has anyone heard of rice as a food item for tortoises?

[SILVERSTAR]

JUS CURIOUS...........

 

[l0velesly]

I haven't.. but my sulcata tries to eat my rice, but it's too sticky for him to eat

 

[jaizei]

I've seen cooked, plain rice on some care sheets. I've never fed it though.

 

[ascott]

I would never have thought????? hmmmm

 

[Kristina]

High starch, poor caloric value and not really fibrous either, unless it is long grain wild rice.... Personally, I have better things to fill my tortoise's tummies with

 

[River14]

Yes Kristina is right rice is 100% easily digestible starch and as such a big no no. Diets are a bit confusing especially for Indian stars and their sub species.

One is told for best results and health a low protein high fibre low digestible carb diet is the thing. However the animals live in regions that endure very dry seasons but also extremely wet season like when monsoons fall. In the wet season the grass has a very high protein content 15-18% and there is plenty of other juicy green material to eat. In the dry season the grass is like hay and there are very few things to eat besides that and succulents and fallen fruits. So one wonders if one should feed higher protein during the monsoon months and then feed extreme low ones and very low caloric high fiber diet in the dry season. i live in Hong Kong and our weather is very much the same as parts of India where the tortoise comes from.

There is not much info based on natural seasonal diets to be able to say exctly what to do. Only experience can say. Why I think I will enjoy this forum. Thanks guys

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi River14:

Welcome to the forum!!

Won't you please take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?

 

[River14]

Have done (blush)