# Will a tortoise stop eating once it's full?



## ceci3692 (Apr 8, 2012)

Or will it just continue to eat? I have a hard time telling when n how often and how much to feed my russian tortoise. I've read "enough to cover their shell" but confused on exactly how much that is.

 <3


----------



## Tom (Apr 8, 2012)

Yes they will, but that can take a while. When their appetite is up they can really put it away. 

The guideline you refer to is to feed them a pile of food as big as they are. It works. Its a fine guideline. At this time of year russians are supposed to be stocking up for breeding and the things to come. High appetite is normal. It won't hurt anything to feed more as long as your tortoise is getting sun and exercise and not getting fat.


----------



## dmmj (Apr 8, 2012)

Russian seem to have sulcata appetites in little bodies, remember they only are out for a short time in the wild so they are hard wired to eat as much as possible.


----------



## JoesMum (Apr 8, 2012)

The answer is usually... however, in the wild Russians live in in a climate of extremes and grab food when the climate allows it.

They don't seem to have an 'full' meter in place and eat until the food runs out.

You may have to restrict the volume Russians consume. A pile of food as big as their shell is a good starting point


----------



## GeoTerraTestudo (Apr 8, 2012)

I feed my Russians _ad libidum_, meaning as much as they want. I give them a big pile of greens or weeds about as big as they are every morning, and maybe some more again in the evening if they still appear to be hungry (i.e. "begging" by pacing their pens, looking up at me, etc.). They certainly have a big appetite, and as mentioned above, they need it because, somewhat like bears and squirrels, they need to build up fat stores to last them through their winter brumation (hibernation).

To answer your question, though, they do appear to reach satiation. I don't worry about feeding them too much, because if the pile is too big, they just leave what they don't want. As long as they get variety in their diet, exercise, and time outside, they are not going to become obese. Nevertheless, just in case, I do monitor their weight and length every month to make sure they are in good condition. As I have recently learned, as long as they are going to be brumating, then within reason, the chubbier the better.

An obese tortoise is one that is too fat to pull himself into his own shell, or that has trouble walking. However, for a temperate turtle that will be brumating for 2-6 months over the winter, such as _Testudo_, _Gopherus_, and _Terrapene_ species, a little pudge is a good thing.


----------



## Madkins007 (Apr 8, 2012)

I think all of the above is good advice. They do not have an 'off' switch because they live in places where there is often not enough good food to ever trigger it.

I agree with feeding pretty much all they want- as long as that is mostly stuff that is high in fiber and low in calories/carbs. Ideally it should be high in calcium as well. This would be most wild greens, store-bought dark lettuces and greens, flowers, mushrooms, stalks, etc.

Things with higher sugar, carb, and fat contents should be limited, like no bigger than their head. This would be fruits, meats, pellets, veggies with some sugar (carrots, etc.) and so on.


----------

