How Much Protein?

My RF currently gets protein bi-weekly but does get mushroom twice a week he’s finally eating and Mazuri with two meals a week. Mushroom consists of half a baby Bella (cause I like them sautéed in butter and garlic on the grill) and Mazuri 3 pieces wetted. His protein is one shrimp bi-weekly. I’ve tried worms, slugs, and soaked grain free cat food to no avail. The Skurt digs shrimp and chicken only. But I’ve been wondering what their protein intake is naturally? Skurt gets out daily for a few hours and ignores ALL bugs. However, I imagine in the wild they eat far more protein than I see recommended. Since I supplement with mushroom and Mazuri twice a week I think I’m covered but he will devour shrimp in a way he does not devour fruit and greens. Does anyone actually know the natural protein need of an RF? I have read monthly, bi-weekly, and some who provide none except Mazuri. All appear to be working but what’s optimal health wise?

I've wondered this too, because mine gets his share. He eats bugs, slugs, worms everyday outside, its becoming his preferred food

Toddrickfl1 said:

I've wondered this too, because mine gets his share. He eats bugs, slugs, worms everyday outside, its becoming his preferred food

Click to expand...

Mine ignores the outdoor offerings lol. He’s outside weekdays for an hour or two and weekends from 3-6 but ignores earthworms, slugs, and rolly pollies (pill bugs, potato bugs whatever you call them). He will ignore fruit for shrimp so I wonder if I’m not covering his protein base. @Anyfoot @Redfool @ZEROPILOT

I feed protein once a month now. But I also feed a very very high portion of weeds which also has protein in them.
Don’t forget there is protein in foliage too.

Anyfoot said:

I feed protein once a month now. But I also feed a very very high portion of weeds which also has protein in them.
Don’t forget there is protein in foliage too.

Click to expand...

Yours are outdoors too correct? I feed a lot of weeds 6 months a year when we have them sometimes more. For instance I’ve had weeds since February because it was unusually warm and expect them through November. But normally our growing season is April-early November. I imagine outdoor red foots are eating far more protein though. So your once a month is probably very different from my guys bi-weekly because he’s still small and indoors more. I just wanted to know in the wild what the ratio would be. I know none of us are in that situation but I’ve searched here for answers and elsewhere and found no “clean” data. Where are our South American members lol I’d love to know? Natural observations I’d love to learn about. @Toddrickfl1 mentioned his outdoors is scarfing down the bugs so I can only imagine in the wild they’re eating more than bi-weekly protein right?

daniellenc said:

Yours are outdoors too correct? I feed a lot of weeds 6 months a year when we have them sometimes more. For instance I’ve had weeds since February because it was unusually warm and expect them through November. But normally our growing season is April-early November. I imagine outdoor red foots are eating far more protein though. So your once a month is probably very different from my guys bi-weekly because he’s still small and indoors more. I just wanted to know in the wild what the ratio would be. I know none of us are in that situation but I’ve searched here for answers and elsewhere and found no “clean” data. Where are our South American members lol I’d love to know? Natural observations I’d love to learn about. @Toddrickfl1 mentioned his outdoors is scarfing down the bugs so I can only imagine in the wild they’re eating more than bi-weekly protein right?

Click to expand...

My babies have only been outside 3 or 4 times in over a yr.

@daniellenc. Do you offer a basking area at all. What are you using for heat and UVB?

He has a 100 watt CHE set to 84 but my probe is intentionally set by his hide. Under the CHE it’s always 92-94 degrees and he does bask unfortunately. His hide where I keep my sensor for temps and humidity is always above 80 but never hotter than 82. His entire cage other than underneath the CHE is between 80-84 degrees. For UVB he has a 5.0 fluorescent mounted 12 inches above him. His AP cage will be here by August I hope lol I ordered it in May. That will have RHP instead of CHE and I’m looking into Arcadia for UVB after reading here.

daniellenc said:

Yours are outdoors too correct? I feed a lot of weeds 6 months a year when we have them sometimes more. For instance I’ve had weeds since February because it was unusually warm and expect them through November. But normally our growing season is April-early November. I imagine outdoor red foots are eating far more protein though. So your once a month is probably very different from my guys bi-weekly because he’s still small and indoors more. I just wanted to know in the wild what the ratio would be. I know none of us are in that situation but I’ve searched here for answers and elsewhere and found no “clean” data. Where are our South American members lol I’d love to know? Natural observations I’d love to learn about. @Toddrickfl1 mentioned his outdoors is scarfing down the bugs so I can only imagine in the wild they’re eating more than bi-weekly protein right?

Click to expand...

I’ve fed protein weekly in the past, and now monthly. With a varied mixed diet. There is no difference. I’ve fed very high fruit content and very high mushroom content. There is no difference. I’ve fed virtually a weeds only diet and there’s no difference.
This is what I think is the most important regarding diet, they need a high calcium and vitamin intake. If you fed only mushrooms they would lack calcium, if you fed only fruit they would lack protein for example. We need to get the balance. The best way to do that is feed a varied diet with a good calcium to phosphorus ratio that includes vitamins and protein. To guarantee that with any mixed diet add nutrobal(or some equivalent). The best diet in the world is useless if your growing a tort dry. To sum up, don’t worry too much if your feeding protein once, twice or three times a month. Just make sure you feed a mix so they get everything.

daniellenc said:

He has a 100 watt CHE set to 84 but my probe is intentionally set by his hide. Under the CHE it’s always 92-94 degrees and he does bask unfortunately. His hide where I keep my sensor for temps and humidity is always above 80 but never hotter than 82. His entire cage other than underneath the CHE is between 80-84 degrees. For UVB he has a 5.0 fluorescent mounted 12 inches above him. His AP cage will be here by August I hope lol I ordered it in May. That will have RHP instead of CHE and I’m looking into Arcadia for UVB after reading here.

Click to expand...

What’s an AP cage?

Anyfoot said:

I’ve fed protein weekly in the past, and now monthly. With a varied mixed diet. There is no difference. I’ve fed very high fruit content and very high mushroom content. There is no difference. I’ve fed virtually a weeds only diet and there’s no difference.
This is what I think is the most important regarding diet, they need a high calcium and vitamin intake. If you fed only mushrooms they would lack calcium, if you fed only fruit they would lack protein for example. We need to get the balance. The best way to do that is feed a varied diet with a good calcium to phosphorus ratio that includes vitamins and protein. To guarantee that with any mixed diet add nutrobal(or some equivalent). The best diet in the world is useless if your growing a tort dry. To sum up, don’t worry too much if your feeding protein once, twice or three times a month. Just make sure you feed a mix so they get everything.

Click to expand...

Ok I feel slightly better. He/she gets a lot of variety of weeds and greens. I guess I’ll stick to bi-weekly protein just wish we had a magic formula sometimes

daniellenc said:

Ok I feel slightly better. He/she gets a lot of variety of weeds and greens. I guess I’ll stick to bi-weekly protein just wish we had a magic formula sometimes

Click to expand...

There is no magic formula for food. Do you think every baby redfoot out in the wild gets the exact same portion of diet, NO. I’ll bet some hatch out in an area that is plentiful with bugs and others plentiful with fungi and others foliage for example.

I’ll bet not many hatchlings have access to fruit like we all feed.

Anyfoot said:

I’ll bet not many hatchlings have access to fruit like we all feed.

Click to expand...

I bet they eat rotten fruit that has fallen and in dry seasons none at all.

daniellenc said:

I bet they eat rotten fruit that has fallen and in dry seasons none at all.

Click to expand...

Some will. Some won’t. I just don’t believe that every single baby redfoot that’s out there in the old gets the exact same foods.

Anyfoot said:

What’s an AP cage?

Click to expand...

Animal plastics. I can’t build sooo they’re doing the good stuff for me. That’s the model I chose but they have tons of other models.