WATCH: Owner Makes Tortoise-Safe Versions of Human Meals for Tiny Food Critic
Some pets have mastered The Food Stare. It’s a type of look possible only by pets, where they stare fixedly at their owner’s meal, sure that the longer they look, the sooner their human parent will relent and offer them a sample. After all, that pet has never ever been fed a day in their life before.
One little tortoise is enjoying a much fancier arrangement.
A pet owner showed off their tortoise’s growing culinary adventures. The adorable mealtime fun has been shared on multiple social media pages, including through.the.lleaves on Facebook and dear.fig on Instagram, showing clips of the little reptile digging into food prepared especially for him.
The idea is simple: let the tortoise get in on mealtime without simply handing over whatever the humans are eating.
“What should I make him next?” the caption of the video reads.
A Very Small Customer With a Very Good Appetite
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The tiny diner has a name: Fig.
Fans were quick to note that, ironically, based on the video, Fig did not seem to be a big fan of figs.
In fact, viewers on Facebook launched into humanizing the tortoise’s possible internal thoughts or resonated deeply with the little foodie. One viewer on Facebook, for instance, appreciated how he practically face-planted into a pumpkin spice latte and joked that they would have had a similar reaction.
His Menu Comes With an Important Caveat
The humanized dinner sessions starring a foodie of a tortoise may look like something humans could mimic themselves easily, but the creator made an important distinction in the caption: “all meals were made using tortoise safe ingredients.”
This is an important consideration that must always be taken into account for an animal whose nutritional needs are very different from ours.
The peer-reviewed Merck Veterinary Manual notes that tortoises depend heavily on plant material and fiber for healthy digestion. It lists leafy greens and vegetables, including endive, kale, broccoli, green beans, and shredded carrots, as foods that can be incorporated into appropriate tortoise diets.
What belongs on the menu depends on the animal and its nutritional needs, so the owner’s safety note is an important standard for everyone to follow to keep mealtime safe.
