Marshalls health problems.

[Marshall77]

The meat-to-shell ratio for snails is very poor. Redfoots need and crave meat proteins. If you gave as many snails as would be needed for a protein source, the calcium may be overdone (or you would be pulling snails out of the shells - most people don't enjoy that). If you are committed to using aquarium snails, balance the meat ratio with some boiled chicken thigh meat.

Eggs work so well with omnivores because they are complete protein sources, and are in a good balance with respect to their calcium. (A boiled egg can be rolled on a countertop to break up the shell before slicing.)

I'm not quite sure how you feel about my snail idea it's a little confusing in your post. But the more I think about it calcium ratio tends to go up with hardness a shell or even a plant the same is true. You can harden a plants cell walls a bit by adding calcium to your fertilizer along with some magnesium and iron but that's getting more complicated than we need. So for a decent amount of calcium while still being able to be digested by the tortoise chicken egg shells might be about right. I'm assuming if they couldn't be digested this forum would have figured that out by now. Same with choking, this forum is at least 10 years old apparently if tortoises were choking on eggshells or they were coming out the other end undigested it seems those issues would have been addressed by now.

 

[ZenHerper]

I'm not quite sure how you feel about my snail idea it's a little confusing in your post. But the more I think about it calcium ratio tends to go up with hardness a shell or even a plant the same is true. You can harden a plants cell walls a bit by adding calcium to your fertilizer along with some magnesium and iron but that's getting more complicated than we need. So for a decent amount of calcium while still being able to be digested by the tortoise chicken egg shells might be about right. I'm assuming if they couldn't be digested this forum would have figured that out by now. Same with choking, this forum is at least 10 years old apparently if tortoises were choking on eggshells or they were coming out the other end undigested it seems those issues would have been addressed by now.

(Cooked) snails are fine - a Redfoot might enjoy them like candy! I'm just saying be wary of giving such a small meat source. In order to give an egg-comparable protein serving, you'd have to give quite a few snails (of, say, adult Ramshorn size). Then you would be giving a lot more shell than the ratio of meat-to-shell with eggs.

To be entirely sure, put on your research hat and find out the actual numbers. Giving a large number of thick-walled shells may pose an impaction risk if a tortoise is big enough to swallow them whole (snap the snails by hand to pre-chew them).

Giving a lot of snails makes the meal shell-heavy; giving a few snails makes the meal protein-light.

Eggs are just easier since they are complete protein meals (all the amino acids) and the thin shell is easier to crunch down and engage with digestive acids. My experience has always been that animals eating whole eggs will eliminate varying amounts of shell bits over time, depending on what their bodies needed from any one particular meal.

 

[Marshall77]

I guess I don't need to worry about Marshals appetite anymore he eats more than ever. Which makes sense I do I think his growth has been stunted still he is bigger than ever been before. And what comes out the other end is good too. Umm probably not I'm just guessing but it probably tastes like crap. Lol anyway I'm starting to feel a little better everything seems to be going better now even his color is coming back