If you let a tortoise walk around in the yard, you may discover it has eaten a slug or a snail.
While the dangers of eating gastropods are known to humans, tortoises are reptiles. So, you may be curious if eating slugs affects tortoises in the same negative way.
Slugs and snails aren’t poisonous to tortoises unless they eat too many. They contain protein, which a tortoise can over-consume. Also, slugs and snails carry parasites that could make a tortoise sick.
Eating a slug occasionally won’t kill a tortoise. Tortoises often eat slugs in the wild, but there are safer ways of providing a tortoise with the nutrition it needs.
Do Tortoises Eat Slugs and Snails?
As stated, wild tortoises commonly eat slugs and snails. Slugs and snails aren’t their main source of nutrition, but if a tortoise can find them, it will eat them.
According to Biology Letters, tortoises eat snails so often in certain parts of the world that slug species have evolved to defend against tortoises.
Herpetology Notes stated that tortoises commonly eat land snails, though only 3 of the 10 the researchers were tracking did so, so not all tortoises like eating slugs and snails.
Slugs provide tortoises with protein, while snails provide protein and calcium due to their shells. Although many things can go wrong if a tortoise eats a snail or slug, wild tortoises will feast on them because they’re opportunistic foragers.
Are Slugs Bad for Tortoises?
A tortoise may not be in immediate peril if it eats a slug. Still, you will need to monitor its health for a few days to ensure everything’s alright.
Eating slugs can be dangerous for tortoises for the following reasons:
Protein Overdose
Tortoises need protein, but not as much as other animals. Too much protein can lead to:
- Kidney failure
- Weight gain
- Death
Slugs contain a lot of protein, but it’s unlikely that your tortoises will eat enough of them.
Throat And Nasal Blockage
When tortoises eat slugs, they froth up around their mouths and stick to their faces.
Because they’re so thick and sticky, the slug can block the tortoise’s nasal cavity and throat. Eating slugs can inhibit breathing if the tortoise has or is recovering from a throat or sinus infection.
If your tortoise can’t breathe, one of the first things you’ll notice is noisy breathing. If you look up the tortoise’s nostrils, you may also see some slug residue.
Parasites
Slugs can carry an array of different worms and parasites. While these parasites may not harm the slug, they may harm your tortoise if it ingests it. Depending on the parasite the slug hosted, your tortoise can experience mild discomfort or become ill.
One of the first signs that something is wrong with your tortoise’s stomach is the color and consistency of the stool, as well as your tortoise’s behavior toward food.
After your tortoise eats one or more slugs, note any loss of appetite or changes in its feces.
Chemicals
Common garden slugs may contain chemicals from any pesticides they’ve ingested. If a tortoise eats a slug exposed to garden chemicals, it could cause secondary poisoning.
If the tortoise has lost its appetite, become lethargic and unresponsive, or has trouble walking properly, take it to a veterinarian. If you’ve sprayed pesticides around your garden and saw the tortoise eat a slug, you shouldn’t wait for any symptoms to arise.
How Many Snails And Slugs Can a Tortoise Eat?
How many snails and slugs a tortoise can eat depends on size and diet. The smaller the tortoise is, the fewer snails and slugs it can eat before it ingests too much protein.
Tortoises don’t need as much protein as other animals, so a small tortoise will only need some in its diet to function properly. If your tortoise is big and healthy, it can get away with eating several slugs.
If you want to feed your tortoise snails, canned snails for reptiles are recommended. They’re safe for the tortoise to eat, but you should be mindful of the amount of protein it already has in its regular diet.
Can You Give Tortoises Canned Snails?
Giving a tortoise canned snails is safer than letting it eat wild snails from your garden. With that said, you shouldn’t regularly give your tortoise snails, even if they’re of the safe variety.
If you want to give your tortoise snails due to the nutrients, there are other ways of getting your tortoise what it needs. To substitute the protein and calcium, you can offer your tortoise the following:
- Cuttlebone
- Boiled eggs
- Avocados
- Green beans
If you get canned snails for your tortoise, get a brand specifically for captive reptiles.
Are Slug Pellets Harmful to Tortoises?
Slug pellets are pesticides used to kill mollusks like snails and slugs. They’re extremely toxic, so if your tortoise ingests them, you’ll need to take them to the vet without delay.
If you have a slug problem in your yard but want to let your tortoise outside, you can replace the slug pellets with something less toxic. Fortunately, there are several alternatives available.
Salt and beer work well for killing snails and slugs. Cheap beer is a liquid that the soil will absorb, so there’s no way for your tortoise to ingest it. As for salt, it’s a mineral that doesn’t harm tortoises.
If you can’t use beer or salt to kill the garden slugs, you must section off a safe space for your tortoise to stay in while it’s outside. As long as it can roam freely around the yard, the risk of ingesting slug pellets is too great.
