Feeding

 

 

 

 

What Do They Eat?

   Giant Aldabra tortoises are primarily vegetarians and mainly graze on grass and weeds such as plantains and dandelions with the very occasional treat of fruit. However, wild tortoises of this species can be flexible in their diet to exploit the benefit of food available, so they are described as opportunistic Omnivores. In their natural habitat they live on an island and can eat fish that have been washed ashore. Their homeland is quite stark, being a coral atoll and it is not unknown for them to feed on the bodies of other dead tortoises to maximise their nutritional intake - but these actions would be entirely as scavengers, rather than as predators.

 

   The diet of young tortoises in the wild is different from the adults as they take in more protein by eating worms and larvae of various insects. Tortoises require a good intake of calcium, for development of bones and shell. Hatchlings are capable of eating solid food within 3-7 days of birth.

 

   Aldabra Atoll has large areas where more than 20 different grasses and herb species grow and this is known as Tortoise Turf. They crop the grass so closely that plants have had to evolve differently to be able to continue to survive and pollinate, the tortoises leave a telltale path through the vegetation showing where they have been foraging and thus creating access trails for other species to follow.

 

   In captivity, vets say the two reasons why they see tortoises in their surgery is due to poor husbandry or the wrong diet. Excessive food may contribute to pyramiding of the shell by too rapid growth. Most tortoises in the world have a high fibre diet and the captive owners need to replicate this.

 

   Tortoises need plenty of grasses and hay in their diet, owners may think giving them salads is taking care of them and that feeding them the best they can is good, in their efforts to take care of a beloved pet. However, too much rich food is like us having a McDonald's everyday- it is not good for us even though many people would enjoy it. Tortoise owners need to be careful that they are not accidentally doing more harm than good. Everyone likes something indulgent, including the tortoises, but don’t take it to the extreme, use your common sense and feed them treats in moderation. Their systems are not geared up for rich food. The saying 'killing them with kindness' comes to mind.

 

   If you do decide to alter their diet then do it gradually, a variety of foods makes their life more interesting and if you only feed one type of food then you could be causing yourself problems in the future- a picky tortoise can be difficult to entice to eat if ill.

 

Do You Feed Them Tortoise Pellets?

   No. Pellets can be too high in proteins. Tortoises come from different areas of the world and need different diets. Generic tortoise pellets are not appropriate for all species. It would be fine to give them some as a treat or use as occasional enrichment but natural food is always best. Do your research before you choose the type of tortoise you want, there are about 40 different species to decide from. Availability of the correct diet for them should be a strong consideration of which animal you choose.

 

   Tortoises are not domesticated, they are wild animals living in captivity and owners need to mimic their natural diet and living conditions as much as possible. They are mainly herbivores and poor nutritious food is what Aldabra tortoises were designed to cope with.

 

   The more you learn about your tortoise the better you can provide for it. Saving you money in the long run by not making costly mistakes, which could put your animals’ health in jeopardy.

 

 

 

How Much Do They Grow In A Year?

   The amount of food available affects the number of growth rings the tortoise produces in a year, in a good year they could have numerous rings but in a lean year they do not have energy to spare to grow. New growth rings are added concentrically around each 'Scute' or segment of shell, so the animal grows quite quickly as the size increases exponentially.

 

   You need to remmber that the growth goes around each scute and they have 38 of them, so if there is a 1mm growth ring aroung wwach one, it does make quite a difference, they often seem to grow without you really noticing it. We can tell one of our big makes has grown since we got him - he will no longer fit through a shed’s single doorway!

 

 

 The pale grey / white lines are the new growth rings forming around each scute.

 

How Big Do They Get?

   Wild male adults typically have a Carapace shell length of 105cm (41 inches) but can grow to 4ft. The females get up to 3ft (91 cm). Tortoises kept in captivity will typically grow quicker, and can get bigger, than their wild counter parts as they have access to more food and it is normally of a better quality than food found in their natural home range. 

 

   Wild Aldabra tortoise size varies across the atoll, depending on how much food they have had access to in their lifetime and the type of food can also affect the smoothness of their shell. Too much fruit in their diet can cause pyramiding of the shell.

This is something that tortoise keepers need to be aware of. Too rapid a growth can cause issues such as problems moving due to over weight. Also weak bone structure, which is why captive animals need calcium supplements. Their bones are solid and without marrow inside them.

 

   A pinch of a vitamin and mineral supplement on their food, such as Nutrobal, is helpful if the diet is lacking. However, weeds contain plenty of natural calcium so do not over do it as it is possible to overdo it and cause another set of problems, everything in moderation is best.

 

   If an adult Aldabra tortoise stands fully upright on their four legs the head easily reaches an adult humans waist. Aldabra tortoises have large feet, like elephants, to help disperse their heavy weight when walking and make them more stable. The limbs are covered in bony scales to protect their soft skin.

 

   Thanks to a previous effortless lifestyle our big males need to do a little more exercise to build up muscle strength in order to achieve this but we are working towards improving their leg strength, it will just take a while.