Over eating?

Cleopatra 2020

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I didn't think Turtles could overeat but I heard somewhere in fact I think it was a YouTube video that this Wildlife guy that raises Turtles mention something about them overeating and that you don't want to feed them too much I guess for the same reasons we shouldn't overeat my turtle will eat twice a day actually I just feed her Cactus pad in the evening as a treat before she goes to bed she is gaining weight nicely which I'm very happy with although I don't want to over feed her and cause health issues normally I just feed her spring mix or collards grape leaves and squash leaves sometimes also I try to make up about half of her food quantity with green grass just wondering if anybody has some advice as far as overfeeding and I could just feed her once a day if that's recommended thanks for any help in advance
 

Chubbs the tegu

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I would feed her as much as she wants.. as long as she has a big enough enclosure to get some exercise.. she will be fine
 

Cleopatra 2020

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I would feed her as much as she wants.. as long as she has a big enough enclosure to get some exercise.. she will be fine
yeah her enclosures like 21 in by 40 in can't remember exact measurements at the moment ...she does laps in there sometimes... LOL she just walks in circles...... I did notice this morning looking at her from a back angle that her sides are starting to bow out a little I've had her since April 7th and she's gained 20 G since then when I first got her her sides or vertical up and down perfectly straight so I'm assuming this is a healthy thing as I am new to owning a tortoise I forgot to mention that she is a three month old leopard hatchling
 

Chubbs the tegu

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They can grow quickly with good conditions and care.. with that in mind you might wanna start thinking about a size upgrade ?
 

NorCal tortoise guy

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This is a little bit of a complex question but as long as you are feeding the right foods (which it sounds like you are) then more food will only lead to faster growth not health problems
 

Tom

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I didn't think Turtles could overeat but I heard somewhere in fact I think it was a YouTube video that this Wildlife guy that raises Turtles mention something about them overeating and that you don't want to feed them too much I guess for the same reasons we shouldn't overeat my turtle will eat twice a day actually I just feed her Cactus pad in the evening as a treat before she goes to bed she is gaining weight nicely which I'm very happy with although I don't want to over feed her and cause health issues normally I just feed her spring mix or collards grape leaves and squash leaves sometimes also I try to make up about half of her food quantity with green grass just wondering if anybody has some advice as far as overfeeding and I could just feed her once a day if that's recommended thanks for any help in advance
Tortoises are grazers. They should be allowed to eat as much of the right foods as they want.

You definitely need a larger enclosure. 21x40 is okay for a brand new tiny 25 gram hatchling, but its time for an upgrade. May I suggest a nice large closed chamber? :)
 

RosemaryDW

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I think you might have been watching a video produced by Kamp Kenan; he has some different approaches to feeding than we do and those ideas are not generally agreed with here. Let him eat as much as he wants so long as he has a big enough enclosure.

Tom’s right, the enclosure is too small. Take a look at the enclosures subforum here to get started on some ideas.
 

Cleopatra 2020

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Tortoises are grazers. They should be allowed to eat as much of the right foods as they want.

You definitely need a larger enclosure. 21x40 is okay for a brand new tiny 25 gram hatchling, but its time for an upgrade. May I suggest a nice large closed chamber? :)
I think you might have been watching a video produced by Kamp Kenan; he has some different approaches to feeding than we do and those ideas are not generally agreed with here. Let him eat as much as he wants so long as he has a big enough enclosure.

Tom’s right, the enclosure is too small. Take a look at the enclosures subforum here to get started on some ideas.
 

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Tom

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To add to this: You'll find many sources advising that we reduce food intake, or only feed every other day. This is more of that old wrong info from yesteryear. It was erroneously thought that food caused pyramiding. Too much food, the wrong type of food, too much protein, etc... That is/was wrong. People looked at growth rates of wild tortoises and surmised, incorrectly, that our captive growth rates should match that. This ignores the fact that life in the wild is extrmjemtly tough. Food and water shortages, hiding from predators, fighting diseases and parasites, inclement weather, drought, etc... OF COURSE they grow slower in the wild. Its tough out there. Most babies don't survive living in the wild. Very few wild babies make it to adulthood. In captivity, we remove all the bad stuff. Good food, plenty of water, no predators (hopefully...), no diseases or parasites, the weather is always perfect in our enclosures, etc... Of course they are going to grow faster!

If we use high humidity to simulate the little microclimates that wild baby tortoises would find or create for themselves, then we get smooth growth. If you keep a baby in dry conditions without humidity or humid microclimates, they are going to pyramid. If you feed them less in dry conditions, they will pyramid and grow slower. If you feed them normal and let them graze all day in dry conditions they will grow and pyramid faster.

After doing it wrong (dry) for 20 years, I finally figured out the missing elements, humidity and hydration, and my tortoises no longer have to starve for no reason. I don't care how fast or slow my tortoises grow. I care how HEALTHY they grow.

By the way, I was just informed in a message today that Kenan, while giving advice on how to raise leopards, has five of them in his infirmary being treated for RI, and all of them are pyramided. I don't even have an infirmary because none of my tortoises ever get sick.
 
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