Meat dog food rolls?

[RedfootsRule]

I have three box turtles I've been looking for better ways to provide protein for. I use raw chicken and I came along these dog meat food rolls (the ones in the freezers at pet stores), and am considering them as a choice. One thing however, the 4th and 5th ingredients are whole wear flour and brown rice. I've heard wheat flour is not-so-good for box turtles, but in Zoo Med's box turtle and tortoise food (do we put any trust in Zoo med?) it also has it. Here are the ingredients

Zoo Med Box turtle & Tortoise Food
Sun-Dried Alfalfa, Fish Meal, Wheat Germ, Whole Wheat, Soybean Meal, Water, Glycerin, Lecithin, Fish Oil, Glucono Delta Lactone, Calcium Phosphate, Vitamin D3, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Nacin, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Biotin, DL Alphatocopherol (Vitamin E), Stable Ascorbic Acid, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein (min) 18.4% Crude fat (min) 5.2% Crude fiber (max) 8% Moisture (max) 10%

And here are the ingredients to dog food rolls (this particular one is beef, but they come in turkey and chicken with the same ingredients but turkey and chicken instead of beef)

Dog meat roll
Beef, Beef Hearts, Beef Kidneys, Beef Lungs, Whole Wheat Flour, Rice Flour, Beef Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid-source of Vitamin C) Sucrose, Ground Whole Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phosphates, Brewer's Yeast, Dried Kelp Meal, Lecithin, Natural Smoke Flavor, Glycerin, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Niacin, Vitamin A Acetate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, ,Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Sodium Nitrite.

Give me your opinions.

 

[yagyujubei]

Personally, I'd try them and see if they like them. I don't see any potentially harmful ingredients.

 

[shellysmom]

I'll give you a bump, because they sound delicious.

 

[jojodesca]

Raw chicken??? Never heard of doing that...are you concerned about salmonella ??.....btw meat log for dogs I wouldn't trust it..the ingredients are not remotely identical.... natural smoke flavor brewers yeast..sodium chloride ...also all the sodium ingredients are for preserving....

 

[Hunahpu]

I've used the rolls for my dog, but I wouldn't ever feed any raw meat to my turtles for fear of salmonella and E. coli. (I stopped feeding a raw diet for my pup too for the same reason. Botulism is also somewhat common with raw diets.)

 

[SulcataSquirt]

I dont think raw food is a concern for a box turtle, they dont get their food cooked for them in the wild.

 

[Hunahpu]

I dont think raw food is a concern for a box turtle, they dont get their food cooked for them in the wild.

True, but I don't believe they regularly eat beef either.

 

[RedfootsRule]

I understand your concerns, and thank you for your opinions. In answer:
Salmonella? My turtle getting it, or me getting it from my turtle? Reptiles are only carriers for it, they themselves cannot get it. I have chickens, which can just as likely spread salmonella as my turtles. I'm not worried about it. As far as the beef, I wouldn't get beef, I would use turkey or chicken. I just listed the beef one because it was the only one I found online. Sodium chloride and preservatives are also found in low fat cat foods, and I know several members use that to provide protien ( the owner of redfoots.com uses it for his redfoots to provide protien.)

 

[jojodesca]

yes I have heard of ppl using cat food dog food etc..but the answer is simple...these are made for CATS AND DOGS...stick with bugs, worms..veggies and fruits...turtles in the wild do not eat canned pet food...they dont eat chicken or turkey....I understand that you want to provide protein for them but stick with a normal turtle diet..order bugs online...i have never had a problem with "seasonal" protein.....

 

[RedfootsRule]

I do stick with mainly veggies and fruits. However, bugs are not always available. They forage for a lot themselves in the pen, and I do catch a lot of earthworms, but its not always enough. I think your missing the point; its not for their FULL MEAL. It's for a supplement, for a little extra protein.

 

[Hunahpu]

They are your pets and of course what you feed them is up to you. But you did ask for opinions.

I personally choose never to feed raw meat because of the bacterial issue. There are a lot of convenient protein alternatives that don't take the chance of getting your pets sick. Red wigglers, meal worms, crickets, and other bugs are readily available either live or freeze dried at the pet store (and if they're live, they're easy to breed). If you want to feed meat, its easy enough to cook a little extra at dinner time for them or open a can of tuna, chicken, etc. Cooked eggs are also a good source of protein and easy to prepare. Here's a link to a website with some good information on box turtle nutrition: Box Turtle Info

With regards to salmonella, I was referring to your turtle getting sick. I know they naturally carry salmonella but it is my understanding that a bacterial imbalance can make them ill. I'd be genuinely interested in information to the contrary though.

 

[Saloli]

Raw chicken??? Never heard of doing that...are you concerned about salmonella ??.....btw meat log for dogs I wouldn't trust it..the ingredients are not remotely identical.... natural smoke flavor brewers yeast..sodium chloride ...also all the sodium ingredients are for preserving....

Actually most of sodium compounds are need for various biological reasons. Sodium chloride for example is an electrolyte (needed for nerve impulses). As for them not eating turkey in the wild I'm sure they do if they find one dead as turkeys are native to most of N.A. As far as salmonella and E. coli they are both digesting bacteria that can be found just about every where outside and in our intestines. It is a matter of wrong species/strain in the wrong host.

 

[Saloli]

Actually most of the sodium compounds are need for various biological reasons. The exception is sodium nitrate it is a preservative (which by the way is known to have effects on the brain in large amounts). The brewers yeast is a vitamin k source as well as a thiamin source. I don't think the natural smoke flavor really has any benefit (though not aware of any negative effects). They probably do eat turkey in the wild if they find one dead or a chick. Turkeys are native to most of N.A. by the way. Sorry for the double post I didn't realize it posted earlier.