Cherry Head feeding regiment help!

[Sezdawg]

What is a good feeding regiment for a cherry head? I purchased some Mazuri and I have read about people feeding them exclusively on that and perhaps adding some greens into the mix. This sounds a lot easier than assuring the right mix of fruits, protein and other essential foods for them individually. But is the "easy" way the best way for the tort? I'm also growing broadleaf tort weed mix in my enclosure (inside, much to cold here in Pullman WA to house my little guy outside).

 

[Redstrike]

There are a few schools of thought on this, I'll provide mine. I'm not saying what I do is better than anyone else, just sharing my opinion.

I choose to feed my cherryheads as many natural weeds as I can for as long as I can. A comprehensive list of weeds and common horticultural food choices can be found at this site:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp - See "Plant Database"

I like to provide my tortoises with stimulating foods like wild weeds. They help keep their beaks trimmed, provide good amounts of fiber and nutrition, and challenge the tortoises to effectively chomp them down. Also, fruits contain unique smells and colors that processed foods do not; I'd argue this is stimulating for my tortoises. A pile of water-softened processed food doesn't provide problem solving or unique stimulation (i.e., colors, scents, how can I eat this!?) or beak trimming capabilities (this could be solved by placing it on a rough surface).

I choose to feed both Mazuri and Zoo Med Forest Tortoise Diet as supplements once every week or two - and they LOVE it. Would it be easier to feed them these processed diets and mix some other things in, absolutely! Looking at the list of ingredients, I'm not all that impressed (especially with Mazuri) but their performance as growth enhancers and filling in any gaps in nutrition that I miss provides me the rationale to continue using them. I like what I see when I use them at the intervals I have selected and my tortoises enthusiastically gulp both down.

Other things to consider:

1. When wild weeds are available they are FREE, processed foods and grocery store greens are not.

2. Wild weed seeds can be collected and grown indoors.

3. On a per-pound basis, processed foods are generally cheaper than grocery store greens. Agreements with your local grocery store could reverse this if they are willing to shunt produce fated for the dumpster to your torts for free. Generally, I don't find feeding my tortoises in the winter to be too expensive by purchasing grocery store greens but it is a point to ponder.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

There are a lot of theories on the best way to feed a redfoot. This is how I do it. I give them greens twice a week, vegetables once a week, and fruit once a week. They can also graze daily on the grasses in the yard as well. I only give Mazuri maybe twice a month and some kind of protein source once a month. This works for me - but I'm sure there are a lot of great routines out there. Good luck! ")

 

[CharlieM]

There are a few schools of thought on this, I'll provide mine. I'm not saying what I do is better than anyone else, just sharing my opinion.

I choose to feed my cherryheads as many natural weeds as I can for as long as I can. A comprehensive list of weeds and common horticultural food choices can be found at this site:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp - See "Plant Database"

I like to provide my tortoises with stimulating foods like wild weeds. They help keep their beaks trimmed, provide good amounts of fiber and nutrition, and challenge the tortoises to effectively chomp them down. Also, fruits contain unique smells and colors that processed foods do not; I'd argue this is stimulating for my tortoises. A pile of water-softened processed food doesn't provide problem solving or unique stimulation (i.e., colors, scents, how can I eat this!?) or beak trimming capabilities (this could be solved by placing it on a rough surface).

I choose to feed both Mazuri and Zoo Med Forest Tortoise Diet as supplements once every week or two - and they LOVE it. Would it be easier to feed them these processed diets and mix some other things in, absolutely! Looking at the list of ingredients, I'm not all that impressed (especially with Mazuri) but their performance as growth enhancers and filling in any gaps in nutrition that I miss provides me the rationale to continue using them. I like what I see when I use them at the intervals I have selected and my tortoises enthusiastically gulp both down.

Other things to consider:

1. When wild weeds are available they are FREE, processed foods and grocery store greens are not.

2. Wild weed seeds can be collected and grown indoors.

3. On a per-pound basis, processed foods are generally cheaper than grocery store greens. Agreements with your local grocery store could reverse this if they are willing to shunt produce fated for the dumpster to your torts for free. Generally, I don't find feeding my tortoises in the winter to be too expensive by purchasing grocery store greens but it is a point to ponder.

Great answer.

 

[Sezdawg]

There are a few schools of thought on this, I'll provide mine. I'm not saying what I do is better than anyone else, just sharing my opinion.

I choose to feed my cherryheads as many natural weeds as I can for as long as I can. A comprehensive list of weeds and common horticultural food choices can be found at this site:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp - See "Plant Database"

I like to provide my tortoises with stimulating foods like wild weeds. They help keep their beaks trimmed, provide good amounts of fiber and nutrition, and challenge the tortoises to effectively chomp them down. Also, fruits contain unique smells and colors that processed foods do not; I'd argue this is stimulating for my tortoises. A pile of water-softened processed food doesn't provide problem solving or unique stimulation (i.e., colors, scents, how can I eat this!?) or beak trimming capabilities (this could be solved by placing it on a rough surface).

I choose to feed both Mazuri and Zoo Med Forest Tortoise Diet as supplements once every week or two - and they LOVE it. Would it be easier to feed them these processed diets and mix some other things in, absolutely! Looking at the list of ingredients, I'm not all that impressed (especially with Mazuri) but their performance as growth enhancers and filling in any gaps in nutrition that I miss provides me the rationale to continue using them. I like what I see when I use them at the intervals I have selected and my tortoises enthusiastically gulp both down.

Other things to consider:

1. When wild weeds are available they are FREE, processed foods and grocery store greens are not.

2. Wild weed seeds can be collected and grown indoors.

3. On a per-pound basis, processed foods are generally cheaper than grocery store greens. Agreements with your local grocery store could reverse this if they are willing to shunt produce fated for the dumpster to your torts for free. Generally, I don't find feeding my tortoises in the winter to be too expensive by purchasing grocery store greens but it is a point to ponder.

Seriously Redstrike thank you!

 

[RosieRedfoot]

I know out on airport road in Pullman they do have a farmer's market some Fridays out of the year. Might be too late in the season, but always worth checking out. And if all else fails, remember you're surrounded by wheat and lentil fields and you could possibly even find some homeowners in the area that don't spray for weeds and will let you pick them. Come spring the horticulture club will have a plant sale on mom's weekend and you can score some geraniums and pansies and such for cheap. I actually have 2 geraniums from mom's weekend in 2009 and again in 2010 and they are here with me in SC and doing well.

I feed mainly store bought greens (collard, turnip, mustard, green leaf lettuce, escarole), some weeds/grasses, and wandering jew. I give her fruit on occasion depending on what I have. When I had strawberries she got one strawberry two days in a row and then back to greens. Some days I give her a tiny bruised piece of banana in addition to greens, or give her a slice of peach, melon, apple, etc. I go to the farmer's market here and when I do, I give her some bites of it. I don't adhere strictly to a one day of this, two days of this, one day of this. I don't always have fruits (and this weekend I ran out of greens, so she got fruit and mazuri) so I base it off of what I have and rotate what she gets.

 

[Sezdawg]

I know out on airport road in Pullman they do have a farmer's market some Fridays out of the year. Might be too late in the season, but always worth checking out. And if all else fails, remember you're surrounded by wheat and lentil fields and you could possibly even find some homeowners in the area that don't spray for weeds and will let you pick them. Come spring the horticulture club will have a plant sale on mom's weekend and you can score some geraniums and pansies and such for cheap. I actually have 2 geraniums from mom's weekend in 2009 and again in 2010 and they are here with me in SC and doing well.

Thank you RosieRedfoot! Especially for the tips in Pullman! Go Cougs! I will definitely be on the look out for these sales and will look into seeing if the farmers market is still going on! (It's getting pretty cold now so I'm guessing not) thanks for the diet tips as well! It's really awesome to hear from somebody who knows the area!

 

[RosieRedfoot]

No problem. I spent 4 years in Pullman and 1 in Moscow so you'd hope I kind of knew the area. Although I didn't have a tortoise back then. Sometimes I miss the place and its small town feel, lol. I do really miss the thai restaurant called Thai Ginger and the fact that they still got real winters (compared to here where there's minimal to no snow). Haven't been able to find any curries around here that are half as good as theirs. But, I digress haha. Speaking of tortoise food, not human

What area are you in? I lived in the dorms (had no pets but a betta), Chief Jo on-campus apt's (had many smuggled pets), and then Birch Hills (in dabco-land where pets were finally permitted).

Feel free to pm me though if you have questions about the area that you don't feel like disclosing online. Oh, and Go Cougs! Just wish I could have been in the area for an Apple-Cup win...

 

[Sezdawg]

I'm from kent on the west side, went to Seattle U my first year then transferred to wsu my sophomore year I'm a junior now but last year I lived in Rogers and I'm in the coffee house apts now behind the man shop! My friend and I both decided we wanted torts this past summer so we got some baby hermanns... Unfortunately... His, Spartacus, and mine, hamburger (aka lil hammy) decided to die on us.... (Trust me it was not for lack of care. We did our research). Luckily reptmart gave us new torts! I'm hoping These cherry heads will be more hardy lol! But we will see! ...freaking expensive start up costs so I sure hope so!

I wasn't there for the apple cup either though. Too long a drive the day after thanksgiving... Wasn't expecting a win either haha. It's a great place to live though!

---

Ps I'm told you probably know abclements. He's my bud haha

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

Just saying, from your profile pic, your tort looks beautiful! I feed my redfoot (regular northern) vegi's two times and then one day of fruit. I continue this cycle and make sure to provide a variety of food. Good luck!

 

[Redstrike]

Wanted to add something on fruits:

I feed my cherryheads fruits and vegetables no more than once/week - sometimes once every two weeks - with portion sizes no larger than 2x their head size. Yes, fruits have a lot of excellent vitamins, minerals, and water but they also contain lots of sugars. My thinking is that too much sugar = parasite blooms, particularly protozoans and microparasites due to the increased available energy (sugars) fermenting in their hind-gut (colon).

Again, just my take. It's not written in stone and others will rightfully disagree with my stance.

 

[RosieRedfoot]

I feed fruit amounts depending on what fruit it is. Things higher in sugar, I tend to feed less of whereas things lower in sugar I give more often. I did some research into natural redfoot diets and for several months over half their diet consists of fallen fruit. I don't give it daily for months on end, so I figure me giving it every 3-4 days for several weeks and then not giving it for a week isn't overdoing it.

Here's a site listing fruits by varying sugar content: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/which-fruits-have-the-most-sugar.html

 

[Sezdawg]

You all have been REALLY helpful so far! Thank you so much! Ill post some pics of my tort as soon as I get motivated to use my computer lol I'm using the iPhone app right now!