This looks familiar lol #DrEvanAntin #Repost @dr.evanantin γ»γ»γ» The #Tortoise and the #Hare...MEME THIS! While tortoise and rabbits have many differences (mammal vs reptile; fast vs slow; high alert vs relatively "chill"; fuzzy vs scaly+shell), they have something very much in common! And that's their #gastrointestinal tract and they're both #herbivores ! Both tortoises and rabbits are "Hind Gut Fermenters." The hind gut, in reference to their large intestines, is extremely important because billions of bacterial colonies, essential to their daily livelihood, actually ferment all that grass and hay and plant material they ingest (aka consume aka eat). Grass and hay innately have very little nutritional value yet tortoises and rabbits still need the exact same macronutrient building blocks that we as humans (as well as our pet dogs) need for daily metabolic function: Proteins, Carbohydrates, & Fats. It's this valuable fermentation process that converts low-nutritional value plants to digestible proteins/carbs/fats and the bacteria doing the fermenting need "food" everyday to maintain proper health and function. Hence rabbits and tortoises eating CONSTANTLY. FYI for this same reason, many antibiotics that are ok for carnivores and omnivores are in fact fatal for hind-gut fermenters because they can kill off the "good" bacteria in their guts (ie penicillins, cephalosporins, most macrolides). Isn't gastrointestinal physiology just fascinating!? Another FYI, "turtles" ARE NOT hind gut fermenters because they're omnivores or carnivores so "turtle" is NOT synonymous with "tortoise." Last FYI, horses and guinea pigs are also hind-gut fermenters! #nerd #GI #health #digestion #vet #veterinary #tortoiseandthehare #exotics #didwelearnsomethingtoday #dontjudgemynerdlevel #itsbadsometimes #π€
