Wiggle, Squiggle, Squirm. Worms.

Blastoise

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
137


Can I feed my RT a worm here and there? Theres several videos on youtube and it looks like they love 'em.
 

Kim&Tim

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
The Netherlands


Can I feed my RT a worm here and there? Theres several videos on youtube and it looks like they love 'em.

They don't need that amount of protein in their diets and can be very harmful. They are herbivores and need a well balanced high calcium and fiber diet, with very low protein and suger. The fact that they could possibly like something, doesn't mean you should give it. They also like fruit, but you shouldn't give it. Focus on good weeds, leafy greens etc.
 

GBtortoises

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
3,618
Location (City and/or State)
The Catskill Mountains of New York State
Tortoises eating earthworms occasionally is absolutely fine. It's not going to harm them as long as it's not part of their regular diet. They are not going to consume enough of them for the protein to be an issue. Keep in mind that while they should not be fed a high protein based diet, they do still require some protein in their diet. If a good quality, varied diet is fed they should get all of it they need in the form of plant proteins. Plant and animal proteins are essentially the same thing - amino acids. What differs is that plant proteins don't contain the "complete" set of amino acids. The key difference and the reason that tortoises should not have a lot of meat based proteins is that they are higher in iron. But then so is kale, spinach, collard greens and some other green leafy foods.
 

Kim&Tim

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
The Netherlands
Tortoises eating earthworms occasionally is absolutely fine. It's not going to harm them as long as it's not part of their regular diet. They are not going to consume enough of them for the protein to be an issue. Keep in mind that while they should not be fed a high protein based diet, they do still require some protein in their diet. If a good quality, varied diet is fed they should get all of it they need in the form of plant proteins. Plant and animal proteins are essentially the same thing - amino acids. What differs is that plant proteins don't contain the "complete" set of amino acids. The key difference and the reason that tortoises should not have a lot of meat based proteins is that they are higher in iron. But then so is kale, spinach, collard greens and some other green leafy foods.

The thing is, in my opinion, what is 'regular' for some differs from what other people find regular. If my horsfield finds a little snail or worm and decides to eat it, no problem. Would I actively go out and find worms for him, no I wouldn't. There's no reason to do so.
The reason why I say this, is that I've seen the TS in other topics about 'swimming' horsfields (ts posted yt video of someone who throws his horsfield in a pool with big turtles with no where to go in deep water in a 7 min video on youtube, horrible!), how to 'make' your horsfield headbob and now a horsfield eating a pile of worms that has been given to him, that's pretty obvious.
So stuff like that worries me to be honest. People can think I'm an *ss for saying this, so be it.
 

Blastoise

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
137
Ok, I won't give them the leftover night crawlers from fishing, lol. :D

Thanks to the replies to my question that actually had information about worms in a RT's diet. I didnt mean to "worry" you Kim&Tim. I hope you are still able to sleep tonight.
 

Kim&Tim

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
The Netherlands
Ok, I won't give them the leftover night crawlers from fishing, lol. :D

Thanks to the replies to my question that actually had information about worms in a RT's diet. I didnt mean to "worry" you Kim&Tim. I hope you are still able to sleep tonight.
Well good, he'll find his own critters if he wants them. I sleep like a baby every night ???but eh... Do you understand where I'm coming from, even just a little? ?
 

Blastoise

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
137
Well good, he'll find his own critters if he wants them. I sleep like a baby every night ???but eh... Do you understand where I'm coming from, even just a little? ?

I sure do. Some things I post are not meant to be serious (head bobbing, swimming) They are just things I found interesting or amusing. I joke a lot. The worm question I was really curious about though. There's a bunch of videos on youtube of RT's eating worms.
 
Top