How much food?

Tornado

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
26
This is Tornado. He's around 3-5yrs. I feel like I'm giving him a lot, especially since he is not getting much exercise at the moment (we're in MN), but he's walking around the living room trying to eat plastic toys. As of 12.04, he weighs 357g (up from 297 in Oct) and has gained about half an inch since late Sept. About how much food should I be giving him?

ImageUploadedByTortForum1386879896.507953.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Joe S

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2013
Messages
27
I am not familiar with those species or the amount of food, but I just wanted to say hello from Minnesota. I feel your pain during the winter months and housing them indoors.
 

Cute_Obi

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
51
Location (City and/or State)
St. Paul, MN
Hey, i'm from MN too! It's freezing! Anyways, I give my little guy a big pile of mixed greens each morning before I leave to work. I also give Mazuri every 2-3 days and once a week I mix a small spoonful of grated pumpkin in with his greens. Theres always food left on his plate at the end of the day and I just toss it.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
The walking around living room trying to bite plastic toys is the reason they should not be allowed to roam in the house. Do you have a proper enclosure for him? You should be feeding him everyday. The best way to know if he you are giving enough, is if he has some left over. That's the way I judge it anyway. They will eat less if their temps are not correct and if they cannot heat themselves up under a basking lamp that the temps read 95+
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I free feed mine. They eat as much as they want and have free access to food all day.

I agree that roaming the floor is a very bad idea. If his enclosure is too small, make it bigger. I like 4x8' as a minimum for a russian.
 

Tornado

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
26
Interesting. I had no idea that it wasn't ok to take him out of his enclosure to hang out with me in the living room.

He's fed a large handful, larger than his shell size, every day. He always has a little left over, but he will always go and eat again if I put in more food.
 
Top