Can my RT eat too much?

[Miyu]

Hello All,

Quick question, can Turbo (my RT) eat too much? He really loves endive and spring greens (especially endives). Depending on what I give him that day (endive or spring greens individually or combined), he can usually eat 1 whole endive a day or 1-2 small handfuls of spring greens. He usually eats when he wakes up (7-8am when his lights turns on), at night (5-6pm), and after soaking/being out of his enclosure (not as much though). He is a pretty active guy in general during the day but he sleeps through the night (~7pm-7am).

As for how I feed him, he has a couple of feeding dishes in his enclosure that I put his food in for the day (replace it daily) and it's usually free-choice. When I get home from work, if there is not food, I usually refill it a bit.

So is Turbo eating too much? Too little? Just right?

If he is eating too much, is it bad for him?

I should mention, he is an adult (male) RT.

Thank you!!!

 

[wellington]

As long as he is in a proper sized enclosure, or better outside and has room to roam around, they really can't eat too much. Is he's a baby they should have food available all the time. For an adult, I feed mine a big handful in the morning and that's all. If he eats it all, I'll give him a bigger handful the next day. He goes thru times of eating a lot and then eating very little. I adjust the amount to this. During the summer he lives outside so can graze if he wants too.

 

[RosemaryDW]

What Wellington said. Given enough room to exercise they can eat a ton and be just fine. Mine is outside and very active; an endive is nothing to her on a warm day.

Today she got a large handful of melon leaves and vines; a small endive; and a brussels sprout, all very dense foods. I’m sure she ate a bunch more of whatever else she wanted; we feed her in an effort to keep her from eating the entire yard.

 

[Tom]

Hello All,

Quick question, can Turbo (my RT) eat too much? He really loves endive and spring greens (especially endives). Depending on what I give him that day (endive or spring greens individually or combined), he can usually eat 1 whole endive a day or 1-2 small handfuls of spring greens. He usually eats when he wakes up (7-8am when his lights turns on), at night (5-6pm), and after soaking/being out of his enclosure (not as much though). He is a pretty active guy in general during the day but he sleeps through the night (~7pm-7am).

As for how I feed him, he has a couple of feeding dishes in his enclosure that I put his food in for the day (replace it daily) and it's usually free-choice. When I get home from work, if there is not food, I usually refill it a bit.

So is Turbo eating too much? Too little? Just right?

If he is eating too much, is it bad for him?

I should mention, he is an adult (male) RT.

Thank you!!!

No you can't feed too much, but you can feed too much of the wrong foods. Your tortoise needs more broadleaf weeds, flowers, leaves and succulents and less grocery store greens.