Feeding wrong food?

luna17

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Hello everyone I have a young yellow footed tortoise. I'm worried I'm feeding her the wrong things because she is so lightweight. She doesn't eat too much either.

I just recently held a redfoot tortoise around the same age as my yellow Foot Tortoise and he was about twice as heavy.

Can someone help me? These are the foods I feed my tortoise:

-Zilla fruit and vegetable mix. She does eat.
-Zoo Med Forest turtle food. She does not like to eat.(yes it's soaked in water)
-She also gets hibiscus leaves whoxh she doesn't eat.

She gets a soak everyday she has UVB lighting heat Source shelter clean water constantly and vitamins.


Can anyone help me? Thanks -David
 

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Yvonne G

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You should be looking more towards fresh fruits and vegetables/greens. Those manufactured diets are all well and good, but fresh is always best.
 

Anyfoot

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Go out and pick some weeds, thistles, dandelions, clovers, plantains and nettles for example. See what happens. Make sure you don't pick them from an area that has pesticides sprayed on them.
 

luna17

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Go out and pick some weeds, thistles, dandelions, clovers, plantains and nettles for example. See what happens. Make sure you don't pick them from an area that has pesticides sprayed on them.

Should I wet them? Or give them dry?
 

JoesMum

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Temperatures can affect a torts appetite too. Do you know what your temps are?
I also support the previous suggestions of expanding it's diet with more fresh weeds.
This website can help ID tort safe plants including store produce.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/index.php#.WgncfjOIbqC
The Tortoise Table is great for the grassland species: Testudo, Sulcatas, Leopard Torts...

However, it will recommend against the sweet foods and protein foods that the omniverous species like redfoot and yellowfoot eat. It is important to read the details as to why a plant may not be recommended as it might not apply to this tort.

I agree that temperature may play a part. What temperatures do you have in the enclosure? Is it closed or open? We are happy to check over photos of your setup for you.

Don't overdo the vitamins. A tiny pinch of calcium powder 3 times a week is plenty.

Wetting the fresh food before feeding it can be a good way of keeping your tortoise hydrated
 

TammyJ

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Try giving a hard boiled egg smashed up with the shell, once or twice per week. Good protein and calcium.
Fresh veggies like okra, sweet peppers, mustard greens, are very good.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I also thought temperature.
Your tortoise needs to be kept from 80 to 90 degrees. (78 to 88?)
But 80 degrees is the minimal temperature needed for digestion.
Redfoot and Yellowfoot have almost the same diets. They can eat a huge variety of foods. Much more than other species. So I would throw away most of the pellets and start offering fruit, greens, flowers, etc.
Check out our Redfoot care food section. I'm sure you'll find LOADS of food items that you can find or obtain easily.
 

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