Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo elegans) in their native habitat graze on plants rich in raw fibers and calcium-rich plants; unfortunately, many captive-bred neonates begin life eating foods inappropriate to their species, creating resistance against making healthy choices in later years.
Assuring your Hermann’s tortoise habitat is large enough includes providing plenty of rocks and plants for climbing, as well as providing access to freshwater sources as well as basking/UVB lights for proper lighting.
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Cuttlebone
Cuttlebones make an excellent calcium supplement and enrichment tool for tortoises, serving both purposes in equal measure. Constructed naturally from the biomineralized shell of cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), these bones float after they die like foam on the ocean’s surface after death.
Cuttlebones can be found at most pet stores and come pre-sterilized for your convenience, lasting a long time with no unpleasant odor. Alternatively, calcium blocks and ground oyster shells may also work.
Tortoises engage in chewing activity when nibbling on cuttlebone, helping them maintain an ideal beak length while stimulating both mentally and physically. While not necessary for most species, it may help those that tend to overgrow their beaks to maintain them at an appropriate length. Commercial pellet feeds do provide adequate protein; however they may lead to malnutrition if used exclusively as sustenance.
Store-bought greens
Leafy greens such as spinach, kale and parsley make an easy addition to most meals and provide your tortoise with additional vitamins and minerals. However, proper storage is key to keeping these greens fresh. Use glass or Pyrex containers instead of single-use plastic bags when shopping, and reusable fabric kitchen towels as bottom liners. Once home from the market, be sure to clean and dry your greens thoroughly before placing them in the fridge. Moyer advises against opening the bag of greens until you’re ready to eat them, as this exposes them to oxygen and carbon dioxide that could potentially cause them to spoil faster. To extend their life and ensure their freshness for as long as possible, squeezing out excess air before clipping the bag for storage is another good strategy.
Invertebrates
At some point in your life, chances are high that you have eaten an insect or spider for food – and likely enjoyed its fruits of labor as insects are one of the many invertebrate workers of nature. Invertebrates make up 90%+ of animal species on earth – found everywhere from upper atmosphere to dry deserts to rainforest canopies.
Insects, for instance, are an increasingly popular source of protein for many countries. Requiring less food, water and land than traditional sources such as meat or poultry production and reproducing within weeks rather than years compared with most vertebrate species – insects are also abundant sources of natural products used medicinally that come mainly from marine invertebrates that fall under the categories Porifera Mollusca Cnidaria Echinodermata.
Commercial pellet feeds
Feed pellets are made up of dry ingredients that have been compressed together into small round shapes using pressure, then heated chamber-rolled. Once made, these pellets can then be sweetened to reduce dustiness and easier handling – these types of feedstuffs may include grains as well as materials such as fruit and other sources – making this form of feed particularly suitable for horses suffering respiratory ailments.
Pellet quality can be measured by its percentage of fines. Unfortunately, fines levels can increase during storage and transportation from feed mill to farm, which negatively impacts feed conversion. One way of mitigating this problem would be using sieve sizes that are uniform across feed mills and farms.
Feed manufacturers can improve pellet integrity by decreasing their reliance on non-nutritive feed additives such as pellet binders. Diet formulation should still meet nutrient needs; ingredients selected should have multiple properties that contribute to high pelleting efficiency and starch gelatinization.
