You're missing the POINT

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Posted by Merri on March 13, 2002 at 09:37:32:

In Reply to: Re: Experiment posted by danya on March 12, 2002 at 21:48:07:

What do sulcatas really eat in the wild? Dandelion greens, doubtfully they do not grow in Africa
Lettuce, once again does not grow in Africa
Opuntia (which is considered very good for them), there is no cactus out side of the western hemisphere
Store bought greens in general, I'm sure sulcatas do not walk into their local safeway and pick up a bunch of ________ (fill in the blank)
American grasses (inc. bermuda, St. Augustine, rye, Kentucky bluegrass, crab grass, et cetera), do not grow in Africa, and also could not survive in the sulcata�s native climate, they all need way too much water
Alfalfa, timothy, and miscellaneous hays, these are probably close to the dried vegetation they eat, but are not nutritionally sound
Now could you please explain to me why the above foods are in any way better than chards, beet greens, kale, spinach et cetera. I have yet to see any proof that the above mentioned foods are in any way bad for tortoises. Almost all the theories surrounding tortoise diet are based on what people fed them when they first came into the country. Certain greens were arbitrarily called "bad", but, as of yet, I have never seen any scientific evidence that any leafy green vegetable is a "good" or "bad" food item.
As for your little experiment. In the wild (the Andes) guinea pigs eat a diet very similar to tortoises. They do not eat guinea pig pellets, or anything close to any of the foods that are commercially available. If you feed a guinea pig anything other than greens, hay, and some fresh vegetables you are drastically experimenting with its diet. Also, I see no problem with experimenting with which greens are healthiest for a guinea pig. Likewise, I see no problem with seeing what greens are the healthiest for tortoises.
Thanks, Merri

Follow Ups:

Re: You're missing the POINT danya 03/13/02 (6)
- Re: You're missing the POINT Justin 03/14/02 (5)
  - Re: You're missing the POINT danya 03/14/02 (4)
    - Re: You're missing the POINT Justin 03/14/02 (3)
      - Re: You're missing the POINT danya 03/14/02 (2)
        
        Danya nathan 03/15/02 (1)
        
        (not unlike this person) n/p EJ 03/15/02 (0)
actually: You're missing the POINT nathan 03/13/02 (1)
- Re: actually: You're missing the POINT Justin 03/14/02 (0)
Re: You're missing the POINT ShannonM 03/13/02 (1)
- Re: You're missing the POINT Justin 03/13/02 (0)

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: What do sulcatas really eat in the wild? Dandelion greens, doubtfully they do not grow in Africa : Lettuce, once again does not grow in Africa : Opuntia (which is considered very good for them), there is no cactus out side of the western hemisphere : Store bought greens in general, I'm sure sulcatas do not walk into their local safeway and pick up a bunch of ________ (fill in the blank) : American grasses (inc. bermuda, St. Augustine, rye, Kentucky bluegrass, crab grass, et cetera), do not grow in Africa, and also could not survive in the sulcata�s native climate, they all need way too much water : Alfalfa, timothy, and miscellaneous hays, these are probably close to the dried vegetation they eat, but are not nutritionally sound : Now could you please explain to me why the above foods are in any way better than chards, beet greens, kale, spinach et cetera. I have yet to see any proof that the above mentioned foods are in any way bad for tortoises. Almost all the theories surrounding tortoise diet are based on what people fed them when they first came into the country. Certain greens were arbitrarily called "bad", but, as of yet, I have never seen any scientific evidence that any leafy green vegetable is a "good" or "bad" food item. : As for your little experiment. In the wild (the Andes) guinea pigs eat a diet very similar to tortoises. They do not eat guinea pig pellets, or anything close to any of the foods that are commercially available. If you feed a guinea pig anything other than greens, hay, and some fresh vegetables you are drastically experimenting with its diet. Also, I see no problem with experimenting with which greens are healthiest for a guinea pig. Likewise, I see no problem with seeing what greens are the healthiest for tortoises. : Thanks, Merri

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