Greens?

[GeoTerraTestudo]

No worries. Redfoots may not need as many fat reserves as Russians, but they can use some pudge, too. As long as your little guy is not too fat to retract himself into his shell, you can feel good about letting him munch away. It's nice to have a tortoise with a good appetite.

 

[wheezysmomma]

Thanks he can barely get into his shell as it is as he has Severe pyramiding and some mbd its really awful he did NOT get this way with me we adopted him he is 7inches and as big as hes gonna get we have no way of knowing how old he is but hes a least 7yrs old so its even harder to know how much he should and could eat. I have been doing 1 plate a day and we take him outside in the afternoon and give him clover and dandelions and whatever flowers and edible plants we have (YES I monitor what hes eating to make sure its on the edible safe list)

 

[electra]

I figure in the wild the tortoise would have access to greens and food all the time. It would eat whenever it wanted. Particularly tropical forest dwelling jungles full of green food every where.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Well, on the one hand a wild animal would eat whatever it wanted, but on the other hand food is not everywhere, not even in a tropical rain forest or savanna. Redfoots move from fruiting tree to fruiting tree, competing with other animals for the ripe fruit that has fallen to the ground. They also eat greens, of course, but those are mostly found in sunny areas near water. And they need invertebrates and carcasses, which they have to search for, too.

So, food could be anywhere, but wild animals have to put the effort into finding it.

 

[wheezysmomma]

That's a good point so 1 good Heaping salad in the am and grazing outside should cut it. I feed a VERY varied diet so I will try to keep an eye on how much he eats and if I feel like he needs more I will give him more to me if he finishes that first salad in the first hour I feel like at dinner time (430pmish) he should be allowed to graze on more straight greens I will watch him (and post pics) to monitor his health thanks

 

[oakashthorn]

I've been on this forum for a while, but have just never posted anything, but I think this is a great way to start..lol Torts can't get "fat" per say on greens and salad, but they can have growth periods by eating more, especially after long periods of neglect. I know you don't want to think that you're starving Wheezy, and you want him to be full, but just remember as in humans, when you've been without good nutrition and food and all of a sudden are getting what you need, you tend to gorge. Animals do the same thing, and having his shell as deformed as it is, problems can happen before you would immediately know about it. You've got to keep on feeding him such a great and varied diet, but at the same time limiting the mass that you've been giving him. You're not going to starve him by doing this, quite the opposite. You've got to help his little body SLOWLY ease into this proper diet and way of eating. If you constantly let him eat two or more meals per day, his little organs will grow very fast to keep up, but in doing so will crush all the other organs because his shell is so deformed. The others on here have great advice, take them all into consideration. Just remember to LIMIT his "mass" to one decent meal per day. I like to spread my RF greens around, and push the stalks into his soil, makes him feel like he's really out foraging for food..lol I've been following your progress, and you're doing an awesome job with such a needing and special guy. You should feel proud and happy that you've been able to give this abused animal a second chance on life. I think you're doing great, just remember to take it slow! He's been without many meals in the past, no need to fatten him up, that will cause major problems, very quickly. Keep up the news, I love reading about his progress, he is truly a special guy, and as are you for taking the special time and care to ease him back to health.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Torts can't get "fat" per say on greens and salad, but they can have growth periods by eating more, especially after long periods of neglect.

Good post! However, remember that anything you can get calories out of can make you fat if you eat enough of it, and that includes greens in the diet of a tortoise.

As we've been saying, though, that's not really a concern. Tortoises do well by eating hearty portions, especially if they have been deprived of quality food for a while (as it sounds like your new guy with MBD has been).

As long as the tortoise eats about what it can eat in 20 minutes (either at one sitting, or over 2 meals, or over the course of the day), then that is a good amount.

 

[wheezysmomma]

Thanks everyone yes I guess your all right! I don't want to overload him just want him to be happy and healthy I have cut him back (and it seems he has cut himself back a bit on his own too) I've been leaving his regular size AM feed in there all day and he goes back and forth picking a few pieces at a time (been ever since I first posted I've been trying this) he eats the majority first thing in the am them picks a few pieces here and there for the afternoon then around 5pm I take the plate out for the night and his lights go out at 730pm (come back on at 730am and I feed around 8am) usually between 5pm and 7pm I take him outside and we sit and be has the chance to eat some dandelions and what not while we are out there (he doesn't eat much outside) then he goes back in this is our new routine and he seems happy with it (I think he was just excited by all the newness and was eating and eating lol although they have pretty good salads at the rescue too lol) I think he's happy this way too so I will continue don't want him to be hungry or overweight