Re: Another galop nutrition question

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Posted by A. C. Highfield on July 08, 2000 at 03:50:47:

In Reply to: Another galop nutrition question posted by Peter on July 08, 2000 at 02:21:44:

: The guy I bought my galop from said that I should only feed her alfalfa hay. He said other hay was too dry and indigestible, and that he knows of galops who died from being "bound up". It was my impression that a diet too low in fiber was a much more common prob;em than too high in fiber. I know they need free access to grass and fresh greens, but I didn't think you could give a tortoise "too much fiber."
: Her previous owner also suggested giving her egg shells for a source of calcium, which I knew about. He said too leave some of the yolk in as a good source of protein. It wold seem to me that egg yolk would be too high in protein. Any thoughts, comments would be apprciated.
: As an aside, at what age can you breed galops? Its going to be many years before I can afford another galop, and I got her as a pet, not to make money, but I am curious about their breeding age.

Quite amazing that the tortoise is still alive, considering....

Contrary to popular belief (fostered, I believe, by some rather cranky info in a TFH book), chicken eggshells are not wonderful sources of calcium - and can contain many potentially harmful substances. Stick with food grade calcium carbonate. As for "protein", this is more than adequately supplied by their normal graze. You are absolutely right - "too much fiber" is hard to imagine in the case of a Galapagos tortoise..

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: : The guy I bought my galop from said that I should only feed her alfalfa hay. He said other hay was too dry and indigestible, and that he knows of galops who died from being "bound up". It was my impression that a diet too low in fiber was a much more common prob;em than too high in fiber. I know they need free access to grass and fresh greens, but I didn't think you could give a tortoise "too much fiber." : : Her previous owner also suggested giving her egg shells for a source of calcium, which I knew about. He said too leave some of the yolk in as a good source of protein. It wold seem to me that egg yolk would be too high in protein. Any thoughts, comments would be apprciated. : : As an aside, at what age can you breed galops? Its going to be many years before I can afford another galop, and I got her as a pet, not to make money, but I am curious about their breeding age. : Quite amazing that the tortoise is still alive, considering.... : Contrary to popular belief (fostered, I believe, by some rather cranky info in a TFH book), chicken eggshells are not wonderful sources of calcium - and can contain many potentially harmful substances. Stick with food grade calcium carbonate. As for "protein", this is more than adequately supplied by their normal graze. You are absolutely right - "too much fiber" is hard to imagine in the case of a Galapagos tortoise..

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