My hermanns wants to eat snails!

[trav1s]

Hi, Can anyone help? We have a lot of snails in our garden and they get everywhere!! My hermanns Travis aways sniffs them out to eat?! I have read that they shouldn't eat meat and I'm scared they will make him ill, but I cant watch him 24/7, he tends to like the ones our lawn mower gets!!! Any suggestions? 😁

 

[dmmj]

You could send them all to me, I got some that would love them.
They shouldn't be eating snails, not an optimal food choice.

 

[Jacqui]

While they are not something we humans think they should be eating, it seems a lot of those "plant matter only" tortoises are found eating protein. My belief is there may be something lacking in the diet or it could just be a tortoise being the opportunistic feeder he is and eating those snails, but for what ever reason if he wants to eat them, I see no problems with it. Disclaimer... as long as the snails are not getting poisoned by somebody.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Every now and then I see my Hermann's chase and eat pill bugs or snails. I don't worry about it too much. I'm assuming that they know what their doing.

 

[DeanS]

Jacqui hit the nail right on the head! We put too much humanization on our pets. What we think is not suitable to eat (ask the French on this one)...maybe just fine for our cold-blooded charges. There are plants that are toxic to humans and other mammals...but tortoises thrive on some of them. I have a very large 3 year old because he has an affinity for dog poop...specifically...our pug's! He won't touch the Yorkie's...but he seeks out the pug's...go figure!

 

[Kristina]

I have seen my Russians eat worms and insects many times.

If he is eating them on his own in an outdoor setting, let him. I would not forcefully give them to him, but, if he obviously wants them, there is a reason.

 

[dmmj]

so sulcatas eating plastic bags = they are missing plastic out of their diets? ok, good to know.

 

[trav1s]

Thanks for all your replies, I guess there isn't a right or wrong answer, i think it's gross but I'll go with the flo, if he wants to eat them and they arent poisonous or being poisoned then he can. I am new to this, just having Travis 3 months, so thanks for all your help, this forum is great : )

 

[CactusVinnie]

There is a right answer- yes, Hermanni eat snails quite often, since they live in a more humid habitat than, let's say, Ibera. They do it in the wild, they do it in captivity.

This is my approach/hypothese: after all, they are Eurotestudo, the only temperate Testudinid living in non-arid areas. The fact they live in a more humid place means they also have enough water in their diet, and water to drink, quite often, so flushing out the toxins resulted in animal protein digestion is easier.
An arid habitat species usually don't risk eating such consistent meals, because if not enough water available to excrete them efficiently, urates will concentrate, their bladder will be full of sand and stones, the kidneys will suffer- maybe permanent renal damages occuring. At least, all my Iberas confirm that by totally ignoring any snail or earthworm, even egg-laying females in the most ferocious gravid hunger.

Hermanni literally chase snails like Trachemys! I think they will have no problem on a 100% vegetal diet, if it's varied, but if they supplement their needs with some snails, I let them eat, on occasion, but that doesn't mean that they are omnivorous. More likely, vegetarian opportunists. They are still tortoises, and a too often snail treat will lead to fast growth and pyramiding- yes, it happens even in the wild, in Europe!
So, if they catch it, it's ok... but you shouldn't gave them supplementar snails.

I keep clean drinking water available for all my tortoises.