Baby Redfoot Only Wants to Eat Fruits & Pellets

[rumantra]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to tortoise keeping. I have a baby Redfoot that's about 7-8 cm and super cute : ) I offer my baby Redfoot various mixed salads every day, but he/she never seems interested in eating any greens (kale, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves) and only wants to eat fruits and pellets. I also offer some flowers; sometimes he really loves the butterfly pea flower, but he's not interested in hibiscus flowers (which kind of took me by surprise since I've seen so many videos of RFs eating hibiscus flowers).

Any tips on how to make my baby RF eat greens? Or should I just let it be?

 

[mojo_1]

It takes some time for them to get use to their new environment. You can soak the pellets and smear them on the greens to get it to start eating them. You can stop giving it the fruits and pellets and just give it the greens (sort of a toughlove approach) it will not starve to death. They will start eating when it gets hungry enough to not be picky. Also what are the lighting,temps, and humidity readings these things also play into them eating, and having a properly working digestive system.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

This article might also be helpful: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-diet/introducing-a-new-diet/

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'd stop the pellets together and offer less fruit. But chop it up ultra fine and mix it in with other foods.
Redfoot can get spoiled just like a child. He/she won't starve. I promise.

 

[rumantra]

Thank you so much for all of your great informations, I'll gradually do the tough love approach, hopefully he will eat some greens : )
Temps and Humidity are good, I live in Island of Bali we have tropical humid climate here similar to where they from.

 

[rumantra]

On day 2 stopping fruits / pellets and just offering greens, baby RF eating the greens (not super enthusiastic about it tho hahahaha)
This is harder for me than the baby RF

 

[mojo_1]

On day 2 stopping fruits / pellets and just offering greens, baby RF eating the greens (not super enthusiastic about it tho hahahaha)
This is harder for me than the baby RF

It usually is. Just wait till it throws a tantrum after it gets to 10 cm. It will turn into a bulldozing A-hole that over turns everything in the enclosure. Cue appropriately theme music (Miley cyrus wrecking ball) oh and then has the audacity to give you the look, like what are you going to do about it. In the end you can't help but love them.😁

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Great that you are making progress with feeding the greens 😅 Hopefully the end result will be a happy and healthy tortoise

 

[Newredfoot24]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to tortoise keeping. I have a baby Redfoot that's about 7-8 cm and super cute : ) I offer my baby Redfoot various mixed salads every day, but he/she never seems interested in eating any greens (kale, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves) and only wants to eat fruits and pellets. I also offer some flowers; sometimes he really loves the butterfly pea flower, but he's not interested in hibiscus flowers (which kind of took me by surprise since I've seen so many videos of RFs eating hibiscus flowers).

Any tips on how to make my baby RF eat greens? Or should I just let it be?

My baby Redfoot is the same way will only eat certain things 😅 but I’m glad I found your post so now I know as well to not give in and only offer greens 🐢💓

 

[TammyJ]

What are the pellets? Also please remember that Redfoots need some protein such as hard boiled egg sometimes. And Opuntia cactus pads. If you can get the cactus, put fairly large young pads in his enclosure so he can bite off mouthfuls, or grater it on his other food. Pumpkin leaves and flowers are good too.

 

[rumantra]

ok so I guess I sort of figure out how to handle this situation: yes, with tough love.
I group my feeding menu into two, his / her favorite (fruit, flower, pellet, cuttlebone) and non-favorite (greens).
The idea is, on the day he get his favorite he will eat everything happily, on the non favorite day he will 'forced' to eat what I offer.
BUT, I offer greens everyday because I'm hopeful like that lol.

Here is my feeding schedule
Greens: kale, hibiscus leaf, mulberry leaf (randomize every time, can be mix or just single)
Fruits: I give 2 different fruits everytime, never repeat on the same week)
Flower: hibiscus, butterfly pea
Misc: opuntia cactus, zucchini

Monday: greens, misc
Tuesday: greens, Mazuri pellet (one single pellet, so he will still hungry enough to be forced to eat the greens)
Wednesday: greens, fruits, flower
Thursday: greens, Mazuri (one single pellet, so he will still hungry enough to be forced to eat the greens)
Friday: greens, fruits, cuttlebone,
Saturday: greens, misc
Sunday: greens, fruits, flower
This seems to work with my redfoot, he eat his greens on his non-favorite day, still not enthusiastic but hey.... : ) but feel free if you think it needs improvement

The temperature and humidity here in Bali is just perfect, hot and humid almost the same like in South America.

Now..... I know RF needs to have a bit of animal protein, I try to offer earthworm but he / she was like: wth is this and move on. May I have suggestion on other animal protein to offer? Also, how much to give?

 

[mojo_1]

ok so I guess I sort of figure out how to handle this situation: yes, with tough love.
I group my feeding menu into two, his / her favorite (fruit, flower, pellet, cuttlebone) and non-favorite (greens).
The idea is, on the day he get his favorite he will eat everything happily, on the non favorite day he will 'forced' to eat what I offer.
BUT, I offer greens everyday because I'm hopeful like that lol.

Here is my feeding schedule
Greens: kale, hibiscus leaf, mulberry leaf (randomize every time, can be mix or just single)
Fruits: I give 2 different fruits everytime, never repeat on the same week)
Flower: hibiscus, butterfly pea
Misc: opuntia cactus, zucchini

Monday: greens, misc
Tuesday: greens, Mazuri pellet (one single pellet, so he will still hungry enough to be forced to eat the greens)
Wednesday: greens, fruits, flower
Thursday: greens, Mazuri (one single pellet, so he will still hungry enough to be forced to eat the greens)
Friday: greens, fruits, cuttlebone,
Saturday: greens, misc
Sunday: greens, fruits, flower
This seems to work with my redfoot, he eat his greens on his non-favorite day, still not enthusiastic but hey.... : ) but feel free if you think it needs improvement

The temperature and humidity here in Bali is just perfect, hot and humid almost the same like in South America.

Now..... I know RF needs to have a bit of animal protein, I try to offer earthworm but he / she was like: wth is this and move on. May I have suggestion on other animal protein to offer? Also, how much to give?

Boil a plain chicken breast and also chop up all the food you give in small pieces. I found that mojo started eating more when I started chopping everything up in about 1/2" size squares.

 

[rumantra]

Boil a plain chicken breast and also chop up all the food you give in small pieces. I found that mojo started eating more when I started chopping everything up in about 1/2" size squares.

Thats great to know, is it ok to give beef / pork / pork & beef organs?
I cook my dog pork and beef so it will be very convenience if I can take a bit from my dog and give to my RF..

 

[rumantra]

What are the pellets? Also please remember that Redfoots need some protein such as hard boiled egg sometimes. And Opuntia cactus pads. If you can get the cactus, put fairly large young pads in his enclosure so he can bite off mouthfuls, or grater it on his other food. Pumpkin leaves and flowers are good too.

which part of boiled egg I should offer? the white or the yellow or both?

 

[mojo_1]

which part of boiled egg I should offer? the white or the yellow or both?

The whole thing

 

[rumantra]

The whole thing

one more question please, is once a month enough to give animal protein?

 

[mojo_1]

Thats great to know, is it ok to give beef / pork / pork & beef organs?
I cook my dog pork and beef so it will be very convenience if I can take a bit from my dog and give to my RF..

Stick to chicken or peeled de-tailed shrimp. If you hang on to some super worms for about a month their slow enough you're tort may eat them.

 

[mojo_1]

Stick to chicken or peeled de-tailed shrimp. If you hang on to some super worms for about a month their slow enough you're tort may eat them.

I personally do it about once a week right now.

 

[sissyofone]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to tortoise keeping. I have a baby Redfoot that's about 7-8 cm and super cute : ) I offer my baby Redfoot various mixed salads every day, but he/she never seems interested in eating any greens (kale, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves) and only wants to eat fruits and pellets. I also offer some flowers; sometimes he really loves the butterfly pea flower, but he's not interested in hibiscus flowers (which kind of took me by surprise since I've seen so many videos of RFs eating hibiscus flowers).

Any tips on how to make my baby RF eat greens? Or should I just let it be?

Hi, I'm not sure how big your little red is but I've soaked mazuri to get it soft and mixed greens with it in my blender to feed to the little ones before. They took to it well.
Good Luck

 

[mojo_1]

Hi, I'm not sure how big your little red is but I've soaked mazuri to get it soft and mixed greens with it in my blender to feed to the little ones before. They took to it well.
Good Luck

Yes I agree with this soak the Mazuri first.