A propensity to gaining too much weight = fat is a totally different issue. Mammals store fat to get through tougher times. Tortoises put on healthy growth and put on needed size. They do not get fat. They shut down metabolism and stop growing to get through tougher times. A very different strategy.Pot belly pigs?
Mammals can and will take an overabundance of food and convert it to fat. They don't really grow bigger, they switch to a higher percentage of fat and get fatter. Perhaps that is what leads to so many with the feeling that this applies to tortoises??
Tortoises do not convert an overabundance of food to fat. They use it to get to a more optimal size quicker. For safety from predators and to be able to produce offspring more quickly to carry on the species.
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