# Feeding butternut squash ?



## ChiKat (Sep 14, 2009)

I've seen it mentioned in various posts here that several of you feed your torts butternut squash occasionally.
Do you think this would benefit my 4-month old RT? 
Do you buy an actual squash or just baby food? And also, how often and how much do you feed your torts?
Sorry for all the questions!


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## Stazz (Sep 14, 2009)

Don't apologise Katie !!! This is what we're here for hehe.
I am not 100% about you 4 month old RT, but I am sure it's fine. I CAN answer the other questions though 

In my opinion, it would benefit any torts.....I buy actual butternut squash, pumpkin can be used too. I know of a few people who buy the organic butternut baby food, must have no sugars or preservatives in it, I think they just have water. My Tallula hated the babyfood though, she loves the real thing 

I try and feed a little helping of squash to her once a week, no more than that. What I do is I buy half a squash, and cut it up into pieces, I steam them (cook them) and then put each piece into an ice block tray and freeze it. So every time you want to feed you tort, you just have to take out a couple "ice blocks" and defrost them. Must be served at room temperature, not too hot, and not freezing cold  Hope that helps!!!


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## tortoisenerd (Sep 15, 2009)

There is a certain way to do it to supposedly "deworm" the tortoise (you can search the forum I don't remember exactly; and not sure I believe this either). Otherwise, it's a healthy food as part of a varied diet and has various nutrients not in the greens. I agree a little bit once a week. I will get the squash baby food as my tort likes it better and so do I for the prep time. Freezes great. I will also feed bite size pieces of yellow or zucchini squash every once in awhile (when we already buy it). Pumpkin (the plain canned kind or fresh) is also good. I will feed about 1/4 of the meal once a week or less of some kind of squash. When it's fresh, you can either cook it or not. If you cut it up small enough, I've noticed even my hatchling can handle it raw. This is one of the food however I do have to cut up quite small as otherwise he'll take a huge mouthful and choke it down! Silly guy. I like the baby food or canned pumpkin as it's no cutting or mashing. Also high water content so makes the tort pee. hehe As long as there are no additives, that's great. I go to Whole Foods or similar and get organic. I'm still on my first jar of baby food. With one hatchling tort I don't even care about the cost since he doesn't eat much....he eats better than we do.


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## bettinge (Sep 15, 2009)

I buy the butternut fresh, cut to size, and freeze. I steem up and serve the 1 inch cubes every Sunday. I make it part of my soak, weigh then feed squash routine.


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## Nay (Sep 15, 2009)

Only thing I would love to add is you can cut it in half, place in some water in a shallow glass dish and cover with saran wrap and 'neuk' it!!I put some butter and cinnamon and brown sugar and cook it like that for us, so easy. 
And another note, my cockatoo I have had for 12 years and who never ate anything really loved this method of cooking squash, we were so excited he finally tasted it and found he loved it!
Na


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## Maggie Cummings (Sep 15, 2009)

I feed different squashes and zuchinni to all my tortoises kinda regularly. I microwave it so that it's soft then I put it on a flat stone and let them have at it. All of my tortoises love it that way. My Russian (Fat Nat) is a very picky eater and even she loves cooked squash.
I had always believed that acorn squash had properties that got rid of parasites in tortoises. So I fed acorn squash to all my torts once a week believing I was keep away parasites. Then I got a sick baby and took him to the Vet. While we were they he decided to drop a nice turd on the table so my Vet ran a fecal, and it came back LOADED with parasites. She said he didn't have just a few, that he had more then what she considered normal. But...but he'd been eating acorn squash for months! Then I found out that it's the seeds that have that quality and you have to mash up the seeds and feed them to get rid of parasites...


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## bettinge (Sep 15, 2009)

Maggie, I've been nervous about seeds. I think I read somewhere they were toxic in something, but don't remember what. I know Yvonne said she does not clean the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin. Ground up seeds of pumpkin, squash and zuchinni are OK? I will change the way I feed squash right away, and get the good stuff in there!


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## Maggie Cummings (Sep 15, 2009)

You miss-understood me. I discovered that the ground up seeds of the acorn squash is what holds de-worming properties. I DON'T feed seeds to my tortoises. The research that I did never did tell me how many seeds to use to de-worm a tortoise. I imagine that it would be according to weight. I always clean out the seeds when I feed it to my tortoises...I thought that the meat of an acorn squash was what held the de-worming properties and so I fed that for years and all that time my sister was telling me that I was wrong, that it was the seeds...man I hate it when she's so right!!!


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## bettinge (Sep 15, 2009)

Thanks so much for clarifying! I was starting to feel bad I lost the whole summer not feeding the seeds.


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## tortoisenerd (Sep 15, 2009)

Maggie-Any idea what types of parasites the seeds would prevent/eliminate? Just worms, or others? There are lots of kinds of parasites, so not really worth the trouble for me if my tort is at low risk of getting them, and also the seeds would only do some kinds. Thanks!


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## Maggie Cummings (Sep 15, 2009)

Nope...I "think" round worms tape worms and ascarids...


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## ChiKat (Sep 15, 2009)

Thanks for the quick responses everyone!! Wow I didn't know it was something they could have weekly!
I'll get some baby food squash the next time I'm at the store. I'm going to the farmer's market next week too and my roommate said they have TONS of squash and other vegetables- I'm very excited!


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## Candy (Sep 16, 2009)

Stazz said:


> Don't apologise Katie !!! This is what we're here for hehe.
> I am not 100% about you 4 month old RT, but I am sure it's fine. I CAN answer the other questions though
> 
> In my opinion, it would benefit any torts.....I buy actual butternut squash, pumpkin can be used too. I know of a few people who buy the organic butternut baby food, must have no sugars or preservatives in it, I think they just have water. My Tallula hated the babyfood though, she loves the real thing
> ...



What a good idea. I never thought of putting it in ice trays.


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## Stazz (Sep 16, 2009)

LOL I wish I could claim that idea Candy, but someone on the forum told me they did it, can't for the life of me remember who !!!!  But it is SO easy and no mess no fuss


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