaps it could get a little bit of improvement. Additionally, animals will eat moist soil if they are not well hydrated, but you said the soil was old so I might assume that it's dry?

 

[lovepicasso]

Thanks to all who replied, I do believe that he may be doing this to get more of the essentials he needs, reason being that, since we have to force feed him we may not be giving him enough, we do dust his crickets and they are very much gut loaded with mixed veggies and fruit blended in the blender and he gets the D3 every other Sunday and the vitamins with D3 alternating Sundays.....so how many crickets do y'all think he should eat a day?.....I know he gets tired of having his mouth forced open for every cricket, but I have to keep telling myself that it has to be done to keep him alive.

 

[Lathelia]

Thanks to all who replied, I do believe that he may be doing this to get more of the essentials he needs, reason being that, since we have to force feed him we may not be giving him enough, we do dust his crickets and they are very much gut loaded with mixed veggies and fruit blended in the blender and he gets the D3 every other Sunday and the vitamins with D3 alternating Sundays.....so how many crickets do y'all think he should eat a day?.....I know he gets tired of having his mouth forced open for every cricket, but I have to keep telling myself that it has to be done to keep him alive.

You give him calcium with D3 twice a month and vitamins with D3 twice a month? Isn't that too much?
Why not give him more variaty than just crickets?

 

[lovepicasso]

You give him calcium with D3 twice a month and vitamins with D3 twice a month? Isn't that too much?
Why not give him more variaty than just crickets?

I believe that is what most on these boards recommend for the D3 supplementation......he also gets wax worms and some fruit every other day.....bananas, apple and will some times take a piece of greens or kale.

 

[crocky]

Picasso sure does have that look on his face that can make you feel guilty. Bless him, he has come so far. You guys have certainly had a journey but so glad it has come to where he is now.
I don't know much about the dirt eating but I am tagging along for knowledge and of course I could not resist saying how good he looks!

 

[lovepicasso]

Picasso sure does have that look on his face that can make you feel guilty. Bless him, he has come so far. You guys have certainly had a journey but so glad it has come to where he is now.
I don't know much about the dirt eating but I am tagging along for knowledge and of course I could not resist saying how good he looks!

Thank you Cammie!....I did feel a little guilty this morning after that look he gave me.