I was reminded today that not everyone knows that "hard" foods like opuntia, cucumber, carrots, or this time of year, pumpkin should not be cut up and fed in chunks. Chunks of these types of food will be swallowed whole by tortoises and can cause them to choke to death. It doesn't happen every day, but I've seen and heard of several cases over the years.
These types of foods should be fed either whole or grated. Large pieces that cannot be swallowed whole, like large pumpkin wedges or whole cactus pads for example, will be bitten in to and eaten bite by bite. Since the tortoise bit it off with its own mouth, it can never be too large or have weird corners that cause it to get stuck in the throat. Such pieces will always be "bite size" for each individual tortoise. Likewise, grated pieces are a fine way to mix these sorts of food items in with greens, or hay for grass eating species.
For hatchlings and babies, grated may be too large. In this case, the food can be liquified into a mush in a blender or food processor to be mixed with other greens and such, or fed whole in large pieces so they have to bite off their own pieces. I feed whole opuntia pads to my hatchlings and they have no trouble eating them.
Softer foods like grocery store greens and some weeds can be chopped or minced and those are usually flexible enough to pass if a large piece is swallowed.
When in doubt, mince things up super fine, or offer huge pieces that are way too large to swallow for the size tortoise you are feeding.
Happy Torting!!!
These types of foods should be fed either whole or grated. Large pieces that cannot be swallowed whole, like large pumpkin wedges or whole cactus pads for example, will be bitten in to and eaten bite by bite. Since the tortoise bit it off with its own mouth, it can never be too large or have weird corners that cause it to get stuck in the throat. Such pieces will always be "bite size" for each individual tortoise. Likewise, grated pieces are a fine way to mix these sorts of food items in with greens, or hay for grass eating species.
For hatchlings and babies, grated may be too large. In this case, the food can be liquified into a mush in a blender or food processor to be mixed with other greens and such, or fed whole in large pieces so they have to bite off their own pieces. I feed whole opuntia pads to my hatchlings and they have no trouble eating them.
Softer foods like grocery store greens and some weeds can be chopped or minced and those are usually flexible enough to pass if a large piece is swallowed.
When in doubt, mince things up super fine, or offer huge pieces that are way too large to swallow for the size tortoise you are feeding.
Happy Torting!!!
