Feeding proportion

[Maceon279]

Just got a tort and dont know how much to feed. I have been feeding it 1 & 3/4 cups ( rough estimate so might be 2 or 1 & 1/2). He is roughly 2 according to pet shop, imported from southern Russia according to tag and is 4 inches across. One of the youngest there, they told me. Is this feeding size proportionate? I love my

 

[Tech13]

I read somewhere on this forum that you give all they can eat in about 20 minutes, or about an amount equivalent to the size of the tortoise. I am not one of the experts, so maybe someone else can confirm this or deny it. I feed my Greek in the morning and occasionally I give a small afternoon snack. I really don't know if the snack is an acceptable practice, but they are opportunistic eaters in the wild so I figure it's ok as long as he can bask for a few hours to properly digest/absorb nutrients

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I'm sorry, I meant to tell you, "Welcome to the forum!" Also, Please don't be shy about asking questions, people are here to help and learn; also, read threads often, you learn lots of helpful info

 

[Maceon279]

I feed mine around night because my tortoise is nocturnal..... Probably not use to time zone. Here him banging on terrarium tank all night and digging. And they say tortoises are lazy....

 

[JoesMum]

If your tort is active at night, it suggests that the lights aren't going off and the temperature doesn't dip.

Your lighting needs to mimic a natural day. Use a timer to have the lights come on for 12 hours at a time. Torts do not need lights of any sort at night. That includes red, purple and dark lights,

Let the temperature drop at night... how much depends on the species.

 

[Maceon279]

If your tort is active at night, it suggests that the lights aren't going off and the temperature doesn't dip.

Your lighting needs to mimic a natural day. Use a timer to have the lights come on for 12 hours at a time. Torts do not need lights of any sort at night. That includes red, purple and dark lights,

Let the temperature drop at night... how much depends on the species.

I do mimic a natural day. His timer makes lights go on a 7:45 - 8:00 (not precise because it is not digital) And it goes off around 8:00 pm

I feed him at 6:00 pm and no lights on at night. The temperature change in his basking area is from 100 F it goes down to 80 - 85 F

 

[Tom]

What species? Testudo horsefieldii? They need a night drop in temp down into the 60s, or at least the low 70s. Like joes mum noted, that's probably why he's so active at night.

For your diet question, it depends on many factors. If he's outside in a large enclosure, just let nhim graze and run around all day. Indoors, with the right foods, you should be able to free feed him. If he's indoors, not very active and eating a lot of grocery store foods, then you might need to make sure he doesn't become obese. This is pretty rare, so if I were you, I would just let him free feed as much as he wants, with the right foods (weeds, leaves and flowers), all day long. If you start to see fat sticking out of his shell after a few months, then you can thinking about putting him on a restricted calorie diet. Right now, its spring time, he's got growing to do, and he needs his nutrition.

 

[Maceon279]

What species? Testudo horsefieldii? They need a night drop in temp down into the 60s, or at least the low 70s. Like joes mum noted, that's probably why he's so active at night.

For your diet question, it depends on many factors. If he's outside in a large enclosure, just let nhim graze and run around all day. Indoors, with the right foods, you should be able to free feed him. If he's indoors, not very active and eating a lot of grocery store foods, then you might need to make sure he doesn't become obese. This is pretty rare, so if I were you, I would just let him free feed as much as he wants, with the right foods (weeds, leaves and flowers), all day long. If you start to see fat sticking out of his shell after a few months, then you can thinking about putting him on a restricted calorie diet. Right now, its spring time, he's got growing to do, and he needs his nutrition.

HE is a russian tortoise. Occasionally it will drop lower. I have rocks in the basking area that has rocks that store heat. He lives indoors and his inclosure is long but not necessarily narrow. He burrows living the very top of his shell exposed. He burrows right under the artificial bush I have provided. It is more like a large tangle of vine. I feed him Butter lettuce, Kale every other day and collards.