Free choice food?

Lynn1957

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I read that you only need to feed your tortoise once a day? I can't imagine doing that as they are grazing animals and eat as much as they want all day long in the wild.
Opinions please
Thanks!!
 

wellington

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Once a day is fine. Just give them enough that it last them all day.
When my tortoises are inside for winter, I feed once a day.
If you want to feed them several times a day that's fine too. Not everyone will have time to feed several times a day.
As long as they get enough food along with enough exercise for the amount of food feeding.
 

Yvonne G

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I feed once a day, but enough food so there's some left on the tile all day long. By the end of the day it's pretty dried out, but the tortoises still come over and eat it whenever they want to.
 

Tom

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Yeah… What those two said. That's what I do too.

Depends on the species and housing situation too. When our winter rains come and the grass and weeds sprout, I don't feed my tortoises at all. They graze all day at will. In summer, I leave out a flake of grass hay, and just feed them other stuff when I get around to it.

Indoors, I do what Yvonne and Barb said. I feed once a day, but put in enough to last all day. With this method its also important to be feeding the right foods. Lots of weeds, leaves, and some flowers. Grass for some species too. If you are doing this with grocery store foods, you should be adding stuff to the greens to make it better.
 

seanang168

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I noted that when I put extra food on the food tray, my male star will pee and poo on the remaining food. Would you have such a problem if you feed once to last the whole day?
 

Wendy Proulx

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We feed our yellow foot in the morning and place him on his food before we all head out for the day. He will usually eat some then, but I rarely see him ever going back to his food bowl during the day. We have had him for about 3 weeks now, do you think he is still trying to get use to his new home? I am assuming that he can figure out how to get back to his food if he wants it. Thoughts...
 

JoesMum

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I noted that when I put extra food on the food tray, my male star will pee and poo on the remaining food. Would you have such a problem if you feed once to last the whole day?
Don't get too hung up about the pee and poop. It happens. Thoroughly clean up before the next feed

And as the others say, torts don't seem tp bother about food wilting or going limp. A rough guide is to leave a mound of food the size of your tort's shell. If it's cleared then add more. Otherwise leave it until next day.
 

orgetorix

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Far from an expert here but I feed mine early in the AM and try to give more than they usually eat in a day. By the afternoon, what is left is pretty wilted and ignored, but if I go in there and kind of "fluff" it back up, they invariably come back and take a few more nibbles.
 
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