Question about diet??

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wessicataylor

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I'm getting a red-footed tortoise next week and I'm really excited, so I have been doing some research about their care and I've heard a lot about red-footed tortoises needing more protein in their diet than other species. However, I'm not quite sure what would be a good source of protein for them or how often to feed it because I have heard a lot of contradicting ideas. Is cat food a good idea?? Or can i feed them something like meal worms from the pet store? And how much and how often should I give them this??
 

Mgridgaway

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Typically I give my redfoots animal protein a few times a month. This is mostly in the form of hard boiled egg or whatever live food I have available, which includes worms, wax worms, and meal worms. I had Harper out a little earlier today and he chased down a pill bug and chomped it up. He also tried to eat a paper towel that had worm juice on it.

My redfoots are not what you would call picky.
 

Madkins007

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The need for protein is because most of the plants in their native ranges are really low in nutrients, so they eat more fruit (which actually means vegetables with seeds) and meat/bugs than most other species of tortoises.

The greens, etc. we can provide usually have more protein in it already than the wild plants do so they don't really need a lot more protein- but they can digest it easily and enjoy it, so we offer them some. At the most, it should only be about 10-15% of the total diet. Some people offer a little every could days, some offer some once a week, others every couple weeks, etc. There is no hard and fast rule you need to follow.

Most keepers feel that the best option is some sort of live 'bugs'. This can be things like soft-bodied larvae (like Phoenix worms, etc.), slugs, snails, roaches, and most bugs you find in the garden that won't hop, crawl or fly out of the cage. Worms work, but many red-footed tortoises do not seem to particularly care for worms. Mealworms can be a problem- the hard shell is tough to digest. If you use them, take care to not overdo it.

Besides bugs, we can use lots of things- poultry and eggs (lightly cook the eggs to reduce the messiness), oily fish (like tuna and salmon, although it produces runny and smelly bowel, movements), bits of lean meats or organ meats, etc. Avoid anything too fatty, salty, or processed.

Pet foods are often mentioned, most often low-fat cat kibble, but also most wet or dry dog and cat foods. The benefit here is convenience, especially with a large herd. Many people are nervous about the additives, chemicals, grains, etc. in most pet foods but since we will use so little of it, it is not a big deal.

Another option is pelleted tortoise food. The best options you might see at the store are Mazuri Tortoise Food and ZooMed Natural Forest Tortoise Food. These provide a balanced diet that you can supplement with a small 'salad'. I generally don't bother due to servings cost unless I can share in a big bag and get the bulk savings.

The Tortoise Library linked below has other articles, ideas, and links that may help.
 

wessicataylor

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Okay! This was very helpful! Thank you sooo much! I'm so excited to get him :)
 
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