A bird? Eeew

[Tortuga505]

Look what my nephew came home to see after school...
His Sulcata Tank was munching on a bird!!

Yes he took it away after taking the picture. Im guessing he was attracted to the feathers?
I wonder if they eat birds in the wild or if he was just curious to see what it was!?
Just thought I would share it with you all.

 

[mctlong]

There are stories about sulcatas eating carcasses in the wild. Lots of good nutrients in dead animals...

 

[Jacqui]

Survival is dependent upon making use of any and all food sources you come across. Seems Tank is a pretty smart sulcata.

 

[Millerlite]

They will eat anything they come across including dead birds. They take any opportunity of food in the wild cuz they don't know when they will get a chance to eat again. No once there to give them their breakfast every morning... But would be funny "united states dropping lettuce in Africa.... So hungry tortoises don't starve" awkward

 

[mike taylor]

Did it find a dead bird or did it fall out of a tree and the sulcata got it. I would worry about the bird giving my tortoise something.

 

[Tortus]

I thought they weren't supposed to have that much protein.

 

[mctlong]

I thought they weren't supposed to have that much protein.

They don't eat much, but they will scavenge it on occasion. Its not clear if they're going after the protein or if they're going after the other vitamins and minerals the carcasses provide such as calcium (from the bones), vit A, vit B, amino acids, etc, etc.

Regardless of why they're eating it, they're still getting protein in their diet by doing so.

 

[abclements]

My question is, how'd he catch it!? I have visions of a tort hiding in it's shell going, "I'm just an ordinary everyday rock! Come over here and look at me" and then bam! Out pops his head and grabs the unsuspecting bird! Almost Ninja Turtle like!

Or it could have been injured/dead already and it was an easy meal... but not quite as fun of a story

 

[mike taylor]

Re: RE: A bird? Eeew

My question is, how'd he catch it!? I have visions of a tort hiding in it's shell going, "I'm just an ordinary everyday rock! Come over here and look at me" and then bam! Out pops his head and grabs the unsuspecting bird! Almost Ninja Turtle like!

Or it could have been injured/dead already and it was an easy meal... but not quite as fun of a story

I like the hunting tortoise story.

 

[laney]

Hope his poo isn't an explosion of feathers lol