Canned snails and fruit question

[Pond_Lilly]

Hello,

What do forum members think about feeding baby cherry canned snails once in a while? Like can'o'snails or something like that? (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/2539/product.web)

Another question I have is about fruit, as many care sheets mentioned to give fruit rarely, because of sugar etc. So I've stumbled upon this article that describes a diet of wild Geochelone carbonaria and says that "fruits were the prominent in the diet throughout a year." Any thoughts on that?

Thanks!

 

[Jacqui]

My opinion is that the snails are fine. I feed them to my redfoots/cherryheads along with my Hingebacks. My Hingebacks are not yet overly enthusiastic about them, but I think with enough exposure to them, they will like them too.

My thoughts on the fruits are that first off, the fruits they eat in the wild are not what we as a rule can find to feed them. Their fruits are not as sugary is my understanding. Most of the fruits we buy have been selectively grown to be sweeter for eating rather then for reproduction of the plant (which is what the wild plants bare fruit for). Thus because of the higher sugar content, less should be fed. Mine get fruit and some times depending on seasonal availability and price, they get more then other times. I would say mine get fruit more often then what I would term "rarely".

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Thank you! I'm going to try to give Berry some canned snails.

Here is the list of what was found to be their diet (in case somebody else interested):

Fruits.-Yellow mombin Spondias lutea (Anacardiaceae), Anacardium gigantea (An-
acardiaceae), Annona sp. 1 (Annonaceae), Annona sp. 2 (Annona-
ceae), Duguetia surinamensis (Annonaceae), Philodendron sp. (Ara-
ceae), Bromeliad sp. (Bromeliaceae), Trattinnickia ravifolia
(Burseraceae), Licania kunthiana (Chrysobalanaceae), sp. (Lecythi-
daceae), Myriaspora egenensis (Melastomataceae), Bagassa guianen-
sis (Moraceae), Brosimum potabile (Moraceae), Ficus sp. (Moraceae),
Passiflora coccinea (Passifloraceae), Passiflora vespertitio (Passiflora-
ceae), Mauritia flexuosa (Palmae), Desrnoncus polyacanthus (Palmae),
Duroia eriopila (Rubiaceae), Genipa americana (Rubiaceae), Guet-
tarda argentea (Rubiaceae), Posoqueria sp. (Rubiaceae), Pradosia sp.
(Sapotaceae), Richardella (surinamensis) (Sapotaceae), Pouteria hirta
(Sapotaceae), Ecclinusa bacuri (Sapotaceae), Clavija sp. (Theophras-
taceae).
Flowers.-Jacaranda copaia (Bignoniaceae), Cochlospermum orino-
cense (Cochlospermaceae), Mauritia flexuosa (Palmae).
Miscellaneous.-mushrooms (several species); Maximilliana (palm) frond
base; unidentified grasses, live leaves, vine stems, roots; sand, soil,
pebbles; tortoise scat.
Animal matter.-snails (at least 2 species); ants (several species); ter-
mites; beetles (assorted body parts recovered); butterflies (wings re-
covered); Euglossine bees; snakes (ventral scales recovered); lizards;
birds (leg of Psarocolius viridis recovered); agouti; peccary; deer
carcasses.

 

[Madkins007]

When you read field reports that mention 'fruit', remember that they are using the term in the scientific sense- a vegetable structure growing from the ovaries and containing seeds. Lots of what we call 'vegetables' are actually fruits and more like what they get in the wild- pumpkin, squash, cucumber, bell pepper, etc.

So- limit SUGAR, but not the nutrients from a variety of foods- just use a decent variety (like from http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/shopping.html)