We have frequently had discussions on this forum about tortoise knowing what is best for themselves. That they have survived for millions of years without our help is a frequently repeated assertion.
I argue that sometimes in our man made enclosure in our foreign (foreign to our exotic tortoise species) countries, they are introduced to plants, both toxic and non-toxic, that do not exist in their native lands. They also experience unnatural conditions in a variety of ways due to our captive care that can influence their decisions about what to eat or do.
Case in point: I spent the morning at my friend's vet hospital. He is an exotic bird and reptile specialist and an excellent vet in my opinion. He asked us to help him with a big tortoise in the back. Apparently he had a 300 pound aldabra that needed coelomic fluids administered and he needed help turning it on its side. We were glad to help. He explained that the owner had recently added some decorative plants to the lovely well landscaped back yard and this tortoise and his Galapagos tortoise decided to sample the new plants. The 14 year old Galop is now dead. D-E-A-D. Not coming back. Somebody told this guy that tortoises had survived in the wild for millions of years without our help and they knew what to eat and what not to eat. Apparently no one told this guy's tortoises. They are trying to save the Aldabra, but his chances of survival are not yet clear. Blood and toxicology have been done, so there is now doubt about the COD on the Galop.
The offending plants were decorative loquats, jasmine and one other that I can't remember now. I'll say it again: I do not recommend letting your tortoises have access to toxic plants. Sometimes in some cases, tortoises WILL choose to eat foreign toxic plants despite millions of years of evolution, and our human assertions to the contrary. Because some of them sometimes DON'T choose to eat toxic plants, does not mean that NONE of them will ever eat a toxic plant from a foreign country.
Such a terrible sad way for this man to learn this lesson, but I hope in sharing this awful story someone else's tortoises won't suffer the same fate.
I argue that sometimes in our man made enclosure in our foreign (foreign to our exotic tortoise species) countries, they are introduced to plants, both toxic and non-toxic, that do not exist in their native lands. They also experience unnatural conditions in a variety of ways due to our captive care that can influence their decisions about what to eat or do.
Case in point: I spent the morning at my friend's vet hospital. He is an exotic bird and reptile specialist and an excellent vet in my opinion. He asked us to help him with a big tortoise in the back. Apparently he had a 300 pound aldabra that needed coelomic fluids administered and he needed help turning it on its side. We were glad to help. He explained that the owner had recently added some decorative plants to the lovely well landscaped back yard and this tortoise and his Galapagos tortoise decided to sample the new plants. The 14 year old Galop is now dead. D-E-A-D. Not coming back. Somebody told this guy that tortoises had survived in the wild for millions of years without our help and they knew what to eat and what not to eat. Apparently no one told this guy's tortoises. They are trying to save the Aldabra, but his chances of survival are not yet clear. Blood and toxicology have been done, so there is now doubt about the COD on the Galop.
The offending plants were decorative loquats, jasmine and one other that I can't remember now. I'll say it again: I do not recommend letting your tortoises have access to toxic plants. Sometimes in some cases, tortoises WILL choose to eat foreign toxic plants despite millions of years of evolution, and our human assertions to the contrary. Because some of them sometimes DON'T choose to eat toxic plants, does not mean that NONE of them will ever eat a toxic plant from a foreign country.
Such a terrible sad way for this man to learn this lesson, but I hope in sharing this awful story someone else's tortoises won't suffer the same fate.