I just LOVE Mary Hopson. She gives such great answers to questions. Someone on the WCT list asked if they could feed their tortoise Bok Choy. Mary gave an answer and mentioned in that answer something about sea weed.
So the questioner came back a couple days later and she and Mary had this interchange:
Linda Gebauer wrote:
> Sorry to need more info. Went to the natural food store tonight to get
seaweed and discovered there are a variety of japanese "vegetables" all in dried
form. Some have protein content (some more than others) which the greeks cannot
have. Any more info you can share on this would really be appreciated.
Mary's answer:
All plants have protein. All living things have protein in them. You cannot
avoid feeding protein to your tortoises. A great fear of protein is part of the
old paradigm and based on a mistaken notion that protein causes pyramiding in
tortoises. Observation of wild tortoises, stomach content studies with wild
tortoises, and scientific data from studies with
captive tortoises tell a different story.
One study with wild Hermann's torts showed that they eat 90% legumes (beans,
peas, clovers, lupines, vetches) which would be very high in protein. I suspect
that this was partially a function of the time of year and location of the
tortoises. Other times and places, the same species might eat a diet much lower
in protein. But it indicates that when high
protein plants are available, they are consumed by wild tortoises and do not
cause pyramiding or other harm. (Meek & Inskeep, 1981)
Many people have the mistaken notion that tortoises need to be kept away from
water, especially those from arid regions of the world. However, when "desert"
species happen to live near an oasis, they will soak and drink every day. This
information has been documented repeatedly and for many decades. (Bogdanov,
1960)
Additionally, when scientific studies are designed to ferret out the causes of
pyramiding, the data suggest that water plays a major role. Tortoises fed the
largest amounts of protein did not show increased pyramiding. It was the
tortoises kept in the driest environments that showed the most pyramiding.
(Weser, 1988; Wiesner & Iben, 2003)
Water and food seem to go hand in hand. In areas where there is the most water,
tortoises will also find the most food. The driest areas will provide very
little to eat. It would appear that pryamiding is caused by a mismatch of water
and food provided in the environment. This mismatch is a mistake that nature
would be unlikely to ever replicate. So tortoises
can live fine in very dry environments, but they would eat very little. If you
want to feed your tortoise regularly, you should also provide higher humidity
and good hydration.
With food and water balanced this way, you can turn your attention to variety in
the diet. Use all plants in moderation. Bok choy can then be used once or twice
a year without any concern, as is the case with almost all other edible plants.
Keep a cuttlebone in the habitat at all times so the tortoise can self-regulate
calcium intake and other trace minerals.
Mary at the turtle Puddle
<http://www.turtlepuddle.org/>
PS:
Research cited above:
Bogdanov, O.P. 1960. Fauna Uzbekskoi SSR. (Fauna of Uzbek SSR). Tashkent:
Acad. Sci. Uzbek SSR Publ., 260p.
Meek & Inskeep. 1981. Aspects of the field biology of a population of Hermann's
tortoise (Testudo
hermanni) in southern Yugoslavia. British Journal of Herpetology. 6:159-164.
Weser, 1988, Zur Hockerbildung bei Schildkroten. Sauria 10:23-25
Wiesner CS, Iben C. 2003. Influence of environmental humidity and dietary
protein on pyramidal growth of carapaces in African spurred tortoises
(Geochelone sulcata). J Anim Physiol a Anim. Nutr 87:66-74.
So the questioner came back a couple days later and she and Mary had this interchange:
Linda Gebauer wrote:
> Sorry to need more info. Went to the natural food store tonight to get
seaweed and discovered there are a variety of japanese "vegetables" all in dried
form. Some have protein content (some more than others) which the greeks cannot
have. Any more info you can share on this would really be appreciated.
Mary's answer:
All plants have protein. All living things have protein in them. You cannot
avoid feeding protein to your tortoises. A great fear of protein is part of the
old paradigm and based on a mistaken notion that protein causes pyramiding in
tortoises. Observation of wild tortoises, stomach content studies with wild
tortoises, and scientific data from studies with
captive tortoises tell a different story.
One study with wild Hermann's torts showed that they eat 90% legumes (beans,
peas, clovers, lupines, vetches) which would be very high in protein. I suspect
that this was partially a function of the time of year and location of the
tortoises. Other times and places, the same species might eat a diet much lower
in protein. But it indicates that when high
protein plants are available, they are consumed by wild tortoises and do not
cause pyramiding or other harm. (Meek & Inskeep, 1981)
Many people have the mistaken notion that tortoises need to be kept away from
water, especially those from arid regions of the world. However, when "desert"
species happen to live near an oasis, they will soak and drink every day. This
information has been documented repeatedly and for many decades. (Bogdanov,
1960)
Additionally, when scientific studies are designed to ferret out the causes of
pyramiding, the data suggest that water plays a major role. Tortoises fed the
largest amounts of protein did not show increased pyramiding. It was the
tortoises kept in the driest environments that showed the most pyramiding.
(Weser, 1988; Wiesner & Iben, 2003)
Water and food seem to go hand in hand. In areas where there is the most water,
tortoises will also find the most food. The driest areas will provide very
little to eat. It would appear that pryamiding is caused by a mismatch of water
and food provided in the environment. This mismatch is a mistake that nature
would be unlikely to ever replicate. So tortoises
can live fine in very dry environments, but they would eat very little. If you
want to feed your tortoise regularly, you should also provide higher humidity
and good hydration.
With food and water balanced this way, you can turn your attention to variety in
the diet. Use all plants in moderation. Bok choy can then be used once or twice
a year without any concern, as is the case with almost all other edible plants.
Keep a cuttlebone in the habitat at all times so the tortoise can self-regulate
calcium intake and other trace minerals.
Mary at the turtle Puddle
<http://www.turtlepuddle.org/>
PS:
Research cited above:
Bogdanov, O.P. 1960. Fauna Uzbekskoi SSR. (Fauna of Uzbek SSR). Tashkent:
Acad. Sci. Uzbek SSR Publ., 260p.
Meek & Inskeep. 1981. Aspects of the field biology of a population of Hermann's
tortoise (Testudo
hermanni) in southern Yugoslavia. British Journal of Herpetology. 6:159-164.
Weser, 1988, Zur Hockerbildung bei Schildkroten. Sauria 10:23-25
Wiesner CS, Iben C. 2003. Influence of environmental humidity and dietary
protein on pyramidal growth of carapaces in African spurred tortoises
(Geochelone sulcata). J Anim Physiol a Anim. Nutr 87:66-74.
