Ack! Tortoise ate a wasp!

[LasTortugasNinja]

Don't have ANY clue why. Maybe the bright colors? My Russian saw, stalked, attacked, and ate a social/paper wasp. I didn't think he was going to do anything, and the wasp would just fly off. Nope. He raced over to it, stretched out his head... and... SNAP! down the gullet the wasp went! I put up a wasp trap to collect any others in the area coz I really don't want the tortoise eating anything I'm not sure where it's from.

I just found it shocking. I read repeatedly that they are committed vegetarians.

 

[jeneliza]

Yes they are veggies, by nature , but I don't think it will hurt your Russian as long as it is healthy and has a good diet, yes it's protein but I don't think a small bug will hurt it, as long as it's not a regular part of it's diet, I am however shocked it didn't sting, your tortoises first,

 

[Tom]

I just found it shocking. I read repeatedly that they are committed vegetarians.

Nope. Opportunists. Wild sulcatas eat carrion. Animals will sometimes crawl into the sulcata burrows to escape the scorching heat and die. The sulcatas eat the bodies. I saw a study that said "mammal feces" was a major component of leopard tortoise diets in the wild. I would presume that other tortoise species would take advantage of that resource too, but haven't seen it mentioned in any studies.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Yes my baby sulcata found a huge nightcrawler in his outdoor enclosure last year.. looked pretty funny with it hang out of its mouth.. since it was bigger than him at the time lol

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Nope. Opportunists. Wild sulcatas eat carrion. Animals will sometimes crawl into the sulcata burrows to escape the scorching heat and die. The sulcatas eat the bodies. I saw a study that said "mammal feces" was a major component of leopard tortoise diets in the wild. I would presume that other tortoise species would take advantage of that resource too, but haven't seen it mentioned in any studies.

Well, hind sight being 20/20, it was kind of facinating to watch. Very odd, to see a something that moves so ungainly actually stalking and bring down a prey item... especially a wasp! No chomp or bites... just grabbed and sucked it down whole. Afterwards, he looked around, then proceeded to strut like he just singlehandedly saved the world.

He's a weirdo.

 

[Tom]

Well, hind sight being 20/20, it was kind of facinating to watch. Very odd, to see a something that moves so ungainly actually stalking and bring down a prey item... especially a wasp! No chomp or bites... just grabbed and sucked it down whole. Afterwards, he looked around, then proceeded to strut like he just singlehandedly saved the world.

He's a weirdo.

I guy I know with a large sulcata compound had one sulcata that would hunt gophers. It would sit for hours dead still and when the gopher popped its head up, the tortoise would snap it up and gobble it down.

I saw footage on a nature show of a giant Galapagos standing tall at the edge of a pond like a statue. The little Darwin's finches would flutter down to the waters edge for a mid day drink and get under the tortoise for some shade and cover. Then the tortoise would drop like a rock smooshing the birds, back up, and eat them. Then the tortoise would stand back up and get really still again, waiting for the next batch.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

I guy I know with a large sulcata compound had one sulcata that would hunt gophers. It would sit for hours dead still and when the gopher popped its head up, the tortoise would snap it up and gobble it down.

I saw footage on a nature show of a giant Galapagos standing tall at the edge of a pond like a statue. The little Darwin's finches would flutter down to the waters edge for a mid day drink and get under the tortoise for some shade and cover. Then the tortoise would drop like a rock smooshing the birds, back up, and eat them. Then the tortoise would stand back up and get really still again, waiting for the next batch.

Wow! Thats insane. I would never think of a tortoise to actually hunt prey. Very interesting

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Wow! Thats insane. I would never think of a tortoise to actually hunt prey. Very interesting

Ninja tortoises! stealthy!

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Mutant ninja Tortoise

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Well, hind sight being 20/20, it was kind of facinating to watch. Very odd, to see a something that moves so ungainly actually stalking and bring down a prey item... especially a wasp! No chomp or bites... just grabbed and sucked it down whole. Afterwards, he looked around, then proceeded to strut like he just singlehandedly saved the world.

He's a weirdo.

My Redfoot definitely stalks bugs and worms. He will patrol his outdoor enclosure looking for any movement for the first 30 minutes he's out there every day.

 

[jeneliza]

Nope. Opportunists. Wild sulcatas eat carrion. Animals will sometimes crawl into the sulcata burrows to escape the scorching heat and die. The sulcatas eat the bodies. I saw a study that said "mammal feces" was a major component of leopard tortoise diets in the wild. I would presume that other tortoise species would take advantage of that resource too, but haven't seen it mentioned in any studies.

Wow, I knew some would eat bugs etc, my redfoot definitely eats bugs ,when outside, but I didn't like Russian would , learn something new everyday,